Evening star., 1941-09-24
Hurricane Hits
Houston, Heads
For Louisiana
Damage Runs Into
Millions; Three
Known Dead

By the Associated Press.
HOUSTON. Tex, Sept. IA
capricious hurricane raced toward
Louisiana today after
a full and unexpected blow
at Houston. Texas largest city.
Three persons were dead. many
injured. Damage ranged into mil
lions OF dollars.
After surprise visitation TO this
area of 1000 persons.
the storm moved toward a sector
between Natchitoches and Shreve-
port, La, but its velocity was
from that of so to II
miles an hour which buffeted Hous-
ton.
The city, caught unaware after
the Weather Bureau yesterday aft
ernoon predicted 1t was safe, was
without electric power in some sec
tons and had low-Water pressure.
Only one steam operated pumping
plant was able to function Others,
electrically operated shut down
when the current went of They
expected to resume service soon.
Streets Flooded.
Houses and buildings were un-
rooted, fllmsy structures were blown
down, streets were flooded.
Plate glass windows in downtown
stores were shattered along broad
Main street, which vas 8 inches
under water in some spots.
Eight hundred Texas defense
guardSmen assisted the police in
preventing looting
T. Marx, q home defense trooper
on patrol duty, was showered with
diamonds from a shattered window
IN IeWelry store
I'm a single man and sure
could have used one of those en-
gagement rings" he said.
Twenty trucks from Ellington
Field II miles from Houston on the
Galveston highway. hauled fright
ened residents TO the city coliseum,
which housed 5000 persons.
Two hundred more refugees were
at the city auditorium. Others took
shelter in various public buildings.
| Scores Of cars were stalled on
/ flooded streets.
/ Fifteen truckloads Of shattered
plate glass windows of downtown
stores were picked up by city work.
ers.
Stadium Demolished.
The Olympiad Athletic Stadium
valued at $4,000. was demolished.
/ Chief Of Police Ray AshWorth esti-
mated the Houston damage would
be about $500000, but ne said there
was no way of determining this early
the full extent of the blow.
officials estimated the rice crop
alone suffered sl.7O0.OOO damage.
Despite the extensive damage.
there were only three known cas-
ualtles, two persons electrocuted
and seaman washed into the
/ Gulf from a tanker.
As it moved inland the storm
leSsened in violence. Along Mata-
gorda Bay the wind velocity was
/ 100 miles an hour.
The Weather Bureau predicted IL
would continue to lose intensity as
/ 1t curved northeastWard, but de-
structlve winds of gale force likely
would extend 100 miles north Of
| Galveston. No storm warnings re-
malned displayed east Of Galveston
TO Morgan City. La. Hurricane
warnings remained up from Mata-
gorda to Galveston.
Tides Lash Coast.
At the height of the hurricane
/ destructive tides lashed the coast
from Corpus Christi to the Loulsi-
ana line. Piers fronting fashionable
bay shore homes were damaged in
Galveston Bay.
Camp Hulen was deserted. except
for few service troops. and the
coastal communities. all with pre-
vious hurricane experience, board
ed up.
Hundreds of loWlanders were
brought to Houston before the storm
struck here and housed in the
Union Station. Others were given
temporary sanctuary in jails, school,
houses, public auditoriums and in
private dwellings. The Red Cross
arranged to feed them.
No serious damage was reported to
Army camps in the storm area
Camp Wallace, Camp Hulen and
Ellington Field.
Hulen Escapes Damage.
Camp Hulen, at Palaclos, did not
suffer even nominal damage ac-
cording to Brig. Gen. John B. May
tSee HURRICANE, Page A-3D
" n nf