Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-09-16
HurriicaneV eers
Slowly Toward
Florida Coast
Island in Bahamas
Struck by Winds of
100 Miles Per Hour

MIAMI, Fla, Sept. 16.-The
great Atlantic hurricane which
hit Abaco Island in the Ba-
hamas with 160-mile winds to-
day was reported showing an
indication of slow westward
movement toward Florida from
it's position 220 miles east of
Palm Beach.
If the westerly movement at to
7 miles an hour is confirmed. hur-
ricane warnings will be hoisted this
afternoon over Florida. The entire
peninsula already has been told to
make advance preparations for the
storm.
The weather station at Abaco re-
ported it was closing down its oper-
at ions at noon. Observers there
said they would establish radio
listening post but would be unable
to gather further data.
Florida East Coast Warned.
The eastern half of the Florida
peninsula began to get ready for a
possible blow. Residents who relied
on storm warning experts to guide
them began to heed the advice to
make preliminary preparations.
There was no excitement.
Northeast storm warnings are dis
played from West Palm Beach to
Cape Hatteras, and Chief Forecaster
Grady Norton said "the situation
along the Florida coast is critical
Winds to IS miles an hour were
blowing at Abaco Island, and Green
Turtle Key was under feet Of
water.
A special note of advice was
voiced by Mr.. Norton to the rich
Everglades farming area around
Lake Okeechobee. already partly
flooded by heavy summer rains.
Nineteen years ago today major
disaster occurred in this same sec
lion when a hurricane blew the
water out OF Lake Okeechobee,
drowning about 1900 persons.
Growing in Size.
Mr.. Norton said at II am that
no one can tell at this moment
what the hurricane will do. 1t is
wauowing around out there. growing
in size and could strike out in any
direction when it begins to move
again. 1t could as easily move to-
ward land as away from land.
IF it moves toward land now,
the time of warning will be very
short. Therefore, although actual
hurricane warnings are not dis
played, the Florida East Coast would
be prudent to make preliminary
preparations for a hurricane.
I'm view of the flooded condition
Of the Everglades, believe it would
be prudent to make special mention
of this area. The coast from Miami
to north of Palm Beach already Is
experiencing fresh winds from the
storm. Farmers in the Everglades
could well begin to look to the
safety of livestock, to projections for
expensive machinery, and other
normal preparatory measures. I
do not wish to spread alarm in this
area, but l am most anxious that
residents fully understand POSSIBLE
titles.
Weather Station Being Abandoned.
1T Is entirely possible that the
storm will move away from land, in
which case these preparatory meas
ures will prove unnecessary But
prudence indicates the necessity of
preliminary preparations.
Mr.. Norton said the weather OBJ
servation station on Green Turtle
Key. in the Bahamas, had notified
the storm warning center here that
with 2 feet of water across the is
land I'VE are getting ready to evacu-
ate this station"
Small craft in the Florida Keys
were advised to remain in safe
harbors
Mr.. Norton conceded that the