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48
FLORIDA'S GREAT HURRICANE
 

feet deep. Floors of solid concrete and tile had collapsed entirely and some of them were carried as far as fifty feet away, weighed over five tons. The huge front entrance arch of solid concrete standing forty feet high had fallen completely into the street. The beach which was formerly level with my office was now five feet beneath it. Drinking water was unobtainable, and the first mouthful of food I had was Saturday night when I was given a plate of soup and a biscuit. Everything I had was literally swept away, leaving me nothing in the world but a bathing suit. We are going to rebuild, and carry on as before.

The twin-six Packard mentioned in the first part of this recital was turned upside down and carried a half block away and completely buried in the sand, and was utterly demolished. It will never run again. In passing I might mention that two of my typewriter desks with typewriters intact, except for salt water rust, were found on the middle of the golf course approximately one and a half miles from the office. Pieces of some of our antiques were found several blocks away, and the steel filing cabinets were undoubtedly carried out to sea on the return of the waves. Of everything formerly contained in this office we have salvaged only nine rugs, nothing else has been found, and I expect never will be, as the sand has been entirely sifted and no trace of anything of value has been recovered.

(Author's Note―Besides all his other personal belongings Dr. Woollard lost $14,000 worth of jewelry which was locked in his desk. Three days following the storm he was engaged in medical relief work before he discovered that six of his ribs had been broken when he was thrown back into his office when attempting to escape.)

WRECK OF SALON MARITIMO.