The Bridgeport Telegram from Bridgeport, Connecticut • Page 52

BIGHT BRIDGEPORT TELEGRAM. SATURDAY. OCTOBER 16, 1954 COUNTY STRUCK GUNdNG BLOW BY HURRICANE (Continued from Hurricane Wrecks Cottages, Topples Plane and niuniinating companies were; to stay on the job during the night. Officials said an breaks would bet repaired by noon today. The State Police barracks Ridgefield had to depend on radios in patrol cars to keep in touch with the outside world last night after the storm knocked out a tele- phone cfcble.

Power was off from 8:20 to 16:45 o'clock. Chris Wesche, Bridgeport Civil Defense director, said the local CD control center transmitted message to Hartford for the Bidgefield barracks, with the FairfieSd Area Civil Defense control center in Ridgefield relaying State Police messages to. Bridgeport. Civil Defense workers went on emergency duty at the control cen- ter at 4 p. m.

yesterday, and plan- ned to stay on the job throughout' the night, Mr. Wesche said. Shorefront residents evacuated in Milford were kept overnight In Red Cross shelters set up in four! elementary schools. Although no; damage was reported, water rose above the sea wall at Myrtle beach during high tide yesterday afternoon, and officials feared there might be flooding at high tide early this morning. Rheinhart W.

Harrm, chief of the t7. S. Weather bureau station in Stratford, said that maximum wind velocity was the same during the three hurricaaes, Carol, Edna and Hazel. Winds averaged about '40 miles per hour, with gusts tc 60 in each instance. More rain fell during Edna, however, 3.50 Inches, as compare i with 1.62 during Carol, and 1.72 last night.

Storm Peak Here at 9 p. m. Bridgeport felt the effects of last night's storm between 8:30 and 9 o'clock, when the storm center was closest to the city. Mr. Harms said.

Southeast winds with gusts reaching 60 miles per hour were experienced for only a short period because the storm passed with great rapidity, he said. Flooding was prevented because the brunt of the storm hit the city only an hour after low tide, which was at o'clock. Electric light wires and tree limbs knocked down in most Fairfield county communities. Repair Busy Sections of Fairfield, Stratford. Trumbull, Milford, and other area towns were blacked out last night, with utility repair crews working through the night to restore service.

A townwide power disruption struck the Town of Westport at 8:10 o'clock, and power had not been restored at midnight MoeL homes in Darien and New Canaan also were without lights. Asxocifttcd Press Wirepboto Top photo shows a section of cottages on the north end of the beach, looking towards the Ocean Forest hotel in Myrtle Beach, S. that was almost completely destroyed by Hurricane Below--Washington airport workers survey damage to a light plane flapped onto its back by of wind in advance of Hurricane Hassl in Washington. No one injured. HURRICANE TAKES 33 LIVES BEFORE LOSING STRENGTH (CoatiniMMf freoi registering meters clocked lAOmile per hour gusts--the highest read- ing the meters are capable of.

Twenty-five minutes later, the winds diminished to about 35 miles per hour and the window-rattling rain subsided as the fringe of the spent hurricane moved on. None of the nation's big seaboard cities was directly in its path. But it staggered them with majestic insolence, its whining winds and curtains of rain marching escort i for 300 miles around its center. Weathermen called it "one of the most erratic hurricanes in I history." i It flanked New York to the west by about 80 to 100 miles--the first time this century thet an October hurricano -ut behind the city. The storm's center hit central Pennsylvania headoa.

Chief Meteorologist Ernest J. Christie, marveling at the unbridled savagery of the great storm, said it was "practically galloping northward with a forward speed of about 50 miles an hour." The 10-day-old storm, eighth hurricane of the season, already had wrought death and destruction along a twisting path from its Caribbean spawning area far at sea. Behind it lay the stricken island of Haiti, where the storm struck Tuesday, razing whole towns and leaving a toll estimated about 100. Behind it also lay the battered, debris choked Carolina coast where the hurricane early today veered from the sea with great force into the continental U. S.

Six persons were killed in North Carolina, six in Virginia, three Pennsylvania, four in Delaware, six in Maryland, two in Washington, D. two in New Jersey and four in New York. Civil Defense forces, volunteer aides, policemen and firemen stood alert through a night fraught with the storm's omens of disaster. Earlier, as the storm swept pas'. Washington and Baltimore, Washington National Airport registered wind gusts of 98 miles per hour, an intensity never before matched in the nation's capital.

Windows were smashed, precious old trees ripped from the capitol grounds. In Annapolis, 90 mile winds drove the Naval Academy's historic Steeple Heading for Fall STORM KILLS 3 PHILADELPHIA, Oct 15--(AP) Hurricane Hazel, a giant born at No power failure was reported in Eastern, although several trees came down, one in upper Westport road, near Sport Hill on Ridgeway. Trees Down Here Several trees were downed in Bridgeport, the first reported at I Evers and East Mam streets about of sea, seemed tonight to have met a match in its whirling rush across the mountains and plains of central Pennsylvania. The storm was petering out Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's capital, reported far less than expected. damage.

Harrisburg had been battened down to face the center' 7:45 o'clock. Police later reported trees felled at Noble avenue and Putnam street, and on King and Alsace streets. Scores of motorists drove to Seaside park to obtain a first' hand glimpse of the worst fury of the storm. Solid sheets of sand were driven across the boulevard drive just prior to the start of the rainfall about 8:20, reducing visibility. A number of motorists parked along the sea wall to watch the Sound, a mass of whitecaps.

Traffic on Fairfield avenue west of the viaduct slowed to a crawl as smoke and grit from a rampaging dump fire covered the road. storm veered inland earlier today on the Carolina coast and twisted its destructive course across the Carolinas, Virginia. Maryland and Delaware before reaching Pennsylvania. Observers at WUiiamsport said the vanguard of the storm reached there about 9 p.mTM but the intensity of the storm was far from that as hurricane Hazel pounded points further south this afternoon. The savageness of the hurricane was not beMttled, however.

The third death reported in Pennsylvania was that of a 2-year- old bus driver, electrocuted by a live wire torn down by the high winds. State police identified the Two companies of firemen battled I victim as Thomas J. Morgan, of passengers, to investigate the wire down across the vehicle. An unidentified man was reported drowned at Consul, near Uniontown, as the howling winds, accompanied by equally-destructive hea- torrential-type rains, pummeled western areas of the Keystone State. In Kingston, not far from Wilkes- Barre, 7-year-old William Reese was killed and his mother, Mrs.

Anna Eustice Reese, critically injured when they were struck by 130 MILFORD QUIT BEACH HOMES MILFORD. Oct 15 Evacuated from their beach homes tc- night were some 130 persons who AtsocUtfd Pram Wirephoto Hurricane Hazel's 71 mph winds snapped off the 75-foot top of the 225-foot steeple of 88-year-old Trinity Episcopal church yesterday in Richmond. Va. Amaieur photographer Tommy Pollock took this picture as the bending steeple started its fall. Westport Blacked Out; Shore Families Evacuated training ship, Reina Mercedes, i any section.

loose from, her moorings in the! Severn nver. The stup was with- WESTPORT, Oct. 15--Westport was totally without electric power tonight as a result of a glancing blow from hurricane HazeL A townwide power disruption struck at 8:10 p.m. and at midnight power had not been restored in out anchors and the men fought to stabilize her with sea Anchors. They were stranded aboard for the storm's duration.

The Navy's yacht, the Vamarie, also tore loose. from its moorings near the training ship and sank. Large sections, of the academy's piers were blown away. At Newport News, Va-, the battleship Kentucky, not yet completed, was torn loose and flung around. Is New "fork, all outdoor activity I --football games, harness racing began to retreat to shelters an a ujte--was cancelled.

Tfae firs Department sounded its "six bell signal placing every fireman in the city on 2-t- a toppling tree. The accident oc- pjn in anticipation of flood condi- cnrred a few feet from Kingston Memorial hospital. The 8.000 residents of Derby were without drinking water when the western Pennsylvania town's reservoir overflowed and the water main broke. State officials prepared for the expected storm onslaught by alerting 18,000 national guardsmen for emergency duty. All state police were ordered to stay on the job, mainly patrolling highways.

In Delaware, to the south of Philadelphia, and about 20 miles from the Pennsylvania state line hurricane Hazel roared through quickly, leaving in its rain-swept, wind-blown wake unestimated damage and at least 2 known dead. Elmer Sorden, 80. waa sitting in tions accompanying the hurricane. The Red Cross opened four echools as shelters: Pumpkin De- hour disaster alert. light.

Joint Beach, Kay avenue, and The eight million residents of the Devon. city were urged to stay off the At 8:45 p.m., police cruised the I streets, beach areas, urging residents, over loudspeaker equipment, to leave their homes for the shelters. Although no damage was reported at high tide in the afternoon, water rose above the sea wall at Myrtle beach and spilled onto East Broadway and side streets. The inbound from Bermuda changed course to skirt the storm. It meant a 10-hour delay in its arrival.

Airlines Grounded Military planes, including jets were flown inland for protection from the hurricane. Commercial Families in the shore OM Saugatuck shores--evacuated their homes early tonight as a precaution against the. gale winds and abnormally high tides caused by Hurricane HazeL The Red Cross set up an evacuation center in the Greens Farms Kelementary school and at midnight seven persons were being cared for with food an dshelter. Police said the remainder of the evacuees apparently elected to seek refuge in the homes of relatives and friends. Two Auto Accidents Police reported that two motor vehicle accidents occurred during the windstorm.

There were no injuries, police reported, and, details LIGHTS, PHONES ODT IN DANBURT AREA water did not rise above the curb airliners by the score were ground- along the streets. led. With high tide expected at about 2 s.m., it was decided that evacuated beach residents would remain all night in shelters. It was fell In New England, where damage from a September hurricane is still visible, low lying coastal areas evacuated against storm tides and lashing seas. the hurricane winds knocked down i we until conditions stabilize.

Plants sandbagged their entran- a tree that snared a power line as i Power lines were torn down by ces mindful of the damage and it crashed on the roof of the auto, i the wind last night leaving several power Josses that resulted from Sorden was electrocuted instantly I sections of town in the dark. Mil- I eajlier storms this season. a parked car at Bridgeville when that this would be the safest meas- the blaze, reported by residents of Harrisburg. who was killed as he when the wire touched'the metal i center was blacked out at At Newport, R. the Navy or- the area shortly before 6 o'clock, i got out of his bus.

loaded with I car roof. One house was reportedly set on ---fire by sparks, but the blaze was quickly extinguished. The most serious damage in Bridgeport occured in the West where trees and wires were down on numerous streets along North, BrsoklawB and Maplewood avenues. Similar damage was re- i ported in the Black Rock section.) DANBURT, Oct. 15--Falling tree limbs disrupted power service in scattered sections as winds of gale- force lashed Danbury tonight Hardest bit was the Great Plains, Wooster Heights and Clapboard Ridge districts, where hundreds of homes were deprived of light and phone service.

Power disruptions also were reported in other sections throughout the town. In all instances, utility officials ascribed power failure to fallen limbs. According to company spokes- concerning the collisions were not immediately available. The Civil Defense unit -set up headquarters in the Police Court building and the staff, headed by Director Robert M. Anstett prepared to remain on all-night duty to receive storm messages.

Several large trees, limbs and branches, were reported down in variious sections of "town. Early in the evening, two fallen trees blocked traffic in Ludlow road, off East State street Crews Remove Debris Town Highway department crews ware summoned to duty at 6 p.m. to remove trees and debris from town roads. Police at pjn. closed off to traffic Taylor place, entrance to the municipal parking area on the Saugatuck At 6 p.m.

a police sound manned by Patrolman Joan Maurer and Selectman C. -William Janson toured the beach areas, giving storm messages and urging residents to evacuate their dwellings in advance of the high tide. An emergency meeting of town officials, police, Red Cross, Civil Defense and other agencies, took place at 8 pjn. in Red Cross headquarters. Church lane.

At this session plans were outlined for the handling of evacuees and other cautions deemed vital were The Fire department was moned several times during the evening to extinguish fires caused by falling live wires. No property damage from fires was reported. 'HAZEL' BATTERS VIRGINIA AREA; 3DIEINSTflRM RICHMOND, Oct 15--AP Hurricane Har.fl bulldozed into Vir- jginia from the south today with a driving forte of 100-mile winds that cut broad fwatb Us the eastern half of the state. Three persons were killed and a number of others were injured in scattered areas. For fhis tropical blow--the most vicious of the season--tie weather picture was different.

eonfinng its fury to the coastal areas, the center of the storm dart; ed inland after smacking North i and South Carolina and moaned en north through the central section i of the state. Torrential Rains Torrential rains accompanied ihe- powerful storm, whose maximum force was diminished only slightly by the overland passage. Even west of the Blue Ridge--outside the' hurricane belt--the rain deluged the parched countryside, some solace ngoiruft the storm's damage. One fatality due to the hurricane came at Richmond, several hours before the storm hit in William Lee Scott. 70.

was killed by a falling tree limb as he strolled he- hind the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts in West Richmond. Two men were electrocuted at Norfolk during the early hours of the storm. "William 'Ira Pierce, 52, an salesman, died he tried to remove a downed power line. Police reported a second electrocution but did not have the identity of the victim immediately. And in Suffolk, in the southeast sector, gusts as high as 108 miles an hour collapsed a large warehouse at the Planters Peanut Co, crushed six automobiles and injured two persons badly enough to call for hospitalization.

The wind howled at a steady 90- mile clip all afternoon in Suffolk and a. reporter described the town as "a wreck." Power was out, trees were down and "hot" line lay on the ground in various sections of the city. At Newport News on the northern side of Hampton Roads Hazel heralded her arrival by toppling'a. large brick chimney at the plant of the Newport News Times-Herald and Daily Press. It crashed through the roof into the papers' composing room and damaged some machinery--but no one hurt Bridge Closed The James River bridge--operated by the state highway department just north of Newport News was closed to traffic as constant spray deluged the roadbed.

The unfinished battleship Keih tacky was torn loose from Jier moorings at a Newport News pier end ran aground in the. James river. The Kentucky, on which construction was halted the vessel was 80 per cent complete, had been tied up at the pier since January, 1950. Naval spokesman said man, was aboard the Kentucky but was in no danger and would be removed tonight Hazel after an earlier pounding of Myrtle Beach. S.

O. Wilmington, N. and inland areas to the south of Virginia, moved across the border in early afternoon. Danville, the tobacco and textile center on the North Carolina border, and Lynchburg, 60 miles to the north, caught some of the fury The picture was the same--trees uprooted, power lines down. There was plenty of forewarning; though, a factor that doubtless held down the injury list.

Tree Limbs Fall, Lights Go Out As Fairfield Is Hit by Gale Winds Maay sections of Fairfield were i his crew was called on duty at 7 Store Several plate Broken glass windows without utility service last night igale force winds knocked down in; telephone wires and tree limbs, the downtown area were blown out while residents of the shoreline highway. by Windows were smashed area were prepared to meet threat I the Blue Ribbon garage and of floods fronTa predicted abnor- i Whalley Motor Sale, on Fairfield mally high tide. o'clock along with some highway department employes who handled the task of clearing debris from the avenue, the Howe Driving school on John street; a street and at Drug stores on Stratford avenue. Sijrris were blown down in front of the Lucas Manufacturing company and WatJcins Art Store. Fairfield avenue.

Five firemen were treated at the emergency hospital for eye irritations when windblown particles entered their eyes while fighting a blsze at the Wordin avenue dump. Police Chief James Kranyik ref the early last night to be prepared for the worst A number of residents, particularly in the Pine Creek area. had evacuated their homes by 10 o'clock last night 20 in Emergency Shelter and assigned to patrol areas where wires had been snapped. by Chief Kranyik. kept a constant of the shore area to check of the tide.

Cener Fire company answered about 8 p.m. Also without electri- idered all 60 warships in port, most- ttt rf fc i city were the Wildemere Beach destroyers, i hurricane oisrupbons occurred Hurricane auxiliary, who was at the organi- Norwalk Power Loss Extensive; Police, CD, Hospital Hit by Storm rC Coasted area, sections of Myrtle beach and I berths--away from tenders and 'piers. Elsewhere along the coast the East Shore area. A A LIGHT IN NEW ENGLAND (Continued from Page One) winds but no rain. The tide only one foot above normal des- i pite the prediction of "abnormally high tides" along the entire New England coast In New Hampshire.

Gov. Hugh Gregg cancelled the alert order! which had kept state and local po- lice and public works employes on a standby basis from late Thurs: day. The cancellation came at bigger warships put to sea to ride out the hurricane. Scores of persons were injured and thousands left homeless as Hazel howled up through the Caroi Unas and Virginia during the day. I Eight or nine persons were unaccounted for on Ocean Island, X.

and property damage running into the millions was inflicted along a wide swathe from Myrtle Beach. S. C. northward. sporadically between 8:30 pjn.

throught the city base in Ascension beach, 10:13 p.m-, at which time the last reaching at the height of the storm failure was reported. Most disrupted service will by -Saturday aoon, the utility officials said. Burning utility wires, caused by water seepage and fallen limbs. a velocity of 64 miles an hour, and put about SO per cent of the community in darkness, knocked down 40 trees and limbs, and disrupted telephone service. 0 Th Police department reported kept "firemen busy "throughout serious Injuries to motorists or evening pedestrians.

Patrolman Nathan In- No serious floods were reported. I while patrolling in a radio but police said numerous streets i car Junction of East avenue were inundated. No traffic delays ohn street nsrrowly es- were reported, however. said that instruments indicated the greatest force of the storm was felt at 8:30 p.m., when the gusts were recorded at 64 miles an hour. Norwalk hospital during the storm lost its lights and immediately used Its generators to provide power, so that the institution -was in oarkness for only a few minutes.

Electric Light Wires- Down Stanley Rydez. Joseph Casey, Frank Dobeski and James Whalley. In Darien. Noroton Fire Capt. Arthur Teinken received one alarm reporting a tree About 20 of them, including eight 1 DU "i'ST above some wires on South 12:15 a.mTM EDT.

children, were housed in the Child Pinc Creek road near Rugby road. Oniy light sprinkles were report- Memorial Parish house on Center i said all street lights in ed in Boston and winds which were street where the Fairfield Chapter town were out. only slightly above normal. gency shelter. Ked Cross chapter mobilized dis- i The Police department switch- aster forces early under the direc-1 A POWELL TO WED board was swamped with calls tion of Bradford N.

Warner. Residents in the Eastlawn the arm when he struck a dangling in throughout the night from residents i and wip wire while enroute to a minor blaze on Goodwives road in fire truck. He was treated at the scene by a department worker. The storm caused cancellation of an high school football games scheduled yesteiday afternoon and Beaumont and reporting wires and tree inflation OldHeJd nmd which along Hurricane Hazel left a score of tree limbs on the ground, electric I light down in several sections of the town, and television anten- naes torn from roofs lasts night in Stratford. Police Chief Patrick j.

Flanagan who with Town Mansgjr Harry B. i Flood and Civil DefeaBe Director Albert Pickns toured the shortly after 5 p.m. Mobile radio units of the CD organization rods through the town during the storm. keeping the public works department advised of fallen tree limbs. The CD auxiliary police.

with Emergency Generators, Used The Police department had no difficulty with telephones, but was i caped injury at 8:30 pjn. when a for ced to use emergency generators i tree fell across the bood of the power failed. The Civilian I auto smashing tie windshield. Defense headquarters in Veteran Officials of the Connecticut Ligat park, close by Police and Power company reported that he adquarters, was thrown into power all through Newtown aven- darkness and power generators i ue. Westport, East avenue and ths i a put into use there to pro; side streets was disrupted by fal- i Je 8" t- Officials there reported ling trees and branches, and homes slx of the ei telephones in head- from Riverside avenue east to the were out of service for Norwalk river also went everal "ours.

Power was restored power because of broken lines. CD headquarters at 11 p.si. i la Rowayton the damage was Gorham. coordis- I "spotty." ator for CD. estimated 125 enrer- Officials of the South Xorwmik cr re Ile1 ont to Electric works reported about George Setelsky in charge, went i families were without service due! nd We TM reSeas to trees which along GoUten! Shortly after 10:30 p.m.

Fairfield avenue aid A plate glass window in reported down in about 20 different locations, Includ- Cr North Benson road. street. Samp Mortar along the shore, were bard hit by floods of Hurricane Carol, were banking their hope of escaping flood damage on a new gravel dike. The dike has been installed in the marshland former town dump off South Pine (AP) Singer Jane Powell and Los SANTA MOKICA, tolif, Oct. 15 at (AP Siner Jane Powell and that so far could be without obtained a marriage license today and said they plan to wed early Although high tides were up to next rooiith.

TBe ceremony will be "some- nor front cottages at Lont- i where outside Los Angeles" and the 8h Before midnight, no damage i couple win take a European honey- reported. AH occupants moon after she finishes work in i been Darned yesterday morning Flax HOI road. Power also was cut off to town Washington Auto Supply store, 1616 Barnum avenue, was smashed la Kast Norscalk the force of wmd at the height of Belle Island. The Southern the storm. Canteen workers from the Stratford Red Cross chapter, directed by i her current film.

Miss Powell said. nd wer of the area before last night The Harding-Stamford, i drive. Stmtfield road, and West Haven-Bassick games. lane, and Melville drive, police said. Creek road.

scheduled last night will be played One tree was felled across the The final 75 feet of tonight Roger Ludlowe and Fair-I road on Home Fair drive and ranging from eight to ten feet high, i field Prep, who were to have play- created hazards on a was completed yesterday afternoon Louis Petriel Jr distributed cof- affecting caslomers. fee and dougbnuts to the Public! heavy winds ripped had Works employes and the volunteer i of rwrf of factorv i prat-Daniel, on Railroad viaducts at 'East Main i and it fen to the street with traffic duty, guard and aid removal of mbs. Several were stationed and Wall streets as guards over the United Cigar store where -he wind had blown vat a large plate glass window. Newi Works department England Telephone company 00 22 of its force to clemr streets and make them sate for travel, and planned to work throughout the night to remove the debris. CB officials are kacping a skeleton crew on duty umtfl ajn.

that by actua! count were out of at the height of the dike, i sh. is 25, Xerney 34. She Is div- the fsll fury of ihe high winds was street Main street and King street' A from Geary Steffen, former felt in the beach area. wera flooded, requiring rerouting of another in Strawberry ed yesterday afternoon, will meet number of roads in town. Monday afternoon.

after the town had been given an Arthur O'Brien, tree warden, said easement to cross private property. man Xeraey Is divorced from act ress Mona Freeman. wer The Civil Defense forces alerted traffic when leaves and other debris on Thursday night were called to- covered the drain grates. Traffic which fell across the" to action along with the Red Cross i was resumed within 30 i to watch the peak of the high tide and boats have been placed at OU MBg rtr te to assist witfc JUarsw i-ucskaj. ce command-' evacuation it is required..