The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1953-09-26
Hurricane Florence Hits Florida
CoastIine Today; Rainfall Heavy
Hundreds Flock
Inland From
Exposed Area
Along Beaches

PANAMA CITY. Fia. ~ - A
pswerfil Gulf hurricane swept
across TIE Florida eoastllns west
e here II Q .. n. tEST) and
saked . long bot thinly populated
aFsa with roaring hurricane winds.
Harold PaT, Assoeislsd Press
Reporter tslsphoning from . Long
Beach cottage settlement Is miles
wess Of Panama City. said winds
struck with "very great force"
'sThe wind Ia shaking the tele-
phone booth 80 hard ! am getting
cut n here" said Par, breaking
Ell bis call.
Grady Merton. chief storm fore
easter Fl Miami. confirmed that
the storm center began b cross
the eoaatiine at .. m.
One small settlement. Shalimar,
near Valparaiso. reported winds Of
about % miles en- hour. but this
vas not definitely confirmed by
experienced weather reporters.
said Morton.
The state Highway Patrol said
Il believed Ell residents had been
evacualed from the Long Beach
area.
The center of the tropical storm
Numbered across On area Of small
beach settlements on q coastline
indenied By bays. Inland along lls
course we're q number Of small
towns, much forest land and q few
creeks and rivers which may swell
out of their banks with The heavy
rainfall.
Rain Iell IN Panama City al .
rate uf more than an inch an hour.
t0taling a.es inches In three hours.
No late reports were received
from Apalaehlcola. . fishing town
midway between Panama City and
the Tnllahasses area. whlch bad
been isolated By hlgh water. The
radio telephone In . highway pa.
troll ear was its only means Of com
munlcaiion with the outside world.
Hundreds Of persons were report.
ed In shelters along the coastal
stretch. First reports gave inlor.
matl0n on very minor damage
beach cottages unroofed. some
highway damage. telephone and
power lines down. Most Of these
reports came before the storm
center moved inland.
CAPT. Toby Bass Of the highway
patrol said waves Z 10 10 feet high
pounded beaches west Of Panama
City and seethed within 100 feet Of
tourist cottages.
Al Panama City . dramatic
struggle with wind and water end.
ed happily when a s2lool motor
boat escaped from North bay into
sheltered water. A bridge blocked
the boat Cor q time. but the State
Highway Department ordered the
bridge opened and the boat passed
through. The bridge was lowered
again with difficulty after two
attempts.
Parr returning TO Panama City,
said that community apparently
was missing the hriut Il the storm.
The winds don't compare with
the blow Al Long Beach" ne said,
adding that siKnhoards were torn
~ and large trees blown down
The hurricane. named Florence
fOr the sixth letter Of the alphabet.
vas the first Of the year 10 touch
Florida. Of the other tive tropi.
cal storms this year. one ne the
North carnlina.Vi rgin.a.New Eng
land area. and two others side.
swiped Bermuda, British Atlantic
Island.
The highway patrol said rs "a
do station 81 Pensacola was out
of commission and radio cars were
belng used 10 malnain contact with
the patrol station there, al the
western edge IL the danger area.
Trooper n. 2. Tanton radioed
from Apalachicola that abou, 500
refugees had sousht shelter in the
courthouse, postoftice, Armory and
jal In the town.
TantOn estimaled az 4 an.
(ESTl that the Wlnd In Apalachl.
Continued On Page Twol