Evening star., 1951-08-20

the kick out of the great storm
which killed at least 109 persons
and destroyed property valued at
some $56 million on the island of
Jamaica.
1T will regenerate and regainl
its full strength now that it is |
over water again." warned Grady
Norton, chief storm forecaster att
the Miami Weather Bureau.
THE storm re-entered the gulf
with it's center intact. There isl
plenty of heat and humidity need
ed to regain its force over gulf
waters"
Pointing for Rio Grande.
On its present course, which the
storm has followed for over 1000
miles, 1t is pointed in the general
direction of the mouth of the Rio
Grande River separating Mexico
and Texas.
Merida, capital of Yucatan and
center of an ancient Mayan civili-
cation, received winds of only sol
miles an hour from the storm.
The center passed north of Merida.
Behind it in Jamaica the hurri-
cane left so dead in the capital
city, Kingston, and so additional
throuhgout the island. The his
toric towns of Spanish Port Royal
and Morant Bay were completely
laid waste.
20 Prisoners Hunted.
There was no report of the 7OI
prisoners who escaped from the
Kingston jail during the storm
but there was no unusual criminal
activity on the island. Various
scenes of looting were reported,
but they were apparently indulged
in by broad cross-section of the
population.
Linda Darnell, on location for
Q movie in western Jamaica, was
reported safe.
Sir Hugh Foot, governor of the
island, opened a fund to help suf-
ferers. Lady Foot. head of the To-
cal Red Cross. began relief work
for the hungry and homeless.
Cozumel Island Threatened.
At Cozumel Island, off Yucatan,
details of the hurricanes damage
were lacking. Radio stations on
the island shut down as the storm
approached.
At 1sla Mujeres, a small island
south of Cozumel, the inhabitants
of the village had swarmed into
the streets in panic, the islands,
radio reported shortly before it,
too shut down.
1t was on Cozumel that Hern-
ando Cortez began his conquest
of Mexico in battles with the civ
ilized Mayan Indians. The island
Is sparSely populated.
At Port Royal on Jamaica at
the end of thin, sandy strip of
land that bounds Kingston on the
south, every building was dam
aged-not a single structure re-
nained in sound condition. Four
persons were killed in the town
of 1000.
Eight persons died at May Pen,
near the former United States
base, Vernam Field.
PoOrhOuse Battered.
Jamaica's poorhouse and men
tai hospital also were battered,
and the government reported that
several persons were killed when
the roofs on these structures COL
lapsed.
The weary chofe of restoring
order and essential services was
being pushed as rapidly as con-
ditions on the island allowed.
Ninety per cent of the rich ba-
mana crop in some areas was
blown down but another impor-
tant Observation-Disclosures less
damage. The government has TAX
en- steps to Offset an anticipated
food shortage.
Forecasters meanwhile kept al
weather eye lifted toward a new
"area of suspicion" kicking up the
waters to the northeast of PuertoI
Rico. In this warm spawningI
ground of hurricanes there were
telling signs-barometric pres
sureS were tumbling and winds
were shifting.
Later, however, the Weather.
Bureau said the wave of showers
and shifting winds appeared to
be f1attening out and returning toI
normal.
We'll keep watch. but we are
pretty sure there will be no fur
ther development there" said Mr..
Norton.