Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-28
REVIEW OF THE WEEK
Floods Disrupt New Eng Economy
Property Damage
Called Worst in
Nations History

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cost more lives (the Johnstown flood
Of 1889 was the worst, causing 1900
deaths). but probably none have
done as much property damage as
the floods which New England was
digging out Of last week.
The cost in lives was heavy, Of
course. Not all the bodies had been
found or the MISSING accounted for
as the week ended, but the toll ap-
parently was about 200 lives. There
was no way to measure the suffering
Of the survivors.
Property damage was estimated
at SIG billion. On top Of that will
be probably another billion dollars
in lost wages and lost production.
1t will be decades before the debt
Is paid.
How Waters Grew
The New England floods were the
product Of two hurricanes. Connie
swept up the Atlantic Seaboard
more than two weeks ago, carrying
with her tremendous quantities of
water. The rains swelled rivers
and creeks and saturated the
ground. Then another heavily laden
hurricane, Diane, followed roughly
the same path and dropped her rain
over the same area.
DANES deluge ran of the soaked
ground into the swollen creeks. The
Weather Bureau forecast floods OH
major rivers. and precautions were
taken. But the Weather Bureau
is small agency. and 1t could not
make detailed forecasts for the
streams and tributaries.
Flood waters rose almost without
warning in narrow valleys of New
England. Homes and factories
were inundated. Bridges, railroads
and highways were washed away.
Persons. including President
Eisenhower, who looked at the
damage were appalled,. Families,
homes and jobs were wiped out.
Fires were burning and the people
had no means to put them out.
Typhoid germs were everywhere,
in the mud that filled the houses
and In the water the people had
to boil and drink.
Mony Helping Honds
New Englanders went to work to
clean UP the mess. And the whole
world helped.
Emergency care for the homeless
and injured was the first job. The
Red Cross set out to raise So mil
lion. Contributions came in from
every State and from generous
foreign countries. Even the little
Dominican Republic gave 100000.
Washington, D. c.. was raising
$4,000.
Long-range rehabilitation will be
q more costly task. New England
States mortgaged their future in
comes. The Federal Government
cut through red tape and promised
billion dollars in aid, mostly from
Army Engineer funds. CKey Con-
gressmen said they would make up
the sum in next years appropria-
lions, though they could make no
formal commitment
Almost no one had flood insur-
ance. as IL is virtually impossible
to buy. So outside aid was i'm
perative.
1t was up to the men and women
on the scene. however, to do the
dirty work of digging out.
Thousands of homes were con-
demned. and they will be torn
down. People who owned them will
have to start saving all over again.
Most factory owners and bust
nessmen set about rebuilding. There
were some businesses. however,
that might never be reopened.
New Flight Of Industry?
New England was already in an
industrial pinch, with many fac
tories moving to the cheaper South.
Some businesses remained in New
England only because they had
paid-for factory buildings there.
They will hesitate to rebuild at
present prices on old sites.
Few New Englanders. however.
doubted their ability to recover
eventually from the onslaught of
Connie and Diane.
There was one somberly hopeful
note. Some of the towns hardest
hit planned to embark on moderni-
zation programs which they had
been putting off these many years.