Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-05-23

y32 ,,.a. n had only y. v25 thing in s
Georgia port
The lyrics Of the song immortalzed Hannahs fnty
heart the world oyer and pubhfized the southern harbor
all around the globe
Florence also brotrh fame to the ante-betim city
ffarTah- tough. Florence
tender But both delighted the public relations drec-
the Chamber Of Commerce because they kept the
name the community before the public.
Hannah the fctiona heroine of the song died" many
years ago the popular tune had its course but
the experts of Tin Pan Alley" say will back
from time to time blues singers revive the melody
and enthrone her again stage radio and record as
the queen Of fnty -hcartcd danes
thousands of sailor the world over will tell
you today that Florence Martus who waved linen cloth
10y day and lantern by night to each passing ship leav-
entering the Harbor of Savannah for "a years
viii Her song, they say Will be of
silent appreciation which viii fill the hearts OF deep
men just long ships sail the
Martus died a few weeks ago at the age of "A.
Sometimes called the "benedcton girl and by others
waving girl" she lived small island at Savan-
nahs port entrance with her brother George Martus,
the lighthouse keeper.
From 1897 to 1881 Miss Martus faithfully greeted
arriving departing ship with her little salute by
cloth and lamp to let the lonesome sailors know
thinking of them and wished them good luck
Nearly always the ships answered her signal with lusty
decks to cheers the inevitable greetings
Old alone interrupted the friendly procedure of the
waving girl" When her brother reached the retirement
age moved reluctantly with him from her island home
1881. During the IL years which have elapsed since
friendly gestures greeted the from port,
the letters postcards cabed greetings from
the world not Thousands have written
regularly 10 tell her how much they appreciated
thoughts them. Many have sent her presents. The
knowledge that she still remembered kept the aging
happy up TO the very end
Seafarng all the way from Chile TO Italy presented
purse $500 Miss Martus when she left the island
Steamship and Savannah officials personally handed the
70 her a little ceremony
Martus a spnster thought of the sailors her
children" Some Of them who to know her re-
ferred to the waving girl" Mother Florence" To
many she a mother confessor Lonesome Of
letters
wrote her for advice and avshed absentee affec
upon the only they felt really cared about them
And salormen not the only who praised
the Savannah woman Women spoke OF Florence Martus
as symbol the same type unwavering devotion
characterized the Nantucket fishermen
who sailed the famous whaling ships of long ago.
These had had built the roottops Of their
houses ueuHIstcred wooden lanes. which became known
in architecture walks here that
tho lonely nightly and daily long absence
Of ineU husbands kept hopeful watch ont 10 sea for
Tho bound vessels that might be bringing their
-fa.sas htri, 60 Their arms
ca. os the sada-st ana mos, pathetic vgils Of this
kind ever kept history kept by sailors
ht hy Mrs Nina FavCe wife Of The ltoridfamcd British
explorer DcloucI II FaWcctt Who disappeared
wild ere,rc1y Of BrazIs Jungle IN I925 while trying TO
find ost paradise Of white civilization IN The unknown
yastness beyond The Matte Crosse
For many years after be was swallowed mp tho
'DftUuci.td world violence disease Nina FaWcctt
never gave Ip hope that ne discovered even
though nearly every ethnoogst and explorer who had
searched the colonel gave him up. Mrs Favcett for
many years walked back aud forth the yard Of her
'erracet a ~ BEAM Sar Mcf, near Nice trying 90
goumutscate with hon husband '
AT night" she SAID when the moon is full I enter
into tclcpathlc communication with Colonel Fawcctt /
received pers1na' tkat-he-
But n spite u Chs Colonel Fatrcct and his SON
Jack, who accompanied me expedition with "a young Los
Angeles student oxford University never came back
Another faithful ygu which ended death few
weeks ago. WAS '1at of Mis- Harry Houdin who spent
ton years after bcr husband had passed away trying to
communicate with has spirit with 10 result