Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-08-12
Hurricane Over,
Heavy Damage
Is Reported
Two Known Dead;
Coast Towns Near
Charleston Vacated
BY the Associated Press

By the Associated Press.
CHARLESTON, S. c., Aug. PA
tropical hurricane, smashing along
the Atlantic Coast from Savannah,
Ga to Georgetown. S. c., brought
death to at least two persons,
wrecked property. flooded highways
and left historic Charleston par
TALLY covered with water, which in
low sections reached a record height
of 1877 feet.
The two known dead were resi-
dents of Savannah.
Although it will be some time be-
fore the full extent of the damage
can be estimated, news of wrecked
homes and buildings went out of the
city today. Earlier this morning
Charleston had been without all
means of communication with the
outside world.
The storm blew itself out across
Georgia and South Carolina and
the United States Weather Bureau
at Atlanta said this morning that all
danger from high winds had passed
Heavy rains continued, however.
Most of the residents at vacation
resorts along the Carolina Coast
rushed inland after being warned by
the State Highway Patrol and Coast
Guard of the hurricanes approach.
A group of amateur radio opera
tors, who had given bits Of informa-
ton out of stricken Charleston dur
1a ri of
they were being forced to abandon
their station by water waist-deep in
the power house.
They reported in broadcast over
short wave station 4CUS that six
persons were drowned at nearby
Folly Beach when their automobile
plunged off flooded highway.
This report could not be con-
firmed today.
Four TO Six Feet of Water.
A number of persons in Charles
ton, they said. were hurt by flying
debris when the storm reached a
maximum velocity of rs miles an
hour. and that about one-third of
the city of 5000 population was
under to feet of water.
1T looked like the whole ocean
rose up and came into town" one
of them said.
A 68-mile wind. the worst to
strike in more than so years. buf-
feted Savannah. to the South. bring
ing death to at least tive persons
and causing widespread damage.
Annie Wade, colored, was killed
on a street by flying glass. Jesse
Wallace, an industrial plant Of
f1cer. died of heart attack when
a tree crashed into his house. Trees
were uprooted, windows smashed
and automobiles damaged by fall
ing timbers. A binding rain ac-
companied the blow and pieces Of
tin roofs we're blown about the city
in general confusion.
Communication lines failed at
noon yesterday in Charleston and
electric power went off. Parts of
the city were strewn with debris and
tin roofs. Large trees were uprooted.
Hundreds of cars stalled on the
streets.
Barometer Begins Rising.
The Charleston Weather Bureau
reported the storm reached its full
intensity about 2:30 pm. The
wind reached a velocity of rs miles
per hour then. The wind began
diminishing and the barometer be-
gan rising about pm.
The high tide swept the lower
section of Charleston, especially
along the historic Battery. Scores
of residents vacated flooded homes.
The lowest barometer reading was
1886 inches
(The Navy Department early
today re-established contact with
the Marine base at Paris Island
by radio and received reports
that there were no injuries to
personnel. but that the power
plant and power lines were put
out of commission by the storm.
The base Is manned by $500
marines, and first reports from
was minor. The Navy had been
out of contact with the base
since the storm struck in full
force.
Naval officials also said "un-
doubtedly several ships on the
neutrality patrol" had been
caught in the storm offshore,
but that no reports had been re-
ceived of damage and apparently
the vessels remained at their
posts during the blow
A message from the Fort Moultrie
commandment to the Army station
at Fort Mcpherson, Ga, said the
National Guard quarters there were
destroyed, but damage to the post
was nominal" Civilian property
suffered considerable damage. the
message said. Six hundred civilians
from Sullivan's Island and nearby
regions took refuge at Fort Moul-
trie, which is 10 miles from Charles
| ton. =.
The long Cooper River Bridge out
side Charleston stopped charging
tolls as swarms ofrefugees moved to
/ tho ~ nj frov,,