Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1938-09-23
STORM TOLL NEAR 500:
FLOOD MAY BE AVERTED
AS HIGH RIVERS RECEDE
Sandbags Placed on
Hartford bikes to
Save City.
Another full page OF hurri-
cane 1Uirephotos on Page Ali.


By the Associated Press.
Mounting slowly but steadily,
the count of the hurricane dead
In the North Atlantic States ap-
preached 500 today, but the
cheering probability arose that
widespread floods would be
averted.
From Massachusetts, New Jer-
sey, New York, New Hampshire
and Pennsylvania there came re-
ports that the rivers were reced-
ing, and even in Connecticut,
previously the most gravely
menaced, things looked brighter.
At Hartford, $500 booted men,
throwing up sandbags along a half
mile of the Connecticut River front,
were holding their own against the
flood early in the afternoon. Some
1.40o were homeless there, but sue
cessful fight to hold the dixie line would
localize the area of inundation to about
10 per cent of the city's area.
Search for Bodies.
Meanwhile, as the search for the
bodies of victims of the hurricane-the
most damaging and life-destroying in
the populous Northeast in history
went forward, every report from hard
hit Rhode Island was more tragic than
the last.
Its dead numbering some quarter
OF thousand, the little State suffered
damage put by Gov. Quinn at $780,
100000. In this, the most ravaged
Of all the seven States in the hurri-
canes path, Westerly appeared the
most rayaged Of all its cities.
The Red Cross reported more than.
10 known dead there, where for the
first time 1t developed that the wind
had reached 120 miles an hour, smash
ing out the lives Of whole families.
The Rhode Island estimate Of $780,
900 900 damage was the only of1cial
figure to come from any State, but
the fragmentary information at hand
indicated that an arbitrary total figure
OF half a billion could scarcely be too
high.
Workers Push Efforts.
Like Gov Cross Of Connecticut, who
simply said 1t was the worst disaster
that ever had struck his State, most
officials sought to make no dollars and
cents estimate.
In the whole area thousands of
rescue and relief workers toiled with
all speed to clear communications for
food supplies, to keep down contami-
nation and possible disease, and to
preserve order. Government agencies
were doing their part.
Flood danger areas generally were
IN the valley of the Merrimack In New
Hampshire and Massachusetts, and on
the Connecticut in that State and in
Massachusetts. In New York the
Hudson crested at Albany and rolled
heavily down on the southern part OF
the State, where riverside families
were evacuating.
The Susquehanna, Chenango and
Mohawk Rivers also climbed, as did
the Delaware, on the New Jersey
Pennsylvania border
Throughout the storm area, towns
still lacked light and power. Food
generally was reported adequate but
the boiling of drinking water was urged
in precaution against disease. 1so-
lated towns used the radio to call for
help; Giibertville, Mass, where 1000
persons were isolated, sent out carrier
pigeons with plea for food.
And, while the pigeons winged away,
three food-laden trucks stood a few
miles distant, their paths blocked by
washed out and flooded roads. Ar
rangements were made to send food
by plane today.
The Red Cross and Government
agencies were in the van Of rescue
work. The w. P. A. had 100000 en-,
ployes on emergency work on an
: "around the clock basis. Works Pro-
gress Administrator Harry Hopkins,
now In Los Angeles, was in constant
telephone communication with his
New England aides and said he might
come here by plane some time today.
His acting chief of engineers, Maj. B.
M. Harles, came here from Washington
(See STORM, Page A-3.)