Evening star., 1959-09-30
STORM
Oracle, Her Winds Diminishing,
Moves Across North Carolina
Continued From First Pare


are displayed from Cape Hat
teras, N. c.. TO Cape May. N. J.
Tides are expected to rise to
about 2 feet above normal in
the Lower Potomac and Chesa-
peake Bay and along the coast
from the Virginia Capes to
Slock Island tonight.
The storm swirled ashore in
the Charleston area yesterday
morning with winds estimated
up to 140 miles an hour, noun
famous waves, high tides and
torrents Of rain. -n
Oracle wrought damage all
along the coast from Savan-
nah, Ca, to Myrtle Beach,
s. c. and moved inland to
slash lowland communities
along a l00-mile path. She
dwindled In force as she
reached the Columbia area and
turned northward toward
Charlotte. N. c.
Marine Center Damaged
The Marine Corps Recruit
Training Center at Paris
Island. so miles southwest OF
Charleston, sent out an emer-
gency call to Washington to-
day for $250,000 to start re-
pairing extensive damage done
by the storm. Maj. Gen. David
Shoup, the center's commarl-
der, reported that there were
no casualties, but that the base
received the full impact Of yes
terday's hurricane winds, esti-
mated at 140 miles an hour.
Much Of the damage was to
Marine building roofs as Ora
Gle rolled ashore with rain tor
rents and windblasts.
Six persons died IN South
Carolina and one in North
Carolina in traffic accidents at
tributable to the storm. But
most coastal residents in
Gracies' path needed an early
evacuation warning. and this
doubtless held down the death
toll.
At Miami Beach. Fla, a Is
foot wave rolling In from
Gracie's wake swept over .
jetty fast night and carried Mr..
and Mrs. Jack Rutherford to
their deaths.
Georgia reported one storm
connected death. Twenty-year-
old Alex Shefneld was killed
when he stepped on a live wire
that had been blow down by
strong winds yesterday after
noon at Statesboro, about so
miles northwest Of Savannah.
Heavy Rain Falls
All over the Carolinas and
In border Georgia areas yes
terday, balmy Indian summer
dissolved into heavy rain and
cool, strong winds. Several
inches Of rain fell. threaten
ing floods on some rivers.
The downpour yesterday and
last night was heaviest in
Gracie,s path from Charleston.
Northwest she moved to the
Walterboro area, then turned
north past Orangeburg and
Columbia toward North Caro-
lima.
Homes, farm buildings and
crops were damaged in Gracie's
path through inland South
Carolina. This was added dol !
lar damage to the millions esti-
mated at Charleston. where an
insurance company spokesman
said probably four out Of every
i've houses were damaged 5000
or more each.
A spokesman for South
Carolina Electric & Gas Co. at
Charleston estimated damage
to its facilities would reach
half a million dollars. AS much
as rs per cent Of the city was
without power at one time or
another.
Hannah Il Tracked
Meanwhile, another hurri-
cane. Hannah. was being
tracked out in the Atlantic.
She was located last night
about 1000 statute miles east
Of Palm Beach, Fla, with peak
winds Of 100 miles an hour.
A Miami Weather forecaster
said she, too, likely viii hit
the mainland a. few days from
AOWp PCIAlhPo Al tAilo odILiC AREA.
National Guardsmen were
called out here and in other
battered South Carolina COM
raunities to discourage looting
and help in cleanup operations.
Communications and power
we're lost temporarily in many
Of the areas along Gracie's in
land route through South Car
olina. Power lines and trees
went down. Buildings lost roofs. |
Some small structures col
lapsed. Tides 8 to II feet above |
normal flooded large areas and
cut Of many communities.
Schools we're closed along the
coast. These and other public |
buildings were made shelters |
for thousands Of residents who
left beach areas before Oracle |
arrived. The Red Cross said it
sheltered 5000 persons from
Brunswick, Ca, to the North
Carolina line.