Not far behind its competitor, the Associated Press received news of the storm from its Miami correspondent, Reginald P. Mitchell, who is only a youngster, 24 years old. Mr. Mitchell had experienced good training, however, having worked for the Savannah Morning News and Nashville Banner. He is a graduate of Vanderbilt University, and did newspaper work between semesters to aid in getting through college. That of itself shows pluck, and the ingenuity and courage which he brought to bear in making the difficult journey to West Palm Beach from Miami in order to file his first account of the storm is additional evidence of his quality. He was accompanied by Reese Amis, telegraph editor of the Miami Daily News. They began their journey Saturday afternoon (the day of the storm) in a delivery truck. A short distance south of Fort Lauderdale their vehicle mired and they were forced to abandon it and walk to Fort Lauderdale, where they spent the night. The next morning they procured an automobile and reached West Palm Beach at 11:30, where they transmitted their stories, Amis sending a special to the New York Times. The Associated Press sent staff men, R. S. Pickens and M. B. Alexander, from Atlanta by airplane to the storm area. They started from Atlanta Sunday afternoon. Their plane was piloted by Beeler Blevins of Candler Field, stopping at Tifton, Ga., and Palatka, Florida, for refueling. They reached Miami Monday in time to send a story back that day.
There was great rivalry among the picture concerns to get photographs of storm damage. Pacific and Atlantic Photos are credited with having had five airplanes working at the task, and they also claim credit for delivering the first photographs in New York, September 21, three days after the storm. Rival concerns were only a few hours later.
The Chicago Herald and Examiner, Hearst paper, sent a special relief train to Miami, loaded with a hundred persons, doctors and nurses, under the direction of Dr. Herman N. Bundesen, city health commissioner of Chicago. They brought supplies to sustain their party for ten days, and a large amount of emergency medical materials and milk. The Herald-Examiner also contributed $10,000 to the relief fund. The Chicago Daily News used its radio for the benefit of storm sufferers, and raised $15,000 the first evening.
The Editor and Publisher, of New York, in its issue of September 25 carried full and detailed accounts of how the news was carried, and the part that newspapers and newspaper workers had in spreading the news and assisting the work of relief.
