The Key West citizen., 1952-10-25
CONCH
CKQWDER
BY RAYMER

AS this goes to press "a hours
in advance Hurricane Condition
one has been announced by the
Navy and weatherman Sam Gold
smith said that we might have
gale force winds late today and
Friday night. My landlord, Mr..
Weymouth, was scanning the big
gumbo limbo tree that towers
above his apartment and mine and
wondering if the branches we're
going to break OF. / went out and
brought in a mop which was al
ready swinging in the breeze on
my clothesline. Jim Cobb took off
for Delray and said to close his
windows if it blew hard. Real
calm like amt he?
This is the time when old
hurricane stories abound. / really
have some honeys, but tonight
I'll be stomping around collecting
local color. There was plenty on the
Naval Station this morning. The
Administration lawn was strewn
with patches of khaki colored can
vas as if a circus had just picked
up and de-camped leaving some of
the midway tents debated. These
were the awnings which were taken
down when Condition Two was
declared and will be safely stored.
The red and white striped canopy
at Echoasis was still intact and
the string of colored lights in the
patio was dangling cheerfully.
RETURNING from Miami on
Thursday eve, the bus stopped at
the toll gate and word was relayed
that the storm was advancing on
Cuba. Everyone began talking
about &C ming to blows. "
Several sailors returning from
leave said, ''There goes liberty"
On Duval while walking home
Dick Ertzman stopped me and
told about cancellation di the
plans for the drama visitors from
Miami because of the impending
bad weather. He said that Miami
parents were worried about let
ting their teen-agers come to Key
West in the face of storm. Hah!
i've only seen two mildies here
but caught the Miami tropical
disturbances" five times, twice
with the eye right overhead. In
194S when / was on radio, and
working for North American
Newspaper alliarce, / went out to
pick UP a color story at Tropical
Hobbyland just before the storm
! moved in with vengeance. The
little exotic fish ln their outdoor
troughs had been flooded out int
the paths of the place and were
Hopping around by the hundreds.
A few bedraggled Seminoles were
huddled in their sideless hutS
waiting for transportation to safe
places. One of the Osceola boys
who wrestled alligators was ordered
into the tank Of crocs and gators
to pull the drain plug. 1t seemed
that alligators can stand being sub.
merged hut the crocs can't stay
under for long. They drown, / was
told. The slim Indian just prodded
the amphibians aside and removed
the drain plug. / asked him If il
we're true that Seminoles always
knew when a hurricane was ap
preaching. Sure" ne muttered
I'VE listen to radio" / must say
no smoke signals were possible ir
the needle driven rain.
SAME YEAR a croc and ar
alligator bunked together in one o.
the water pens at the Theatre oi
1.-The Sea. When a storm filled uT
the shallow pen, the alligator stay.
ed, but the crocodile got out anG
was never found. He might have
become a Conch Croc and if a
crooked Conch sees him, he won'i
have to swear off. Remind me not
to tell the story about the mal'
alligator who eats up s,999 egg.
of every 10000 supposedly laid By
the female alligator. It's MOI
scientificl / was going to write
about the bus ride and the char
acters under observation. but it il
gone with the wind for the mo
ment. Before l sign off to draw
water, in case the power goes off
II should like to mention that 1t,
Claude Boyd. one of the active
members Of the Key West Amateur
Radio group has nothing 10 do