Evening star., 1947-09-23
Storm Off Tampa Bay
Is Showing Signs Of
Increasing Intensity
By the Associnfed Press

MIAMI, fla, sept. Z3.-Ihe Flor
ida West Coast from Tampa, north
ward today was warned against
dangerous gales as the States sec
ond tropical storm in a week hov-
cred at a virtual standstill over
Tampa Bay.
The storm, nothing yet to COM
pare with last Wednesdays hurri-
cane, was showing signs of increas-
ing in intensity, the Weather
Bureau said in a 10 am. advisory.
Highest winds recorded so far in
the storm which swept up out of
the Caribbean Sea have been from
so to so miles an hour in gusts.
Northeast storm warnings were or
dered up west of Cedar Key to Apa-
lachicola, and continued storm warn
ings from Palm Beach to Charleston
S. c., and on the Florida West Coast
north of the Keys.
While the storm was halted for
the time by high pressure prevalent
over the Atlantic States, the Weather
Bureau said it was moving north
ward very slowly to miles an hour
60-Mile Winds Reported.
The advisory stated that the high
est winds reported since the storm
was first felt yesterday were 60 miles
an hour at Egmont Key In the mouth
OF Tampa Bay. The lowest pressure
was 1926 inches, which the Weather
Bureau said indicated slow in
crease in intensity.
The storms most acute menace
apparently hung over the rich
Okeechobee mucklands where the
inhabitants already struggled wear
lily with relentless water from
earlier downpours. Farmers, bust
ness men, Jamaican laborers and
conyicrs worked side by side to
patch canal dykes and stay the
rising water from four towns and
10000 vegetable acres.
The towns in danger were Belle
Glade, Pahokee, Canal Point and
South Bay-centers of the money
making truck growing industry.
High Winds at Lakeland.
Lakeland, so miles inland, re-
ported 55-mile winds at 3 am
Squally rains swirling $50 miles
from its center were felt inland
Miami had sustained winds of 38
miles an hour and frequent heavy
rains throughout the night.
West coast cities also experienced
heavy wind and rains, but some
points had barely enough wind to
sway the palm trees.
The apparent mildness of the
newest blow from the Caribbean
was a relief to South Floridians
who with Gulf coast residents to the
north suffered at least A deaths
and 100000 property damage in
last weeks hurricane.
The Mississippi coast where the
hurricane struck Friday after roar
ing out of Florida at Fort Myers
at midnight Wednesday, counted at
least 20 dead and millions IN mil
lions of property loss. Hardly a
beach dwelling was left intact.
New Orleans Flood Recedes.
New Orleans had a flood scare
from the swollen and storm tossed
waters of Lake Pontchartrain.s But
the water level began to drop sharp
ly yesterday and Federal engineers
stood by to open inlets into the lake
and drain off surrounding areas.
The Red Cross estimates that all
told 1900 homes were destroyed in
Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and
Louisiana and 10 times as many
damaged. 1t set aside $1,000, 600 for
relief, swelling the total available to
$7,0O0,O0O.
In contrast with staggering dam
age elsewhere, Miamis structural
engineer, A. @. E. Gregory, placed
the total loss here at less than $780,
900. That, Mr.. Gregory said, was
confined principally to broken glass,
doors, shredded awnings and dam
aged porches.