Foreverglades_Valiente2019

172 BELLE GLADE FROM SW AMP TO SUGAR BOWL
130 28 BELLE GLADE FROM SW SW AMP TO TO SUGAR BOWL
130 BELLE GLADE FROM SW AMP TO SUGAR BOWL
part of this stream was dredged out some five years later
to become a part of the Thirteen Mile Canal which Disston
had intended to continue on to Shark River. It now forms
part of the Miami canal. As this stream was typical of the
lake's dead rivers, including the Democrat, let's see what
it was like.
"The river at its mouth is about 100 yards wide, the
depth of water being about eight feet. To say that our
little party was overjoyed would but poorly express it. We
do not go one hundred yards before we hear exclamations
from the members of the party in praise of the beautiful
scenery which greets the eye on every side. There is no
perceptible current so far as we can discern. The water is
clear as crystal, the banks fringed with a dense tropical
growth of trees, presenting to the view a solid green wall,
impenetrable to the eye. This wall is formed by vines,
which have twined Burning around bodies after the trunks the hurricane. and branches of the
Burning bodies after the hurricane.
trees, and have interlaced and wound themselves around
roads ! Going toward West Palm Beach would be heading
each other until they form a screen which is almost suf­
dead into the center of the hurricane! If you drove north,
ficient to shut out the light of day. Looking behind us we
that
find meant
that we skirting
are followed the shore
by of
innumerable the much feared
alligators, lake and
who
bucking into the wind head on! There was no alternative
are swimming lazily along in our wake. From all sides we
but to stay at home.
see them plunging in the water, remain under for a few
seconds, Hog On hearing hunting rise after party, Greer's about we report have 1920. passed Left I returned to right and -join to Negro my the unfinished crowd porter, be­
two hind
Frank story us.
O'Connell,
We Pioneer do not Service Nelle
go
Greer
two Station with
miles
dog, building, before
Claire Greer
the where, river
in with rear,
begins
my
carpenter Loti Greer far right.
to get narrow, and my and young we find mechanic, ourselves I in had a little been stream batching. only
This would a few building's
probably yards in lower
be width, floor
Paul the Davidson. sunlight was well
But completely occupied by
good grief, shut my
on out service
particular the station branches and
this
by
night of living
her trees room,
husband vines, a barber
would which shop,
be at have a hand
home, interlocked laundry
would and and twined a bakery.
and he
be nobody around The
but each unpartitioned
John other Kirk, until the marshall a upper perfect floor
! After roof we is Mable form­
had
braced opened ... well
the After that
door going morning,
for half the a and
poor mile, so
guy, we effectively find John we would are that no the
begin longer walls
to in
were stomp a stream, never
and shout but warped winding an inch
and fire around from
off his in plumb.
six dark, shooter! sluggish If that water, fellow the
got roots Darkness away and from branches came there early, of without the and trees with getting forming it vicious half a drowned barrier gales which to in our a
ditch eventually further or two progress hauled he could ... around As say we that to return the he northwest. was examine lucky.
We more three closely
sat
in the silence vines as which surges grow of so wind luxuriantly, driven rain, and like find ocean that they waves, are
dashed a species Sometimes against of gourd, they'd windows. with elaborate innumerable Our on this electric stunt gourds light a hanging little. went Young from
out.
Jackson, The them, building perfectly from groaned Pahokee, round, and who about shuddered. had the already size With of been a billiard a initiated,
rending ball.
brought crash The vines the down run roof his all departed. friend over the Albert, trees, Presently, who and allowed on torrents the that ground seeping he'd form be
right through a mat pleasured two the or ceiling three for extinguished to feet visit deep." Mable. our When kerosene Albert lamp, rapped so fin- on
roads ! Going toward West Palm Beach would be heading
dead into the center of the hurricane! If you drove north,
that meant skirting the shore of the much feared lake and
bucking into the wind head on! There was no alternative
but to stay at home.
On hearing Greer's report I returned to my unfinished
two story Pioneer Service Station building, where, with my
carpenter and my young mechanic, I had been batching.
This building's lower floor was well occupied by my service
station and living room, a barber shop, a hand laundry
and a bakery. The unpartitioned upper floor we had
braced well that morning, and so effectively that the walls
were never warped an inch from plumb.
Darkness came early, and with it vicious gales which
eventually hauled around to the northwest. We three sat
in silence as surges of wind driven rain, like ocean waves,
dashed against the windows. Our electric light went out.
The building groaned and shuddered. With a rending
crash the roof departed. Presently, torrents seeping
through the ceiling extinguished our kerosene lamp, so fin-
FUN HURRICANE DEMOCRAT AND FROLICS OF RIVER '28 172 131 173 3029
BEL B
HURRICANE OF '28 131
the door and the shooting started, Jackson flopped down
When I first came to this lake these gourds still were
big and delic
on his face.
plentiful in the custard apple forest, although they then
dred firecrac
were
I decided to
"Git less going, luxuriant Albert." than he the cried. moon "I'm vine, hit a and kind I of think morning that
ing one in se
I'm glory, a-dying!" which completely blanketed the tops and the exposed
flanks of the custard apple woods, making a shadowy
er showed, I
dusk Albert at mid high-tailed day. it back to Pahokee where some few of seconds m
his friends, previously tipped off, were conveniently waiting.
After They cruising all drove the down south for shore to avenge for. nine their days friend. the party wampee In juic
and the sens
the arrived, ensuing near gun the battle, southernmost two more point Pahokee-ites on the lake, were at likewise
largest "killed", and longest and poor of all Albert these didn't rivers. dare This go they home christen­
for know a that's
numerable the t
week. ed T-D, or Times-Democrat River. After traversing this strangely eno
stream to its end, they laid a course south by the compass unbelievably
for
Another
Shark River,
game of
ninety
this rough
miles away
neck bunch
by air
was
line.
to
Although
initiate
and squeal i
a
water
newly
had
married
evidently
man
been
by tossing
five feet
him
over
off the
the
Main
land not
Street
the too jackdaws
bridge.
long before,
They
they
didn't
found
fail
that
to get
it now
me
was
either.
a scant
I had
five
gone
inches, sawgrass
to
roo
Tennessee
and under
to
that
get
was
my
fifteen
bride, but
feet,
I left
more
her
or
with
less, of
my
soft
parents
mud. bills toward
in Ft. Lauderdale till I could get our living quarters finished.
One So now night they "Big" are Pate compelled As the p
hurried to upstairs battle the to sharp-edged
inform me
also to have
that sawgrass, I had a which long distance they had call believed from to Ft. be Lauderdale. only ten miles Gosh, in
I extent, knew Drill but that barge which was on actually important, which the persisted author so rode down clear out I the to rushed hurricane. the headwaters to dash "All arou
across of Shark to the River. telephone At times in they were hotel. able It looked to burn as the if sawgrass,
blamed but usually settlement the way was must lined be up hacked in the with street! machetes. I was ing of a frog
stopped. The air was practically calm! We now were gator in
the by any sound
ally we ventured outside. To our amazement the rain had
whole
right For many good days at running, they were but compelled not so hot to at push dodging, and lift so Pate their would
the eye, the very center of the hurricane!
got boats me every cornered foot of and the the way, whole often mob making then escorted only a few me hundred
bridge yards where in a day. I had On to November high dive 17th, into a that week black, after cold leav­Hog As they huntingp
what
sion to we cann
the
Frank
deeper.
O'Co
water. ing the lake, a tall cypress at Democrat River was still
visible to the naked eye.
boats could
Homer Deloach had married a young widow who had
would half. On probab the
a couple Constantly of girls. they The were boys plagued ganged up by to innumerable give him the snakes, customary
though dunking, fortunately, but Homer nobody decided was bitten. to object. But Now, they Homer were particular about five nig fe
would some be five nobo ac
wasn't tortured very by tall, mosquitoes, but he had leeches remarkably and poisonous broad shoulders wampee
opened islands the were do
and plants powerful "which arms. produce Besides a terrible he had burning six fingers sensation. each Its
stomp and more and sho ple
hand, appearance which is gave similar him to good the gripping water lily, power. the leaf As being he landed from
got and away on Dece fro
his six swings to twelve and inches punches, across, all hands the root backed running away. to All a depth that
ditch then or were two in
is, of except six inches, for Loti and Greer, resembles who was a shallot much in bigger, appearance. and much We
mouth at th
of had a the man curiosity himself. to They taste wrestled it. We shall and do pounded so no more!" on each schooner Sometimes whi
other Yes, all I the know way blamed to the bridge. well they The didn't! bride and That her wampee half Jackson, civilization. from
grown was a daughter hellish plant, joined nobody in, beating would poor ever Loti taste with twice! shoe brought taken 27 down day
heels Indian and turnip sticks it's till called he was up plumb north. give It's tuber out. Nobody looks like else right in a Shark pleasure Riv
Drill barge on which the author rode out the hurricane.
ally we ventured outside. To our amazement the rain had
stopped. The air was practically calm! We now were in
the eye, the very center of the hurricane!
A neighbor came begging us to help search for a missing
child. Hardly had we started when the gale returned,
A neighbor came begging us to help search for a missing
child. Hardly had we started when the gale returned,
from southwest this time, stronger than before. A blast
funnelled between the hotel and the drug store sent me
from southwest this time, stronger than before. A blast
funnelled between the hotel and the drug store sent me
spinning. Mindful now of rising water, we proceeded to the
spinning. Mindful now of rising water, we proceeded to the
bridge, the highest ground in town. Lodged against the
bridge we saw the steel drill barge of Captain Hamp Holloway,
which had drifted down from Chosen. Voices hailed
bridge, the highest ground in town. Lodged against the
bridge we saw the steel drill barge of Captain Hamp Holloway,
which had drifted down from Chosen. Voices hailed
us. Huddled on top of the water tank and beneath the roof,
were my dredging friend Bill Hunt, with his bride Lois
us. Huddled on top of the water tank and beneath the roof,
were my dredging friend Bill Hunt, with his bride Lois
and a man named White. The breaking of the lake shore
and a man named White. The breaking of the lake shore
dike had already washed their house into the canal. Diving
dike had already washed their house into the canal. Diving
through the windows and clambering to the roof, they had
ridden their house to here, where it had broken up against
through the windows and clambering to the roof, they had
ridden their house to here, where it had broken up against
the bridge. Also on this perilous ride had been J. H. Elliott,
the bridge. Also on this perilous ride had been J. H. Elliott,