Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-03-09
STORM
.
Towes Orders Road Commission to Use
$5OOO00 Emergency Fund to Help Victims
Continued From Page AL

a state Of emergency exists be-
fore direct Federal aid may be
given to State and local gov
ernments for restoration of
public facilities such as bridges,
roads and schools that were
wrecked by the storm.
Application Made
The hardest-hit States of
Maryland, Virginia, Delaware
and New Jersey have already
applied for this relief through
the Governors, all of whom
made personal inspections of
the storm area and almost
unanimously agreed they had
never seen such destruction.
Other assistance was being
pushed by the Agriculture De-
partment in the form of surplus
food. Rehabilitation work was
being planned by the Office of
Emergency Planning, preparing
for the release of medicines,
cots, blankets. vehicles and
other items.
Loss. Of electric power and
water menaced many commu-
mites with pestilence. The Red
Cross and military units worked
hard to shelter and feed thou
sands forced from their homes.
Despair and Misery
While the whole picture has
grown into a national emer-
gency, broken down to indi-
vidual units it was one of de-
spair and misery.
After a helicopter view of
desolate Ocean City, Md, Gov.
Tawes called it the greatest
tide and wind destruction he
had ever seen-"and I've seen a
lot of them"
Without waiting for Federal
aid, he directed the State Roads
Commission to use any part Of /.
a 100000 emergency fund that
is required.
Gov. Tawes had seen 10 per
cent Of the resort city's build
irigs leveled or washed to sea,
and the remainder damaged in
varying degrees.
Ocean City Loss Sc Million
From preliminary estimates
by Meredith Hoffmaster, man
ager of the Maryland office of
SBA, it appeared Ocean City'S
damage will exceed Sc million.
Touring most of the area yes
terday, Mr.. Hoffmaster esti- G
mated business building losses
at $4.5 million and losses to {
homeowners at 100000. I
AL electric power was out for !
q time today, but spirits of the
towns 1900 residents rose as
Red Cross, Civil Defense, State !.
Roads Commission workers and
National Guardsmen moved in
to assist with rehabilitation.
Crews began removing tons
of sand and debris coating
nearly every street and block
ing transportation.
1t was a day that men like
Alfred Harmon, chief of Ocean
City's Volunteer Fire Depart
ment, finally could rest a bit. !
He and more than 100 firemen
and rescue squadsmen were '
credited with evacuating three l
fourths of the residents.
The death toll rose to 40 {
today with three new victims S
reported in Virginia, bringing
the States loss to 10. Eleven =
were reported dead in New Jer-
sey, five in Delaware and three
in Maryland.
Returning to Dover after a =,
two-day survey, Gov. Ebert N.
Carvel declared a state of ,
emergency in Delaware.
81 believe it is the worst
catastrophe Delaware has suf-
fered," he said in calling to-
gether State agency heads For
an unprecedented emergency
meeting.
RehobOth Looks Ahead
At the major resort of Re-
hoboth Beach, citizens began /
talking of the coming summer
season-lesS than three months ,
distant - and whether they ]
could meet the challenge. II
Men like 71-year-old Tom /,
Tachides thought it could be ,
done. Mr.. Tachides almost had
to be dragged away from his
saltwater taffy emporium,
Dolle's, before it collapsed at a
$125,000 loss.
In New York, lower Manhat-
tan streets were flooded. Other
damage occurred in Long
Island, Coney Island, Staten
Island and Fire Island.
The Associated Press COM
piled this summary of the
storm:
New Jersey: II dead, 4 miss
ing. Damage estimated $50
million. Helicopters airlifted
scores Of residents from strick-
en- communities and dropped
food and medical supplies to
Others. Long Beach Island
hardest hit; other communities
init included Sea Isle City, At
lantic City, Avalon and Cape
May.
A Coast Guardsman at Cape
May reported that the beach
areas of Cape May and Cape
May Point were evacuated.
Most of the families forced to
leave their homes lived on the
beach front, he said. All per-
sons are accounted for, ade-
quately housed and fed, the
Guardsman said.
He said that the rear half
of the towns Convention Hall |
was destroyed and one section
of beachfront shops was miss
ing. The town was without
water for a day.
Virginia: 10 dead. Damage