davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Washington times., 1935-09-05

many sections. Roads were washed
out and bridges swept away.
Many of the keys could be
reached only by boat. Buildings
were crushed to splinters, many
of the bodies Of the dead being
buried in the debris.
The irresistible force of the hur.
ricane and accompanying tidal
wave, which swept everything be.
fore it, was revealed today through
eye. witnesses accounts of their
narrowing experience by the few
survivors.
Watc- Wall Is Feet High
A 15.foot wall of water swept
over the keys, picked up a nine.
car train, dispatched hurriedly to
the keys to evacuate the workers
at the FERA camps, and hurled
it so yards away.
c. M. Morley, a war veteran
and FERA worker at Rehabilita
ton Camp No. on Snake Greek
who miraculously survived the
storm, said the wall of water swept
over the shackS and messed them
up like they were match boxes. u
The Washington times., 1935-09-05

Bodies of the dead were
being placed in hastily con-
structed pine collins to be
brought to Miami. Ten bodies
were taken to Miami last night.
Many Of the dead were hor-
ribly mutilated, their bodies
shattered by timbers and sharp
sheets of galvanized iron roof
ing material, hurled through
the air with terrific force by
the winds, making identified
ton difficult.
Miami police planned to finger.
print all bodies to be forwarded
to the War Department, in Wash
ington, for comparison with World
War records.
The almost complete destruction
brought by the hurricane made
relief effort tedious, slow and haz'
ardouS.
The railroad line across the keys
to Key West was destroyed in
The Washington times., 1935-09-05

MIAMI, Fla, Sept. 5 G.N.sJ.
A dogs loyalty to his master
led rescue workers to the body
of DR.. E. C. Mains on the sham
bles that was once Veterans
Camp No. 10 on upper Mate
cumbe Key.
AS rescue workers tore into
the splintered ruins Of the build
ings, they we're attracted by the
plaintive barking of police dog.
The animal had his front paws
poised high on a rain-soaked,
weather.beaten mattress. He de-
fled workers.
Rescuers finally enticed the
dog away. Underneath the mat
tress they found the lifeless, bat
tered body of his master.
A story of agonizing hours
spent clinging to railroad tracks
above the swirl of raging waters
waiting for the relief train that
was to take them out of the
hurricane-swept Matecumbe Key
only to see the train carried
away by a tidal wave, was un,
folded from hospital cots by two
injured survivors from FERA
Camp No. l at Snake Creek.
Tidal Wave Hits Train
The relief train was sent into
the Keys Monday afternoon to
evacuate 678 World War veterans
in FERA rehabilitation camps. It
was derailed by the tidal wave
swept over the Keys by the hur'
ricane.
Two of the survivors, C. l.
Morley and Charles van Vechten
brought to Jackson Memorial Hos,
pital here, suffering from in
juries, told Of the fate of the
rescue train. Morley said:
ct was awful-it was ter.
rible.
1--WE got the first message Of
an approaching storm at $3.50
a. m. Monday. They said a
storm was coming but we didn't
nay much attention to tive
The Washington times., 1935-09-05

RESCUE PARTY LED BYD0G
T0B0DY 0FVE7S' DOCTOR

didn't think it would be very
bad and didn't do much about
1t. Then about noon we got an
other report that a real hurri.
cane was coming.
WAITING FOR TRAIN
1--WE were told a relief train
would be here about 4 p. m.
and advised to get ready to
leave. We waited. The storm
got worse and worse. There
was timber flying through the
air. The water got higher.
When it seemed like the whole
camp was going to get washed
away we saw the train coming.
Some of the camp men
tagged i'll think they got on.
1t went on but we never saw it
again.
1T was like something that
just couldn't have happened,
but did. There was a big wall
of water, Is feet high, maybe
20. It swept over those shackS
and messed them up like they
were so many match boxes. We
hung on the best way we could
to railroad ties and trees,
but most of us got washed
against the trees"
STORY OF VISITOR
Van Vechten, not a World
War veteran but a visitor in the
camp, said:
81 saw bodies with tree
stumps smashed through their
chests-heads blown off
twisted arms and legs. torn
off by flying timber that cut
like big knives.
Il saw the sea creep up the
railroad elevation as if it was
climbing a stairway.
"The train went on through
heading for the other camps
on lower Matecumbe. We
could see the headlights two
miles away. Then the head
lights disappeared"
The Washington times., 1935-09-05
| | D. {. ME n
AMONG DEAD
IN STORM
All Believed Veterans
In FERA Camp on
Florida Coast

Eleven residents Of Washington,
all believed to be veterans, were
among the 800 known dead in the
Florida hurricane.
Most Of the men were killed
as the disastrous storm swept
across the veteran FERA camp
at Upper Matecumbe Key off
the Florida Coat.
Detailed information concern
ing the Washington dead was
not Immediately available. The
Veterans Administration and the
War Department were delving
into files to ascertain the records
of the men reported lost.
Identification Speeded
They could not be identified
through the city directory in
view of the fact that most of
them were tranSients and some of
them, members Of the Bonus
Army" gave Washington simply
as their last address.
Lists from the hurricane area
gave the following as the Wash
ington dead: J. j. Harvey, Stanley
Davis, Richard James, C. L.
Guncheon, Frank T. Hunt, Lor.
ing Scot. D. J. Bradley. j. H,
Hickey, o. H. Morris and H. F.
Kerns. Of Beltsville, Md; Percy
Jordan, Of Silver Spring, Md. Not
one in this list appears in either
the telephone or city directories.
To assist in Identification the
War Department has dispatched
two fingerprint experts from the
Adjutant Generals Office to the
scene of the disaster. The finger
print men are Samuel c. Sacco
and Oliver H. P. Clark.
May Be Buried Here
DR.. Daniel C. Main, camp medi.
cal director, reported to have died
in the storm, was clinical director
of st. Elizabeths Hospital for
eight years, leaving Washington
in 1928. He left the hospital TO
enter private practice in Pomona,
Fla, and became camp medical
director some months ago.
It was indicated in reports from
Florida that the veterans may be
brought to Washington for a mass
military burial in Arlington Ma
tional Cemetery.
The Washington times., 1935-09-05
FERA Camp Medical Director Tells
Of Long Night of Terror While Gale Ragged

with floating timbers and debris,
SWirled about.
The wind was blowing at q
rate of about so or so miles an
hour, maybe more. Flying tim
bers whistled through the air,
causing many of the casualties.
With the aid of a flashlight,
I made my way to the railroad
grade, the highest point avail,
able. reached a high bank
about $50 yards away after be-
ing knocked down several times
by timbers. 1 huddled under a
rock wall about four feet high
with a bunch of other men.
Dig Holes For Safety
The water was still rising and
we stumbled over the railroad
grade and dug holes under the
cross ties to protect ourselves
from the flying timbers. This was
the only thing that saved our
lives. We stayed there until about
3 a. m. It was the only point on
the island above water.
At daybreak Tuesday we found
tank car filled with water which
gave us refuge from the wind and
flying debris. We built fire and
made coffee and did what we
could for those seriously injured
Late in the afternoon we were
rescued bV Buck Wright FERA
official, and several others who
took us across Snake Greek in a
rowboat, one at a time. We were
then brought to the mainland by
truck.
One of those killed in the col
lapse of Snake Greek Hotel was
DR.. E. c. Main, camp medical di
rector. I saw him die. He was
my best friend,
The Washington times., 1935-09-05
4 From D. T.. TO Take
Exam for West Point

Announcement was made at
the War Department today OF
the presidential assignment of
four young WaShingtonians for
the March 3, 1886, entrance ex.
animation to the West Point
Military Academy.
The candidates are Robert w.
Strong and Frank c. Mandell
both of the 1900 block N st. N.
w.; James Butler Bonham, son
Of Major Bonham of the War
College. and Kimberley Brabson,
of the 1000 block Cathedral Ave
N. w.
Mason Wilburn Gray Sd of
PooleSville, Md, was also named,
The Washington times., 1935-09-05
BY E. J. McMULLEN

As Told to International News Service
MIAMI, Fla, Sept. G.N.S0.
Five Of us boys-Jimmy Ryan,
George La Tour, George Butler,
Jimmy Conway and myself-were
sitting around camp discussing
the storm.
We'd been telling ourselves how
much better this was than France
it turned out it was worse. We
shouldn't have been Dragging for
the next minute we were under
water.
I guess mountainous wave hit
us. We were carried across the
road to the west side Of the rail-
road track.
Three Pals Disappear
Ryan, La Tour and Butler dis
appeared.
1 saw a big beam Swipe through
the air and hit Jimmy Conway,
of Philadelphia. The beam struck
him in the back of the head. He
dropped as if a shell had hit him.
crawled down the railroad
fill to a tank car and chung to
the platform railing. 1t seemed
like a lifetime. I found out later
1t was only IL hours.
Screams Rend Air
I could hear people screaming
tor help, but didn't dare leave.
The Washington times., 1935-09-05

tried to outshout the bowling
wind and direct them to the car.
Some got to the car but most
couldn't hear me.
Finally there we're about 30 of
us clinging there half drowned.
When the storm let up a bit we
fought our way to the south end
OF Snake Greek embankment.
When the rescuers arrived we
were ferried across Snake Creek
in a howboat and brought here
in trucks.
The Washington times., 1935-09-05
Troops and Medical Aid Reach
Storm-DeuaStated Matecum5e Key

ton from the Coast Guard patrol
boat No. 244.
All the injured are being taken
to Snake Greek to be rushed by
ambulance to Miami hospitals, the
message stated.
National Guard troops and re-
lief workers are gathering the
bodies of the dead.
The Washington times., 1935-09-05
Unidentified Woman
Is Killed by Auto

Struck by an automobile at
Fourteenth and Euclid Streets
Northwest shortly after noon to-
day, an unidentified woman be-
tween so and 60 years old was
instantly killed. She was rushed
to Garfield Hospital, but pro
nounced dead on arrival.
Her death was the seventy,
second resulting faom traffic &C.
cidents here this Jar.
The Washington times., 1935-09-05
Boy Scouts Rescued

Ivy OOONV0 AVNSOWNW
SOTA, Fla, Sept. 5
.SO.-Undaunted but fatigued
by 48 hours on a small, unin.
habitable island near Longboat
Key, nine Bradenton Boy Scouts
we're rescued by Dave Reese. Long.
boat Key fisherman. They had
been stranded on Moore Island
since Monday night, but even on
Tuesday afternoon refused to heed
the hurricane warnings.
First reports reaching here caused
apprehension when it was believed
there were so Boy Scouts in the
party.
Fatigued, but happy. the youths
told of a terrifying night on the
island when they chung to man,
grove bushes to prevent being
swept into the turbulent waters.
Longboat Key is IA miles north
Of here,
The Washington times., 1935-09-05
DYKES CREW
PRAISEDF FOR
COURAGE
Cool, Efficient Work
of Heroic Seamen Told
BY Passengers
BY ARTHUR B. DONEGAN
NEW YORK. Sent. s INS)

By ARTHUR B. DONEGAN
NEW YORK, Sept. S dN.sJ.
Wooden ships and iron men.
That's the way they used to de.
scribe American seamen, when
American ships and American
sailors lorded it over the seven
seas.
Today, they recast the old de-
Scription to fit the heroic skipper
and crew of the Morgan liner
Dixie, whose passengers and per-
sonnet were started ashore after
the vessel had been hammered
nearly SO hours on French Reef
off the Florida coast.
The wooden ships have gone,
but the iron men still sail the
steel ships.
From all sides, as news of the
safe transfer of her passengers
was reported, praise poured in
today for the conduct Of Capt
E. w. Sundstrom. the Dixie S
hard-bitten skipper. his crew and
the Morgan Line for their con
duct in what might have become
a major maritime disaster.
Cool in Danger
From the time the Dixie was
smashed on the reef by the Flor
ida hurricane. captain, crew and
operators upheld the finest tradi
lions of American seamanshlp
working coolly, efficiently, swiftly
to protect the ship and passengers
There was no hesitation in
flashing an SOS promptly at
Monday midnight, a few minutes
after the liner grounded. Captain
Sundstrom Immediately ordered
the pumps started, to prevent the
Dixie's hull being flooded. And,
despite the fact her main radio
apparatus was disabled, the crew
Immediately rugged a temporary
hook-up to the ships direction
finder so continuous word of her
plight might go out to the home
office and rescue vessels. Henry
Treger. a passenger, related:
1.-THE most notable piece Of
heroism saw, was that of
Henry Laymeyer, a sailor who
climbed the mast in a terrific
wind to re-rig the radio
antenna."
Henry Burk, of New Orleans,
added his praises:
"The officers and crew acted
herOically."
Other passengers praised the
ships company for promptly as
sembling them in the saloon, see
ing lifebelts were issued and dom
ned and reassuring them that
they were in no grave immediate
danger and that help was en-
route.
Shore Office Aids
In the offices of the Morgan
Line here, the same efficient
spirit and concern for the pas
sengers was shown. S. I. Cooper,
general manager of the line, i'm
mediately dispatched a passenger
and an engineering department
representative to Miami to handle
shore arrangements. Hotel accom-
modations were ordered and prep
arations made to return passen'
gers home by rail as soon as they
landed. Cooper directed:
ITO hell with expense. We
want to get those people ashore
safely and get them home COM
fOrtabIy and quickly"
The Washington times., 1935-09-05

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. Sept. 5
U.N.SO.-National Guard troops
and medical aid are now in both
the upper and lower portions of
the hurricane devastated Mate
cumbe Key, according to a radio
message received here early TO-
day by the Coast Guard radio sta
The Washington times., 1935-09-05

QUITMAN, Ca, Sept. 5 G.N.SD.
A tropical Stor m-somewhat
diminished in force since spread
ing death and destruction through
out southern Florida-lashed its
way across Georgia today, bring
ing with it torrential rains and
disrupting communication lines.
The Washington times., 1935-09-05
Dinner For Tender

Max Tender, Washington law.
yer, was given a stag dinner by q
group of close friends at the
Hamilton Hotel last night in
honor Of his marriage this Sun.
day to DR.. Naomi Karoff, of the
staff of Children's Hospital of
this city.
The Washington times., 1935-09-05
Nearly 10 Inches of Rain Falls
As Storm Sweeps Into Georgia

Highways throughout this sec.
ton were blocked by fallen trees
and telephone service was prac-
tically at a standstill.
Power lines were torn loose in
many places. and a store here
was set afire when a high ten
sion line fell on the roof. The
The Washington times., 1935-09-05

fire was extinguished without
serious loss.
The heaviest rain in 30 years
drenched this section during the
night, with 9.95 inches falling.
Streams we're out of their banks
The Washington times., 1935-09-05
Veterans of World War Find Hurricane
Worse Than Going Oue1y2T op in France
BY DIR. LASSITER ALEXANDER.
Matecumbe Key as Told to Inter-
national News Service

The destructive force of the
hurricane which devastated the
Florida Key WdS Morse than
shell fire on the western front,
Ddr UeteranS Uho SurDived the
disaster In FERA camps de.
clGred. E. J. McMullen, er-SerU-
ice man employed at the FERA
Camp No. on MGtecunbe
Key, related the tolIowing &C.
count of the hurricane from a
cot at Jackson Memorial Hos
pit1l,
The Washington times., 1935-09-05
800 known Dead As Florida Hurr
Sweeps North Into Georgia

and lowlands were flooded.
No loss of life has been re-
ported, but the cotton crop suf-
fered heavy damage. and the
pecan crop was believed to have
been completely destroyed.
The Washington times., 1935-09-05
Pipe Line Plan o. K,

SHREVEPORT. La, Sept. S.
Judge Ben C. Dawkins of the
Western Louisiana district United
States court, has approved the re-
organization of the Atlas Pipe
Line Company and Spartan Rein
ing Company. The court set Sep
TENDER 30.-as the date for final
clearing u of details.
The Washington times., 1935-09-05
30 Killed in Collapse of Hotel Used
As Temporary Hospital in Snake Creek

From Cedar Keys, north Of
Tampa, the winds curved inland
along a northeastward path,
centering last night near Madison,
Fla, in the north central portion
of the State.
The Washington times., 1935-09-05
CONTINUED from Page y

honors or to their homes if the
relatives desire. Work then will
be started Immediately on re-
Mobilization of the survivors.
The Washington times., 1935-09-05
Treasury Condition
International Nal. sarrio.

International News Service
Treasury balance as of Septem-
Der 3, 1883, 627 ,325.13; miscellan-
eous internal revenue, $685.
1892; customs receipts, $780,
916.03.
The Washington times., 1935-09-05


cane when vaterS of the
Florida Straits, lifted into a
tidal WdUe, Surged over the
Florida keys, obziteratino three
FERA rehabilitation camps, are
described in the following eye
UttnesS account By DR.. LGssiter
Alexander, one OF the sur
UiUorS.
BY DIR. LASSITER ALEXANDER,
Medical officer of FERA Camp No. L
Matecumbe Key as Told to Inter-
national News Service
MIAMI, Fla, Sept. 5 uN.SD.
The storm struck in its full fury
at about 8 p. m. Monday. A
lot of people we're washed away
by the tidal wave and others
were left dead, strewn about the
island, when the water passed
over.
One man I talked with counted
80 dead at this camp alone. I
believe from 125 to $50 were
killed. Every building on the
1S1duQ was destroyed ana al one
time the tide rose entirely over
the island.
Hospital Collapses
was at the Snake Creek
Hotel. It was used as a hos
pital. The building collapsed
about 10 p. M, trapping many
under the ruins. There we're 40
patients in the hospital. About
half were women and children.
Only seven men and three or
four Of the women and children
were saved.
I escaped miraculously, walk.
Ing out of a hole in the wall.
Three or four feet of water, filled
The Washington times., 1935-09-05
CONTINUED from Page y

CONTINUED from Page y
keys would bring further additions the toll Of DEATH Ap
proximately 300 persons were injured many critically
Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1935-02-08

their heads that the ladies aren't
jurisdiction. Recently she paid an
official visit to Twin City chapters
of her jurisdiction.
DRAGGED in, but walk in of thei'
own free will! After all, Negro
men can't make any Roadway with
white girls unless the girls them
selves encourage the relationships.
So why all the whooping and hol
lering?
And all this row-de-dow about
closing northside mite spots just
stirred up a lot of bad feeling.
Cabarets, "black and tan" places
and the like will exist just as long
as there are people who care to at
tend them. Closing them down is
about as effective as trying to sink
corks in a pan of water. AS soor
as one closes down, another opens
up some place else. After all, il
is better to have them open, and
running in one district only, than
to have them scattered all over
town. If respectable" people dom
like 'em, they can stay away from
them.
Northside spots don't beg thesr
respectable" folks to patronize
them, and if respectable" heigh,
de-ho's insist on doing so, it is be
cause they want to, and not be-
cause the proprietors stand out or
the sidewalks and haul customer
in by bodily force.
Incidentally, it is too bad thai
some of this terrific zeal can't be
directed towards providing decent
places for young people to go. L
there were one half as much bally
hoo about that as there is about
the ''viciousness" of night clubs,
beer taverns, and whatnot, maybe
few of our younger "respec
tables" wouldn't be lollygagging
around in every hole and dive that
opens.
AND, what is voiced in the last
few paragraphs is entirely my own
opinion, so if any of you want to
jump all over me, just come right
along and Jump.
Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1935-02-08

Mrs. Hiram E. Kelly, 1881
Fourth avenue south, is slightly i'll
at her home.
Miss Ora Finney is confined by
sickness to her apartment at
1886 Fourth avenue south.
Mr.. and Mrs. Eric Dahlberg
have recently changed their resi-
dence and are now at 1886 Fourth
avenue south.
Mrs. Calvin Mason and son
Claude, 1929 Columbus avenue,
are home again after a three
week visit in California. Return
ing with Mrs. Mason is her young
daughter Helen who, for some
years, has been living with her
California relatives.
Mr.. George w. Nixon recently
saw service on the Hennepin com-
ty jury.
Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1935-02-08
PERSONALITIES
By Nellie Dodson

Those of you who have dental
work to be done should go over to
the University dental clinic and let
HENRY GORDON take care of
the job. Henry, perhaps better
known as "Freshie," has to have
so many points to his credit in or
der to graduate in June. The points
are gained only through the amount
Of actual dental work done and
the number Of patients he receives.
Naturally, the going is rather
slow for a colored lad, so Freshie
will really appreciate all the
patients he can possibly get. When
you go over there, be sure to ask
for Henry Gordon. The cost of
the work is hardly anything at all,
so just hop over to the "U" some
day soon and have the old toothies
all prettied up.
This and That: DICK SCAM
MON, son of DEAN SCAMMON
of the University, created quite a
furore at a public luncheon Tues
day when he accused the military
department at the gu" of giving
crooked exams. IF anybody else
had said the same thing, he would
probably have been brought up be-
fore the Board Of Regents, or
sumthin'. LARRY, one of the
bartenders at the KEYSTONE, is
TOO dawggone good-looking to be
showing drinks to DRINKS. He
,ughta' be in pictures, b'gosh. :.
OEBUTANTE club is reorganiz-
ing, taking in new members, and
yoing in for new name. Z.
PRESIDENT COLEMAN of the
University ought to be the head of
l Jim Grow school in the deep
South, instead of a northern insti-
tuition. His attitude on dormitory
segregation is as sickening as it is
stupid. SUE SCOTT took a
coupla' whacks at her bangs and
almost whacked 'em of entirely,
but they still look okay. +. I hear
that two FRATERNTTIES are
bidding for the same night for
parties. Tsk, tsk. :. What cam
pus gel is wearing a recently &C
quired engagement sparkler?
Folks of the other race who get
so excited about their wimmen
hanging around sepia places with
our men ought to get it through
Minneapolis spokesman. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1935-02-08
Seasons First
Studio Formal
Saturday, Feb. 9

The first of the Studio Formals
presented by Billee Griffin viii be
Saturday, Feb. 9th, at 8 p. m,
at Halle Q. Brown Community
House.
One of the plays to be presented
on that evening is a modern fan
tasy, "My Lady Dreams; the cast
consists of Mary Combs, Leila
Mundell, Beatrice Vassar, Muriel
Wigington, Betty Lou Young, and
Caroline Combs.
The second play is an eighteenth
century fantasy, the "Beau of
Bath" the players being Virginia
Doyle, Otis Allen and Theodore
Allen.
These formal presentations of
the work done in Mrs. Griffin's
Senior Drama Group are of great
interest to the people of the cities.
There will be two more this year
March %, and May a. The sea-
son tickets for the three affairs
are so cents apiece, and they must
be purchased before $50 p. m.
Saturday as tickets will not be
sold at the door.
1t is understood also that Billee
Griffin's Revue for 1885 has started
rehearsals now after approximate
ly ten weeks of technical training.
The date has been decided upon
April 26th-so Wen all be watch
ing and waiting.