Today I am sharing a very moving and disturbing historic letter written in the days following the hurricane that killed thousands of migrant workers and pioneer farmers south of Lake Okeechobee on September 16th, 1928. It is not an easy letter to read; please be warned. I do not believe it has ever been shared publicly before…
So how did I come upon this remarkable letter?
In January of 2017 I made it my goal to learn more about the communities south and around Lake Okeechobee. At this time, after a discussion with my historian mother, I offered my services as a volunteer at the Laurence E. Will Museum of the Glades in Belle Glade. This made sense as my mother’s friend, and Stuart local, Linda Geary, had opened the museum. Thankfully, present Museum Director Dorothy Block accepted my offer.
For weeks I went through old files and later, myself and a young Pahokee student from Palm Beach Community College scanned hundreds of photographs of the 1928 Hurricane for archival purposes. This was quite the education.
After one of my “museum days,” while having dinner at my parents, my mother, noting my interests in the 1928 Hurricane subject gets up from the table saying: “I do think I have a letter written after the 1928 Hurricane. It was given to me by Iris Wall.” (Some of you know, Iris Wall is a legend of Indiantown and the state of Florida.)
When my mother brought the hand written letter down, I read it out loud at the table, struggling with some of the cursive handwriting of the era. In spite of not getting every word, at one point tears streamed down my face. To think of what Floridians lived through, and reading it first hand almost a century later really puts things in perspective. I have read and listened to many first hand accounts of the storm, but this may top them all…
__________________________________________________________________________
Letter About the Aftermath of the 1928 Hurricane, transcribed by historian Sandra Henderson Thurlow. Letter was given to Sandra by Mrs Iris Wall of Indiantown in 2003.
Tuesday Nite
Dear Papa:
We arrived here at four A.M. this morning and tried to sleep for an hour and a half then started to work. This is undoubtedly as bad a mess as I ever care to see. They are bringing in dead people all the time and they are swollen up about as big as cows and stink something awful. The old Dog Fennels are where they are lodged up. The water is about three feet over the farms and deeper in other places. The town is about two feet deep all over. Everything is ruined. Houses look like trash heaps—lot of them are scattered for a mile, just a piece here and there. Dead cows and hogs everywhere. The place smells like a corpse. It is awful but I am about used to smelling it now. Don’t know what I will do when I smell fresh air again. The water in the lake is awful on account of the dead things in it. They will not allow us to even bathe as all the water we get comes in on boats and is used to drink and cook with. We cannot even shave on account of the danger of cutting ourselves and getting it infected and we have to [be] looked over ever so often and any scratch doctored.
Awful does not describe it at all. I saw one man identify his father, mother, and brother and wife in a batch of bodies brought in. Now that was a pitiful sight. He had not closed his eyes since Friday looking and waiting for them and then to find them all downed and they were in awful shape. Hardly any clothes left on them, just rags. One man identified his fifth child this afternoon and his wife is still missing. One old man about eighty identified his wife this morning when they brought her in with hardly a rag on her, that was awful to see the old fellow. Some bodies come in with all the skin and hair gone and their eyes swollen until they have busted and their tongues sticking out and swollen larger than your hand and their faces all out of shape. One man brought in here looked as tho he would weigh about 250 pounds they said only weighed about 110.
They do not embalm them any more, just put them in a box and haul them to Cities Center and bury them. Two trucks have been busy now two days hauling bodies out to the solid ground and two hauling in coffins. I guess they built about 20 coffins out of rough lumber today and they have to wait for boxes –some bodies have to lay on the ground for several hours before they have any thing to put them in.
The State is sending in a bunch of antitoxin to inoculate us with tomorrow to prevent us from getting sick. I saw a paper today but they don’t describe it near as bad as it is.
The town is under Martial Law and they are sending people out of here as fast as they can get a means of getting them out. They have to get them out because there is no place for them to sleep and nothing for them to eat.
I took a second lieutenant in tow this afternoon. He was drunk and just raising sand and Chesterfield told him to quiet down and he was in for getting his gun and he was standing right in front of me. I grabbed his arm and got a “Hammer Lock” on him and believe me he hit the ground like a sack of sand and…I held my holt until a deputy took him over. That is the only fun I have had since I left Arcadia.
I am on guard duty now and have been on for eight straight hours. Got up at 5:30 and it is nearly two A. M. now. How is that for a day. All I have to do is sit here and see that there is no stealing. My orders are to stop them and if they did not stop use my own judgement. Things are pretty quiet so don’t guess I will have any trouble. Most of the people are gone and no one is allowed in here.
There are houses or rather what is left of them, with lily pads on top of them the water was so high. The people say that when the dykes broke the water came in a wall and a lot of people were drowned before they could get out of it. Cars are left in the road right where the water caught them. There is a steel coal care one mile from the track and two big Gul Ref. Co tanks about four miles from town where they were washed. The water just picked up about a mile of the railroad track and just turned it bottom upwards. Now that was some force. The embankment was not washed away either.
Well, Papa, it is time for my relief so will close and try to mail this tomorrow.
Love to you all
Dick
No need to write as no mail comes in and I will have to meet a train or find someone who will to mail this as the train does not come closer that 12 miles. DBJ
Palm Beach County Historical Society, Hurricane of 1928: http://www.pbchistoryonline.org/page/-hurricane
Laurence E. Will Museum of the Glades: http://www.museumoftheglades.org
Mrs Iris Wall’s biography: http://www.freshfromflorida.com/Divisions-Offices/Marketing-and-Development/Agriculture-Industry/Agricultural-Awards-and-Honors/Woman-of-the-Year-in-Agriculture-Award/Iris-Wall
Historian Sandra Henderson Thurlow: http://www.sandrathurlow.com
Very sad to read the letter. I had heard about the hurricane carnage, but never knew it was that bad.
That must have been something to read her diary. Thank you so much for your comment.
The letter really relays the situation
I just found my Grandmothers diary from the 1928 storm a couple days ago. She lived in WPB at the time, which only had the wind to deal with during that storm. It’s interesting and very sad to say the least to read about what they all went through.
What good are historically meaningful letters, diaries, photographs and personal accounts if they are not shared? You are doing a wonderful service with your blog that reaches so many caring and sensitive people.
Thank you. There is great satisfaction in sharing these things that have been tucked away. With out you it would not be possible.
Thanks so much, I have a City of Stuart event that night. Eula R Clarke, Esq. Law Offices of Eula R. Clarke, P.A. 615 SW St. Lucie Crescent Suite 105 Stuart, Florida 34994 Phone: (772)220-3324 Fax: (772)220-1805 Email: eulaclarkelaw@yahoo.com Statement of Confidentiality: The contents of this e-mail message and any attachments are confidential and are intended solely for addressee. The information may also be legally privileged. This transmission is sent in trust, for the sole purpose of delivery to the intended recipient. If you have received this transmission in error, any use, reproduction or dissemination of this transmission is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please immediately notify the sender by reply e-mail or phone and delete this message and its attachments, if any.
From: Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch To: eulaclarkelaw@yahoo.com Sent: Tuesday, May 16, 2017 10:15 AM Subject: [New post] Rare Historic Letter About the Aftermath of the 1928 Hurricane, SLR/IRL #yiv2558471498 a:hover {color:red;}#yiv2558471498 a {text-decoration:none;color:#0088cc;}#yiv2558471498 a.yiv2558471498primaryactionlink:link, #yiv2558471498 a.yiv2558471498primaryactionlink:visited {background-color:#2585B2;color:#fff;}#yiv2558471498 a.yiv2558471498primaryactionlink:hover, #yiv2558471498 a.yiv2558471498primaryactionlink:active {background-color:#11729E;color:#fff;}#yiv2558471498 WordPress.com | Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch posted: ” Today I am sharing a very moving and disturbing historic letter written in the days following the hurricane that killed thousands of migrant workers and pioneer farmers south of Lake Okeechobee on September 16th, 1928. It is not an easy lett” | |
Life can be terrible. I have no idea how anyone survives catastrophic events like these and others like war; many do not. Unless it’s something you’ve lived through yourself, I don’t believe we can even imagine the sheer force of will and spirit it takes to exist at times like this. Perhaps we survive because there is no other good choice but to try, I don’t know? I think about things like the Holocaust and family members who were there. How?
It is such a question Erza. The Holocaust …the great hurricanes….and so many other horrors people have endured. I think the resiliency of the human spirit may be our best offering. So good to hear from you Erza. All the best.
Jacqui – Thanks much. – GG
>
Thank you GG!
Wow, Jacqui. What a precious piece of history to have. I’ve read Killer ‘Cane by Robert Mykle which gave a gripping account of the 1928 storm, but your letter has a much more personal feeling. Having lost our home in Homestead during Hurricane Andrew, I’m fascinated reading about other storms and how people survived. Category 5: The 1935 Labor Day Hurricane by Thomas Knowles is a powerful account of the families in the Florida Keys. It really focused on the personal lives of those impacted by that storm. I’m forever in awe of the strength and resilience of the early pioneers of our state.
Tara thanks so much for you words. Awful that you lost your home in Homestead during Hurricane Andrew… I have met some others now here in Stuart after that destructive hurricane. I have read Mykle’s book, very gripping, but I have not read Thomas Knowles account of the 1935 Storm. I will order it. So good to hear from you my friend. 🙂 Jacqui
Sad but interesting letter. The writer must have been soldier, brought in from outside the area. He mentions standing guard duty. The storm came through on Friday. His letter is dated Tuesday night. The next morning made it four days after the the storm passed.
A couple of months ago, my wife and I visited the Museum in Belle Glade. We were shown around the exhibits by, I assume, the same young college student from West Palm that worked with you.
Dear Nick, great insights. Thank you so much for commenting. Yes, I anyway know nothing about the writer. The note accompanying the letter shared with my mother from Mrs Wall also did not mention any details about the writer of the letter. Just that it was from a person who wrote after the 1928 Hurricane. The initials may eventually yield some clues and of course we can see he signed the letter, “Dick.” Glad you were able to visit the museum and meet Kassa. Museum of the Glades is fascinating.
Do you know if the residents knew the breach was a possibility? Were they led to believe they were safe or was the dike untested? It’s so tragic. What are the possibilities of a breach happening again.
The “dike” at that time was a simple earthen wall.The lake would expand and contract with the rainy season as it had for thousands of years. The people were aware of this but from what I have read they did not understand what could happen really. Most were from other parts of the US. There was no hurricane warning system. They were working so hard —this was the focus. Communications were minimal and slow. I do think to it was worst as far as #s of dead for the migrant worker families that were separated due to segregation and lived further away from the “center of town.” I have read they had NO warning. In Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston this story is told. I recall reading when teaching middle school. Brutal. I believe about 2/3 of the dead were black migrant workers. A tragedy for all.
Facebook Comments:
Colleen Castille
7 hrs ·
Well, it is certainly timely as we get close to Hurricane Season, Thanks Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch for sharing.
Tara Powers:
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch generously shared this letter written in the aftermath of the 1928 Hurricane that slammed into the communities surrounding the southern shore of Lake Okeechobee. How lucky we are today to have days of warning to prepare or evacuate. These poor souls were helpless against the wall of water that blew out of the lake.
Michael Conner Living on the shoreline of that Lake is still a risk. Talked to a good friend in town who claims that despite hurricane evacuation orders for the Southwest Florida coast as Wilma approached as a Cat 3, not one person was ordered to evacuate from the Glades counties as Wilma passed directly over the area. Why not? Because it was “only” a Cat 2 by that point? And remember that Lloyds of London assesses the dike as a high risk to human life at present. And frankly, many engineers feel that even a “fixed dike” will still be only a 2 on a 5 scale (with 5 being the safest) barrier.
Add to that the Ranking of most dangerous places for a hurricane strike in the United States, by the international hurricane research center, at FIU.
New Orleans remains number 1, with Lake O number 2! Followed by the Florida Keys, coastal Miss, Miami and so on.
Running discussion:
74 Andy Fairbanks, Stephen G. Leighton and 72 others
7 shares
Comments
Paula Raubfogel Follweiler
Paula Raubfogel Follweiler Wow. Heartbreaker of a letter.
Like · Reply · 1 · 19 hrs
Guy Calvert
Guy Calvert Powerful historic artifact
Like · Reply · 2 · 19 hrs
Stephanie Holder
Stephanie Holder Thank you for keeping such wonderful historic artifacts. May our future generations do the same
Like · Reply · 3 · 19 hrs
Sarah Gerring Feeney
Sarah Gerring Feeney Thanks for sharing. I am a lover of history.
Like · Reply · 1 · 19 hrs · Edited
Shirley Parker
Shirley Parker Just amazing and how awful it must have been with no warning, can’t imagine what they went through. Thank you so much for sharing.
Like · Reply · 1 · 17 hrs
Linda Schilling Mitchell
Linda Schilling Mitchell A tragedy beyond imagination.
That letter is a treasure
Like · Reply · 1 · 17 hrs
Rebecca Fatzinger
Rebecca Fatzinger wow…
Like · Reply · 1 · 17 hrs
Michael Ramer
Michael Ramer Amazing Jacqui!!! Thanks for sharing that with us✌
Like · Reply · 1 · 16 hrs
Irene Nethery Gomes
Irene Nethery Gomes Thank you for sharing a piece of history not to be forgotten. 🙁
Like · Reply · 1 · 16 hrs
Tara Powers
Tara Powers Thanks for sharing, Jacqui!
Like · Reply · 1 · 16 hrs
Colleen Kane-Vukovich
Colleen Kane-Vukovich How horrific that must have been. Thank you for sharing Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch! Sure makes our problems today seem small in comparison.
Like · Reply · 1 · 16 hrs
Jennifer Esler
Jennifer Esler Wow, thanks for sharing.
Like · Reply · 1 · 16 hrs
Kristine Smith White
Kristine Smith White Thank you for sharing, very sad.
Like · Reply · 1 · 16 hrs
Nicole Lebel
Nicole Lebel Wow. Very interesting.
Like · Reply · 1 · 16 hrs
Lori Ann Kaleda Largent
Lori Ann Kaleda Largent Wow, what a fantastic find. Awesome Reading
Like · Reply · 2 · 15 hrs
Michelle Conner
Michelle Conner Wow, I can not even begin to imagine the horror. Thanks Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
Like · Reply · 1 · 15 hrs
Cindy L. Satur
Cindy L. Satur · Friends with Mike Crary and 23 others
Wow, thanks for sharing. Very cool find.
Like · Reply · 1 · 14 hrs
Margie Murphy Glass
Margie Murphy Glass Amazing story😯😯😞😞Thank you Jacqui!❤
Like · Reply · 1 · 13 hrs
Arlene Bristow Brown
Arlene Bristow Brown Thanks for sharing Jacqui… goodread
Like · Reply · 1 · 13 hrs
Lois Genuario
Lois Genuario · 8 mutual friends
Wow how tragic. What a great find this letter is, thank you
Like · Reply · 1 · 11 hrs
Linda Aileen Miller
Linda Aileen Miller Jacqui my mom was 5 yrs old at the time of the ’28 Hurricane. She lived in West Palm Beach. Whenever any hurricane subject would come up she would get this distant, detached look on her face and then she would literally ‘shiver’ as she said ‘I remember the ’28 Hurricane’. Then she would look really sad. During the past four years, as you & I fought as River Warriors to Save Our Rivers & convince our government to go forward with the EAA project Mom & I would often watch a Rally or peaceful protest on the news. She would turn to me, looking concerned and say “They can’t let that dam break again…they cant!”
She and many others have carried that fear for a long time.
Like · Reply · 1 · 11 hrs
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch Linda wow, I appreciate your sharing that personal story. These are the ones that we never forget.
Like · Reply · 10 hrs
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
Write a reply…
Fred Mars
Fred Mars I honestly have to say that you are the only Republican that I have ANY respect for.
Like · Reply · 2 · 11 hrs
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch Ha!
Like · Reply · 1 · 10 hrs
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
Write a reply…
Louise Kowitch
Louise Kowitch Great historical sleuthing.
Like · Reply · 2 · 10 hrs
Diane Balogh Kimes
Diane Balogh Kimes If you haven’t already read it, put Eliot Kleinberg’s Black Cloud on your list of summer reading about the account of the Hurricane of 1928 and its effects on families of WPB and the Lake. It’s riveting and reads like fiction! Kleinberg, a writer of the PB Post wrote it in 2003.
Like · Reply · 1 · 9 hrs
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch replied · 1 Reply
George Brock Scott
George Brock Scott Honored to see your folks at my dad’s service on Saturday. I hope he is better now. With Amy ScottNancy MillarPortia ScottLoring Jean Scott Freeman
Like · Reply · 1 · 8 hrs
Chris Shultz replied · 3 Replies · 7 hrs
Karlette Peck
Karlette Peck Jacqui-this is amazing history. Thanks to you am your Mom for sharing this! Is Miss Wall still with us?
Like · Reply · 1 · 7 hrs
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch Thank you Karlette Peck!
Like · Reply · Just now
Jacqui Thurlow-Lippisch
Write a reply…
I would have found this letter very interesting as I was doing research on my book “Killer ‘cane: The deadly Hurricane of 1928.” 1928 hurricane I interviewed some 40 survivors of the 1928 hurricane and Killer ‘cane is their story. Killer ‘cane was the first book, except for Lawrence Wills, written in 74 years. It’s called it the forgotten hurricane and survivors still call it the ’28 Storm.
Of course sir, I thought of your work! I did make the time to find the info. to share with you. I do apologize. So much to do. Thank you for seeing and maybe if you write another book it can be included. Respectfully, Jacqui TL