FURIOUS STORM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22205, 4 September 1935, Page 11

FURIOUS STORM

FLORIDA SWEPT VESSEL GOES ASHORE OVER 200 PASSENGERS SEAS POUNDING REEF DISTRESS CALL SENT OUT By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright (Received September 3, 6.35 p.m.) NEW YORK, Sept. 2 A message from Miami, Florida, says the fury of a tropical storm beat across Florida and the seaport Cedar Keys to-night, and as it whirled north-westward the entire southern tip of the peninsula was warned of a possible hurricane. The citizens of Key West were relieved when the storm centre moved to the north of the island city. In the mainland cities, however, all the way round from West Palm Beach to Puntagorda, on the Gulf, hasty precautions were taken. The steamer Dixie, bound from New Orleans to New York with 260 passengers, went ashore at Carysfort Reef, Florida, and sent out distress calls. The Dixie (8188 tons) is owned and operated by the Morgan Line and Southern Pacific Steamship Line. She left New Orleans on Saturday and was scheduled to arrive at New York on Thursday. Her captain in his radio message said seas were pounding heavily against the reef, which lies off the south-eastern coast of Florida, 40 miles due south of Miami. The stranded vessel is in the path of the hurricane now sweeping that area. RACE TO RESCUE SEAS RETARD PROGRESS DIFFICULTY WITH WIRELESS (Received September 3, 11.55 p.m.) NEW YORK, Sept. 3 The Dixie, in addition to her passengers, has a crew of 140 men. The nearest rescue vessel is 50 miles away, and is making slow progress in the heavy seas. The last message from the Dixie read: " Pounding heavily. Not making much water. Seas and wind heavy." The word " water " in the message is the interpretation of the Radio Marine Company, the actual word having been indistinctly heard. All the available coastguard vessels are speeding to the rescue, but because of the heavy surf rescue efforts are expected to be hazardous. Communication with the Dixie has been practically stopped owing to difficulty with the emergency wireless, the regular wireless having been destroyed. The exact location of the vessel is not determined. A message from Jacksonville, Florida, says the weather bureau officials there early this morning believed that all danger from the hurricane on the east coast had passed. The bureau located the centre of the storm on the lower east portion of the mainland, about midway between Key West and Everglades City. It is moving slowly to the north-west.