, 1935-09-05
HURRICANE
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inss and imperiled the city with
flying debris.
1t carried its ~torrential rain and
swirling wind along q northeast
ward course across the state, into
Georgia and toward the Carolinas.
Citrus crops were damaged in
Florida, pecans and peanuts In
Georgia.
Boatmen along the Atlantic coast
between Savannah. Ga, and Beau
fort, .. c., hurried their crafts TO
sheltered harbors and dashed them
fast. Many people. warned by the
high winds sweeping ahead OF the
storm, boarded up their homes.
so devastating was the storm that
Thursday. more than 90 hours after
II struck. no definite estimate Of the
cead. missing and injured could be
made.
Estimates Vary
DR.. Leonard X. Thompson, Red
Cross relief chairman In the KEYS
hurricane area, reported to WASH
ington that he believed the toll Of
deao would be less than 200.
d.. Joe Stewart, who made an
aerial survey OF the stricken places
placed the total as not In excess OF
Captain P. T. Branking, master
Of the yacht Byronic. which MADE
a rescue voyage TO the Keys, de-
clared the number OF dead would
DC at least 500.
Jack Combs, q Miami undertaken
WHO led q rescue expedition, salc
TIE dead would number between
400 and 500.
All apparently based their esti-
nIste on bodies seen by them strewn
about, hung In trees or half buried
under wreckage. In addition, they
had the horrible word pictures from
survivors who told OF seeing many
swept to sea on the tidal wave.
Accurate determination OF the
cead in the three veterans camps
vii depend on an accounting or the
CTS men on the rosters. Many OF
them were reported to have been
on leaves OF absence when the
storm struck.
Washed out bridges hampereo
rescue workers on the upper and
lower Matecumbe Keys, where most
Of the veterans were camped, and
held them back from lower Keys,
leaving the fate OF the few residents
In the latter In doubt.
Only q dozen veterans were tou-1
alive in Camp No. 5. where l85 were
or the roster. OF 743 enrolled NJ
Camp No. 3, q were reported on
Through and l33 were accounted
for The fate Of the remaining 81
was not known.
Tells Of Experience
A private yacht brought 81 or
tire injured veterans TO Miami for
disqualification. Among them was
Top Sergeant p. Hugh Of Camp s.
Ec and 70 others chung TO a water
tank car al through the might
Monday.
Men who have known all the
rough edges OF life" said Sergeant
Pugh, who hadn't thought CT God
IT years, prayed that night. ]
htard them muttertng prayers as
they held 10 the car and trucks,
with debris pelting their bodies
He told how the hurricane with
a sudden swift puff blew up the
rails at either end OF the tank car.
A. the same time, he said, the tidal
wave rolled In. covered the car ana
tumbled men who were not cling
ing to II back into the mangroves
where many were battered 70
death.
The men on the car continued
10 cling to II.
Then the wind stopped and the
stars came out, but 1t was just q
luil It lasted about 40 minutes.
Then II really started blowing"
Pugh said he and the others who
we're saved would always remember
good old tank car No. $500"
Storm area appears as II broom
asd swept forty-mile swath through
Keys" william Dokey. who flew
over the area, reported by radio 10
hE home base. Several small craft
blown ashore. Flying low. saw wo-
man sitting on wreckage OF home
on Isolated Key with one child
near her"
Pilot Roy Keller saw ~ miles Of
track OF the Florida East Coast
railroad torn up.