Evening star., 1935-09-07
CREMATION BEGUN
in STORM AREA TO
PREVENT DISEASE
Orders for Burning of Vic.
Tins Bodies Issued
by Governor.
DEAD, MISSING TOTAL
is 446, RED CROSS SAYS
Scholtz Describes Hurricane Sec.
tion Conditions as Appalling.
Gas Poisoning Is Feared.

(Copyright, 1888, by the Associated Press.)
MIAMI, Fla, September 7.-Sher-
if D. C. Coleman, directing rescue
operations in the lower keys. reported
to the Red Cross at 9:l5 am. East
ern standard time today that burn
ing Of bodies of Monday nights storm
victims had started.
Orders for cremation Of bodies
which could not be buried quickly
we're issued by Gov. Dave Sholtz on
recommendation of State health au-
thorities as a precaution against pos
sible outbreak OF pestilence.
A priest, a rabbi and a minister
were flown to Snake Greek by the
Coast Guard to conduct burial services
Of the dead there.
Despite instruction to bury as many
Of the victims as possible. 1t appeared
likely that few Of the bodies would
be placed in the ground because o.
difficulty of digging graves III the
coral rock keys.
Il think it will be necessary to burn
virtually all the bodies in the keys.
said Conrad van Hyning, State Wei
fare commissioner.
Relief workers in the keys. wearied
and sickened by sights of horror. pro-
ceeded as rapidly as possible to dis
pose of the bodies, which DR.. Henry
Hanson, State health officer, said were
in such advanced decomposition tnat
there was a health danger In handling
them. Hanson said graves in the keys
could not be dug without resorting u
the use of dynamite. "and that Is I'M
practical"
The victims who are buried in th1
keys will rest in the little Matecurnoe
Cemetery near where the hurricane
wrought its greatest havoc.
Graves Dug for 12s.
Here in Miami, graves were dug In
Woodlawn Cemetery to hold the
bodies of 125 World War veterans
brought out of the storm area.
They we're killed, with comrades
and civilians in great numbers, wher
the mad storm slashed the Govern
ment relief camps where they wers
quartered on Matecumbe Key. Tht
Red Cross said the number dead ol
missing totaled 446.
Even though President Roosevelt
at Hyde Park, N. Y, still was re-
luctant to take the step for cremation
of the bodies, Gov. Sholtz and DR.
Hanson said it was a question of pro-
tecting public health, and that bodies
which could not be buried immedi-
ately in the keys would be burned.
Hanson, as State health officer, sale
he would not allow shipment of bodie.
from the keys unless they were ir
Theoretically sealed caskets.
Actual burial of the veterans wa.
expected to be delayed until late today
or Sunday, w. r. Smith, secretary II
Gov. Sholtz. said after a midnight
conference attended by Federal, State
city, county, public health and Rec
Cross officials. Suitable arrange
ments must be made" Smith said.
Sholtz Coming Here.
Gov. Sholtz announced he would q
to Washington next week to hand Il
President Roosevelt a report on cas-
ualties. property damage. possible re-
habilitation and charges that ade
quate warning of the storms approach
was not given by the Weather Bureau
States Attorney G. A. Worley, Au
brey williams. PERSONAL representa-
tive of Harry L. Hopkins. Federal re-
lief administrator, and the American
Legion launched investigations int
the disaster that overlook the thret
veterans camps on the keys.
Worley after an inquiry exoneratet
the Florida East Coast Railway O.
(See STORM, Page 81