HURRICANE TIME

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A storm was heading for the Keys yesterday. Not strong enough to be named. Got strong overnight. Named. Gordon.

Gordon made a lot of noise last night as it passed over Key West. Woke me a couple of times. Thunder and lightning big time. The lightning coming through the blinds and lighting up the bedroom. Heavy rain, of course.

Winds 45 mph, with gusts up to 60 mph.

Gordon hit land in the upper Keys. As a tropical storm. It is now in the Gulf. Heading for Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama. Anticipated that when it hits one of these areas, Gordon will be a category 1 hurricane.

The impact of last year’s September hurricanes still with us. Cudjoe to Marathon still recovering from Irma. Many remain homeless.  Food a problem. Debris still be removed.

The Boca Chica Naval Station beginning its second phase of repairs. A $22 million restoration. Expected to be complete by February 2020.

Puerto Rico took two hits last September. First, Irma. Then, Maria. Puerto Rico remains desperate. A forgotten island.

I blame Trump for Puerto Rico’s condition. He turned his back on the island. Even though Americans. Last wednesday Trump said, “I think we did a fantastic job in Puerto Rico.”

What is he smoking?

Key West’s Womenfest begins tomorrow. Runs through September 9. A major event. Thousands of women will arrive from all over the world. The lesbian community and their friends take over the town. Fun time!

The ladies play Flag Football. Practice is friday at Bayview Park. Saturday the big game. Claimed to be a “friendship game.” Watch them play!

I periodically write and speak of iguanas and pythons. Both populations out of hand. The State waited too long to deal with their invasions. Now permanent Florida residents. The government can only contain, not eradicate.

Lizards have entered the picture. I wrote about them recently. They are here and becoming a problem. I hope the State will get into eradication now rather than tomorrow. Tomorrow will be too late.

A seven foot 150 pound lizard took up residence in a family’s back yard somewhere in mid Florida last week. Refuses to leave. Thus far has escaped capture.

Officials still trying to capture the lizard. The homeowners were told not to be concerned. The lizard was of a type not dangerous to humans.

Alligators becoming a problem also. Attacks in Florida on the rise. From 1988-1999, one attack every 3 years. From 2000-2019, 6 per year.

Planet of the Apes on the way. The only difference the nature of the beasts. This time, the reptiles.

The Kavanaugh hearing before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee on TV at the moment. Has been running since 10. Now 11:30. A war! Democrats screaming for fairness and more time. Republicans know they have voting control sitting back letting the Democrats vent.

Nothing more can be said regarding John McCain. Last week he was praised in every possible fashion. The man a true American, a true American hero. Words will quiet down. His memory not. He will remain with us for generations to come.

Meghan McCain’s words will frequently be recalled and repeated: “The America of John McCain does not need to be make America great again, because America was always great.”

Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. recently completed a study re the economy. The results of the study clearly established Trump’s “Greatest Economy Ever” is not. The American dream has vanished.

A great number of the American people are struggling with debt and lack of savings. Eighty percent define “American dream” to be financial security and owning a home. More than half believe it is unattainable. The white picket fence gone. The American dream evaporated.

And yet Trump frequently tells us the U.S. is experiencing the greatest economy ever. Ninety percent of the people do not believe it. The man lives in a dream world.

Enjoy your day!

DEATH AND DESTRUCTION…..LABOR DAY HURRICANE 1935

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It is that time of the year. The hurricane season. The beginning of September considered the worst time.

At the moment, there is a potential tropical storm developing in the Atlantic. One hundred seventy five miles east of Marathon. Not a big deal. Yet. Winds 30 miles per hour. The lower keys will receive 2-4 inches of rain today through tomorrow morning.

The storm not named yet. Not considered a problem till it hits the Gulf. It is projected it will then develop into a tropical storm or hurricane. Mississippi, Alabama and Louisiana have been warned they could be in trouble.

Last year, it was Irma. Hit the lower keys September 10. Projected as a category 5. Hit Key West as a 1. However, Cudjoe north to Marathon a 4. Significant damage. One year later, recovery still ongoing. Homes destroyed, debris not removed, people living in tents, people without food, etc.

Labor Day 1935 the worst up to that time. A category 5. One hundred eighty five miles per hour when it hit land near Islamorada. Surge 18-20 feet. Islamorada obliterated. Portions of the Key West Extension of the Florida East Coast Railway damaged or destroyed. Four hundred eighty five killed.

Death and destruction. The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. The most intense hurricane to have struck the United States up to that time.

Six hundred ninety five World War I veterans were working on the Overseas Highway. Several camps in the area. A rescue train left Miami at 4:25 pm. Several delays on the way due to a number of non storm related problems. The rescue train did not arrive till 8:20 pm.

It arrived just as the storm surge hit Islamorada. The train’s 11 cars were swept off the tracks. Only the locomotive and tender remained.

Railroad bridges destroyed. Never to be rebuilt. It was the end of the Railway.

Corpses all over the place. The humidity and heat outrageous. Bodies swelling. Splitting open three days after the storm. Health officials concerned. Bodies buried or cremated. Mostly cremated. Some merely thrown in piles and incinerated. Others placed in wood boxes, piled on one another, and then cremated.

The greater percentage of the dead were veterans working on the Overseas Highway.

Though the railroad bed was of no use, certain portions of the road bed and bridges survived. They became part of the Overseas Highway which was completed in 1938. The Highway connected Key West and Miami.

Ernest Hemingway assisted in rescue efforts. He initially rode out the hurricane at his home in Key West. Then hurried up the keys by boat to help. He was incensed by the devastation and deaths.

Hemingway blamed the U.S. government of negligence in sending the veterans to work in the keys during hurricane season. He wrote a critical article titled Who Killed The Veterans which was published in The New Masses magazine.

Hemingway viewed the veterans as unwitting victims of a system that appeared to lack concern for their welfare.

Hemingway was correct. The federal government had forgotten their obligation to those who fought in World War I. Veterans had earlier protested in Washington. Following which the government settled them in work camps such as those that were situated on the Overseas Highway.

The government had a study made to determine responsibility for the deaths of the veterans. The study determined it was an Act of God. A whitewash.

The government did not care and did not want to bear responsibility. Shades of Trump and Puerto Rico.

The National Commander of the American Legion at the time was Ray Murphy. He blamed the loss of life on “Inefficiency, Indifference, and Ignorance.”

The inefficiency the manner in which the camps were set up. The indifference in that no one was in charge of safety. The ignorance that no one understood the real danger from a tropical storm.

May such a storm never occur again. A hope. It will. Recall Andrew in 1992. Wiped out Homestead and the Air Force Base nearby. Ninety five percent of the structures in Homestead leveled.

I appreciate that today’s blog concerns the 1935 Labor Day Hurricane. I would be remiss however if I failed to mention Terri White. A force unto herself.

This past year found Terri falling into total blindness. A gutsy lady. A professional singer. Many Broadway shows to her credit.

She still works.

Saturday night, Terri sang at Blue Macaw. Sunday morning at Hard Rock Cafe. Tonight part of Dueling Bartenders at Aqua.

Go Terri!

Enjoy your day!

EMILY

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Emily was the Keys’ first dance partner of the season. There had been four others. However, of no consequence. Hurricane season is upon us.

Emily was a tropical depression yesterday morning in the Gulf 50 miles off Tampa. She hit as a tropical storm, however. A step up from a depression. Ran across the Florida peninsula. Dissipating as it left.

Brought with it 6-8 inches of rain and winds 45 miles per hour.

I assume the rain Key West received yesterday afternoon and last night represented the fringes of Emily. Rained extremely heavy in Key West. Hurricane rain without wind.

My podcast tonight. Tuesday Talk with Key West Lou. Nine my time. Join me. Interesting material. A fast paced half hour. www.blogtalkradio.com/key-west-lou.

I worked on the show yesterday afternoon. For some reason, I have a multitude of items to discuss. Will never cover all of them.

My plan is to open with a lengthy report re prison labor. Inmates are the new American slavery. Followed by a Venezuela update, a jury finding Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio guilty of criminal contempt, Trump writing son Don’s release re the famous meeting, Scaramucci gone crazy and gone.

Robots continue to be big. Expanding into all areas. Now, sex.

An Austrian company is selling robots for sex purposes. Spain has two brothels providing services only in the brothels. $80-100 per hour. Customer comments suggest the robots better than the real thing.

A bank in Sweden is using robots to deal with customer problems, opening new accounts, etc. Cheaper than paying a human being.

Both robot situations will be discussed this evening.

Time permitting, I want to touch on millennials still living at home with their parents. A study looked at 18-34 year olds. One third are living with their parents. A shocking number.

While I was preparing for tonight’s show, Terri was putting my new desk chair together. Terri is fantastic! Got right to it. Put the chair together step by step. I was impressed.

I am also impressed by the chair. Leather and huge. Made for an extra tall person. All kinds of special buttons. Cheaper to purchase than the one it replaced. I bought the previous one at Office Max. Fell apart in a year. The new one purchased over the internet through Amazon. Fifty dollars cheaper and much better quality.

A 5 o’clock visit with Dr. McIvor. The best of the best! A great staff supporting him. Heart good. No changes. Something else? More blood work next week.

I continue to be tired. Close to exhaustion on occasion. Climbing stairs leaves me breathless. My blood pressure at the Doctor’s top side was 186.

Oh, well!

I said screw it. Instead of going home went to Aqua for Dueling Bartenders. Bobby Nesbitt joined Tom Luna and Rick Dery. Terrific!

Yes, I had a couple of drinks.

Locals night at Aqua. Friend Liz and Josefina. Jean Thornton. Her husband Joe back in Birmingham having been diagnosed with shingles.

I periodically refer to Jean as the Golden Girl. Back around 1996, she discovered gold and emeralds while diving with Mel Fisher. A teacher friend from Birmingham was with her. Debbie. They discovered the booty at the same time.

Together, referred to as the Golden Girls.

Debbie visits Key West once a year. Her Key West visit this week.. We talked a while last night. Charming. Too bad she does not spend more time in Key West. She would be a welcome addition to our community.

A fellow at the bar stopped me. Reads the blog. Wanted to tell me he was from Utica. Utica, Illinois.

Stopped at Tavern ‘n Town for dinner on the way home.

Another alligator spotted in Key West. Off Northern Boulevard in the water in the Garrison Bight area. A picture of the alligator in this morning’s Key West Citizen. About 5 feet long.

Watch where you swim, friends!

Enjoy your day!

CASA ANTIGUA / KEY WEST ROOM ESCAPE

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The Casa Antigua is an integral part of Key West history.

One of Key West’s first built hotels. In 1919. By Benjamin Trevor and George Morris. Constructed with bricks from Fort Zachary Taylor and a building torn down at the time across the street. The Casa Antigua located at the corner of Simonton Street and Rose Lane.

The facility was named the Trev-Mor Hotel. On the first floor was a Ford distributorship also called the Trev-Mor.

Ernest Hemingway is primarily responsible for the building’s historical notoriety.  He and wife Pauline arrived from Paris. they were on their way to New York. Intended to drive. Pauline’s uncle had bought them a new Ford which they were to pick up at the Trev-Mor distributorship.

The car was not waiting for the Hemingways. Late in arriving. They were told it would be there in two days. Ernest and Pauline put into the Trev-Mor Hotel to await its arrival.

Two days turned into ten before the car arrived. In those ten days, Hemingway discovered Key West. He fell in love with Key West. Remained ten years.

During the time, he wrote A Farewell to Arms.

There are other stories concerning the Casa Antigua. They remain for another day to tell. Except for the most recent one.

A new Key West attraction opened two weeks ago on the first floor. The Key West Room Escape. Sound’s like a fun place!

Sort of a search and find items of Key West historical significance.

Teams of up to eight customers are locked in a room. The room filled with all kinds of objects. The team has sixty minutes to find a hidden item. Like the missing page of a manuscript.

Clues are given. An announcer behind a window gives hot and cold clues.

The cost is $35 for an adult and $25 for 16 and under.

Sounds like a fun place. My game plan is to take Robert and Ally.

Did a late Hot Dog Church yesterday afternoon. The Back Door empty, except for Donna, Terri and Laurie. Spent a couple of humorous hours before returning home.

I continue to run tired. Kept to home basically the past few days. See the heart doctor at 5 today for the results of last week’s tests.

The semblance of a storm forming in the Gulf 50 miles off Tampa. Not a hurricane. Right now a tropical depression. Result of low pressure. Not expected to become a big deal.

There will be big time rain today and tomorrow however as a result. Winds will not be of consequence.

Appears hurricane season as a practical matter is around the corner.

East Martello Fort is going to get a $2 million repair job. Money coming from grants.

East Martello is a Civil War Fort. Built by the Union to help in warding off Confederacy ships. The Confederacy ships never arrived.

One hundred fifty five years old. Time again for a touch up.

Two strange events of a similar nature occurred in 1975.

On this date, Jimmy Hoffa disappeared. On September 9, Key West Fire Chief and convicted drug dealer Bum Farto disappeared. Both swiftly swept off by third parties never to be seen again.

Farto’s disappearance left Key West with a famous saying. On tee shirts, in the media and conversation: Bum Farto Where Are You?

Multi-talented Terri White coming over later to change a shower fixture and put together a new desk chair for me. The benefits of having a lesbian wife.

Enjoy your day!

 

MOST RECENT BIGGIES

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Key West is hurricane country! No question about it. The strange thing is that hurricanes do not occur with regularity. Fortunately. Weather is fickle and the hurricanes come and go as they please.

Some small, some big.

The threat of a hurricane lurks every season. We are warned a hurricane is on the way. Advised it is heading straight for Key West. People told to evacuate. Then the storm digresses and goes another way.

It has reached the point where locals pay little attention to warnings to evacuate. Most stay. Because they do not believe the reports. Also because they cannot afford to leave or have nowhere to go.

If the hurricane is 24 hours away and is still thought to hit, locals generally do the same thing. After protecting their homes or apartments, of course. They gather in the homes of a friend who lives on high ground. High ground is the second floor or a small area of Key West 10-12 feet above sea level.

Everyone brings food. It will only spoil if left home in the refrigerator. Electricity destined to go out. The food is all cooked before the storm arrives. Then eaten during the 1-3 days they all live together. Alcohol shared, also.

Some pick out a building that will with stand a major hurricane. Like Don’s Place. Concrete and building block. A protected party time area for the hurricane’s duration.

There have been two big hurricanes in recent years. Georges in September 1998 and Wilma in October 2005.

Georges was less than a 2 by the time it hit. Did some damage. Old Houseboat Row took a beating.

Wilma was the real monster! Started off as a 5 near the Yucatan. Hit on the Florida mainland around a 2. Key West was on the fringe.

The hurricane itself did little damage as it passed over. About a half hour later, the surge arrived. Unexpected. Damaged big time most homes and automobiles. Surge waters covered most of the island 6-7 feet. The water running suddenly through homes.

Water and humidity are a problem. Mold develops rapidly. Homes had to be gutted along the water line. Six to seven feet. Salt water soaked furniture had to be thrown out..

Forty eight hours later, the streets of Key West had mounds.  15-20  feet of plasterboard and furniture. Sitting in front of each home. A battle zone appearance wise.

Lisa’s home took a beating. Six and a half feet of water. Her car in the driveway went also.

Larry Smith tells the typical story. He and Christine were seated on their back porch saying how they were lucky to have missed it again. It being a bad storm. Suddenly, water began trickling from the house onto the porch. In minutes, six feet was gushing out.

Thus it was all over Key West.

The storm that really bothered me was not a hurricane. A mere tropical storm. Winds generally 50-70 mph. Heavy rains. Dark.

I cannot recall the name of the storm. Searched Google and telephoned several people. All remember the tropical storm. None recall the name. Maybe because it did little damage.

It sticks clearly in my mind as if it were yesterday.

My house was prepped for the storm. Plywood sheets covering every window and door. With one exception. A small door in the back leading to the deck. I needed a way to get in and out.

I did all the right things. Filled the bathtub with water to flush the toilets. Bought bottled water. Bought food that did not require heating before being eaten. Like peanut butter, crackers, dried fruits, etc. Candles and flashlights, too. The electric power always goes.

I hated the storm. It was supposed to last at most 24 hours. It lasted 5-6 days. It sat over Key West as a black cloud and did not move. I am stuck in my boarded up house all this time. Could not drive. The street in front of my home flooded.

The power went out on and off. Meant no TV,  no lights. Candle time. I figured I would read. I do not know how Abraham Lincoln read law by candlelight. I could not. So I spent a lot of time laying on my bed in the dark. Contemplating my navel.

I went out on the deck a couple of times. Dark and bitter. Just as bad as being inside. Except inside was dry.

We are into the hurricane season already this year. It lasts till the end of November. Nothing yet. Nor any warnings. However, hurricanes develop quickly. You never know.

Enjoy your Sunday!