Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-17
FEAR SCORES DEAD
IN ALABAMA FLOOD.
Disease Stalks in Wake OF
Water-2O,OOO Are Left
Homeless.
Continued From First Page)

! tGOItl1ueQ Edkc.J
workers, were inoculating refugees
against measles and typhoid.
Gov. Graves, in broadcasting second
appeal for aid, today said 1925, 900
would be necessary for immediate relief.
The Red Cross In Washington informed
the governor that three National dis
aster relief workers had been ordered to
Coffee County. and that local chapters
had been modified on ali emergency
! basis. The governor was unoficially in
formed that the relief fund today stood
at about $4,000.
Rescue Stories Plentiful.
Stories of thrilling rescues and pitiful
refugee conditions were plentiful today.
as correspondents began to return to
Montgomery and Birmingham.
Apparently most of the refugees
escaped the rising flood waters without
anything but the clothing they wore.
Wire communications were so disrupted
that reports were lacking from many
communities known to be endangered
by the high water.
The first train from Flomaton one
of the flooded towns, reached Mobile
this afternoon.
j. S. Martin Mobile, conductor Of
the train; c. J. Brown, fiaeman, and
r. M. Nelson. jr baggage master. told
of having spent two sleepless days and
two nights in rescue work. taking scores
of refugees into the coaches.
Cars Packed with Hungry.
Our cars were packed and damned
with people. many of them who had
not eaten for hours said Martin.
we turned on the steam heat and
20 sit upright all night, said they were
comfortable for the first time In many
hours"
In the midst of the food. the crew
said, lightning struck store at Flo
maton and 1t was burned to the water
level.
It was impossible to determine &C
cording to the trainmen, whether or
not there has been any loss OF life in
Flomaton. They had been told bodies
of 10 Negroes had been recovered at
Brewton, but they could not verify the
report.
Nelson, who lives at Flomaton. said
20 persons had sought refuge in his
home, which was situated bit higher
than some of the other houses. Water
kept rising slowly and as it crept higher
and higher, they retreated to the attic,
thinking momentarily the rise would
cease. Finally they were compelled
to chop a hole in the roof through
which they escaped, TO be rescued
from their perch by motor boat.
Two Cry for Help. Disappear.
At Browns home In Flomaton Thurs
day night q cry was heard from
nearby home. where two men were
seen trying to hang onto a porch.
Mrs Brown pushed a skin from her
home In their direction. Neither the
men or the boat have been seen, Brown
said.
One home, which was at one time a
considerable distance from the rail-
road track at Flomaton, now rests on
the main line of the L. g. NJ. washed
there by the torrents that have swept
through the avenue on which 1t was
situated. the crew reported.
The train that brought the initial
first-hand information of the flood
conditions at Flomatop left again for
the stricken territory with supplies. 1t
will proceed slowly as in two places
the track Is below two feet OF water
for distances of 200 feet in each case.
Florida Town Is Hit.
Another place seriously affected by
high water was Caryville, Fla, across
the line south of Geneva. Ala. where
hurried efforts were necessary to take
the inhabitants to safety zones. Two
hundred persons were rescued this
morning. Motor boats took women and
children from the second-story win
dows of two hotels and others were
saved by clinging to housetops and the
tops of trees. The Choctowhatchee
River was &c feet and rising 4 inches
an hour Flood stage is IL feet.
The Weather Bureau at Atlanta
forecast record heights for the streams
In Southwest Georgia. although the
Chattahoochee, which had flooded the