Evening star., 1936-06-13

Not only organized systems but anv
amateur worthy Of the name will
handle messages whenever necessary.
Hamdom constitutes a trained COM
municationS corps ready to step into
the breach in any disaster. For years
efficient, unpaid amateur service has
come to Americas rescue in national
emergencies and minor tragedies.
Physicians are called to isolated
spots News of survivors of disaster
is brought to their loved ones. Ham
dom has been the only means Of COM
munication with more than 100 eX-
ploring parties including those 0:
Macmillan. Byrd, Capt. Bartlett ano
Comdr Dyott.
Sunny central Georgia was visitec
by an unprecedented ice-storm last
winter. Cities and towns were ice
bound for five days. Amateurs were on
the job in the resulting communica-
tions emergency.
In 1888 the Southern California
earthquake and resulting fires in
jured $4,000 persons and killed 130.
Ten minutes after half of Lone
Beach had been reduced to ruins a
schoolboy was on the air giving the
world the first authentic news of the
disaster. Other hams salvaged their
stations from the wreckage and Of
fered aid to civic and military author
tiles, information to the press and
sent personal messages to relatives
and friends of victims and survivors.
For six hours while the tangle of
coils made wire lines useless amateur
radio was the only means of COM
munication from the stricken area.
Hams played an important role
in Florida hurricanes, Texas and Mis-
sissippi floods, Novia Scotia sleet
storms and Atlantic and Pacific gales.
During the Winter snow-storms they
located lost trains and relief planes.
provided newspapers with news and
brokers with market quotations.
HAMDOM gave its crowning serv-
ice in the great flood of 1896,
Last March streams of melting snow
coursed down from the mountain
peaks of Northeastern United States.
Hard rains in New England, New
York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania
and other climatic factors combined
to produce the greatest waterfiow in
our history. Quiet lakes and mean
dering rivers became whirling tor
rents of destruction. Half a million
persons were left homeless as the roar
ing waters destroyed a billion dollars
worth of property. Amateurs came
through when no one else could. Their
services in saving lives, alleviating
misery and conserving property can
never be really estimated. They spent
days and nights without sleep trans
mitting news, personal messages and
relief information in and out of the
inundated areas. Almost every sta
ton east of the Mississippi had some
part in the work if only standing by
to reduce interference. Many Wash
ington hams made the supreme sacri-
flee of refraining from participation
in the international DIX (distance)
competition in which skilled opera
tors win their spurs.
How we'll hamdom served may b.
judged from the fact that never be-
fore in a disaster of such magnitude
was there such proportionately small
loss of human life. Fourteen States
were flooded. more than a dozen cities
almost completely wiped out, nor
NAL communications paralyzed and
only I'll persons killed. Amateur serv-
ices made possible prompt notification
of authorities. evacuation OF threat
ened areas and quick relief to stricken
persons.
In Johnstown heavy downpour be-
gan in the middle of the night of
March 16. BY the next afternoon the
Conemaugh River and Stony Greek
had burst their banks and downtown
streets were filling with water. Water
rose to IA feet in the business district
and office employees were marooned. At
4 o'clok on Tuesday, the 18th, Johns
towns telephone, telegraph and broad
casting services were out of order.
Most sections were without power.
Seven amateurs went to work. They
oCIlC IIlc IuoI LlCoodSC ColAAhs 4Ol AC~
lief. Worst flood in history. We
need everything" From then on traf-
fic moved in a swift stream from their
stations for and to the Red Cross.
Coast Guard, National Guard, utilities
companies and individuals. They
transmitted calls for doctors and
nurses, pleas for food, clothing and
medicine and reports of railroad and
highway conditions. One non-profes-
sional broad ster handled some 1000