New Britain herald., 1928-09-17

coast and unable to make Roadway.
The vessel asked for 4 report OF
weather conditions In this vicinity.
The message was picked up by naval
reserve members shortly after mid
night working an improved set at
the weather bureau.
Left saturday
New Orleans. Sept. ~ R@The
Steamship Tampa. which reported
last night she was held of the Flor
ida west coast by the storm. left here
Saturday with 81 passengers. Names
of messengers were not available.
start Relief
Miami, Fla, Sept. II R-Florida
today turned to the administration
| of relief and q checking up OF dam
ages in the section devastated by
the West Indian hurricane and to
protective measures in places lying
within the indicated path of the
storm.
Relief units were dispatched to
Palm Beach and West Palm Beach,
which were isolated late yesterday.
together with a dozen other CON-
munities. Before communication
lines went down. meager reports In
dicated that severe damage may
have been inflicted and unohicial
wind velocities ranging as high a.
125 miles an hour were reported.
No report on possible loss of life
had been received early today but
among the uncontrmed reports
reaching here was one made to H.
H. Arnold, director of public safety.
by the police department at West
Palm Beach, saying that the wind
was blowing 125 miles an hour at
six o'clock last night and that roofs
of buildings were being blown
about
Phone Cut Out
Before Arnold finished talking.
the telephone line went down. Tele-
phone and telegraph lines likewis.
were reported out north of West
Palm Bach as far as Fort Pierce.
but the Jupiter radio station. about
20 miles above the Palm Beachea
was said to be working with naval
stations. Below West Palm Beach.
communications were down to Fort
Lauderdale.
Houses Unroofesl
A preliminary check-up at Fort
Lauderdale which was struck by
winds estimated at rs miles an
hour. said several houses had been
unroofed and power disrupted.
There We're no reports of casualties
Meanwhile. a Red Cross unit here
left for the Palm Beaches to rem
der aid if necessary. Units in other
sections of the state were prepared
to enter the area should investiga-
ton prove that aid 10 needed. Be-
fore becoming isolated, West Palm
Beach reported that the American
Legion had taken over relief meas
ures there and was prepared for
any emergency. The inha bitants
were asked to stay inside their
homes and it was believed they
would be able to Withstand the blow.
Passes Inland
The weather bureau believed the
storm center passed inland in the
vicinity of West Palm Beach, but,
in the absence of definite reports, il
was unable to fix the exact passage
or trend of the Storm Hurricane
warnings, however, were out along
the west Florida coast which the
bureau said the storm likely will
reach not far from Tampa" during
today.
If the storm pursued the north
westward course it has followed
since sweeping through the West In
dies, it would have crossed last
night sparsely Inhabited region
bordering Lake Okeeshobee.
Flee for Safety
Many OF the inhabitants of the
lake towns fled for safety to Lake.
land. Avon Park and other places
IN central Florida. Residents from
east coast cities joined the caravan
after the issuance yesterday of the
hurricane warnings. and were said
to have filled the highway leading
across the state. Many autoists
sought safety by driving northward
up the east coast highway.
but little distress was reported
from shipping. Vessels had been
warned In advance and put into the
hrst available port to await the pas
sage OF the hurricane Mountainous
seas were reported from the vicinity
of the path taken by the storm, one
vessel wirelessing that it had en-
countered 90-mile winds.
Weather bureau reports we're that
WINDS OF 100 miles an hour velocity
accompanied the storm as II ad.
vanced upon the Florida coast.
Correspondents of the St Peters
burg Times who started for the east
coast got through a message to that
newspaper early today from Frost
Proof saying that they had encoun-
tered a heavy storm there with the
wind blowing in excess of so miles
an hour. Frost Proof lies in the
central part Of the state east south
east of Tampa.
They reported that as they neared
the town. they were asked for a ride
by man and five little children
who said that their home had been
blown over. In Frost Proof they
found large numbers of people
huddled together in an arcade
building for protection.
Palatka Suffers Also
Palatka. Fla. Sept. II (UP)-
Heavy damage to power and trans
mission lines in this part of Elnriia