2–21

lornajarrettblanchard September 11, 1954

–22 Cornell, James. The Great International Disaster Book (Third Edition). 1982, p. 127.
–21 AP. “Ike Labels Parts of Maine as Major Disaster Areas.” Bridgeport Telegram, CT, 9-14-1954, 7.
–21 U.S. Blanchard tally based on sources below.
–1 Connecticut (cause not noted)
–8 Maine (drownings)
–4 Massachusetts (verified one electrocution and one heart attack aiding evacuees).
–4 New Jersey (four reported without any detail, and can not confirm; not included).
–6 New York (road accidents)
–2 Rhode Island (have seen report of nine, but can confirm only two drownings).
–21 Burt and Stroud. Extreme Weather: A Guide & Record Book. 2004, p. 205.
–20 Davis, Walter R. “Hurricanes of 1954.” Monthly Weather Review, December 1954, 370.
–20 AP. “19 Left Dead in Wake of Hurricane Edna.” Newport Daily News, RI, 9-13-1954, p. 1.
–1 Connecticut
–8 Maine
–4 Massachusetts
–6 New York
–1 Nova Scotia, Canada

Connecticut (1)
–1 Newport Daily News, RI. “19 Left Dead in Wake of Hurricane Edna…” 9-11-1954, p. 1.

Maine (8)
–8 Drownings. AP. “19 Left Dead…Hurricane Edna.” Newport Daily News, RI, 9-13-1954, p1.
–1 Albion. Drowning; Wilbur Wentworth, 50.
–1 Clinton. Drowning; car swept into stream; Mrs. Rita LeBreton.
–1 Hampton. Drowning; Orrin W. Broker, 50.
–1 Jay. Drowning; car washed away on inundated road; Lawrence Craney, about 30.
–2 Pownal. Drownings; Pownal Brook floodwater swept car away; Mr. and Mrs. George E. Edwards.
–1 Winterport. Drowning; truck crashed through washed out bridge; William White, 25.

Massachusetts (4)
–4 Newport Daily News, RI. “19 Left Dead in Wake of Hurricane Edna…” 9-11-1954, p. 1.
–1 Chatham. Heart attack; “while aiding in evacuation of shore residents.” Rudolph Farrenkopf.
–1 Charlestown. Electrocution; touched by dangling power line; William H. Morrison, 45.
–1 Wellfleet. Heart attack “struggling to close garage doors during the storm.” William Westcott, 77.

New Jersey (4) (Cannot confirm; may have been mistaken reference for NY.)
–4 Highways. Norwich Sun, NY. “Storm Toll Rises to Five…” 9-11-1954, p. 1.

New York (6)
–6 Highways. Newport Daily News, RI. “19 Left Dead…Hurricane Edna…” 9-11-1954, p. 1.

Rhode Island (2-9)
–9 Drownings. Newport Daily News, RI. “19 Left Dead…Hurricane Edna…” 9-11-1954, p. 1.
–1 Unity, Sandy Stream. Asst. Fire Chief Alton McCormick, 47, in rescue attempt.
–1 Ruth Brokeway, 8, from flood-surrounded car, in attempt to rescue her.

Nova Scotia, Canada (1)
–1 Newport Daily News, RI. “19 Left Dead in Wake of Hurricane Edna…” 9-11-1954, p. 1.

Narrative Information

Davis: “Hurricane Edna came close on the heels of Carol, and all the North Atlantic area. Was eager to take precautions for the protection of life and property. Edna accounted for 20 casualties, mostly drownings, and over $42 million in damage, mainly from the Long Island area northward across New England….

“Edna, September 6-11. – Hurricane Edna formed in an easterly wave on the afternoon of September 6 near 22° N., 70° W., and increased to hurricane intensity during the night. During the 7th and 8th it swept the outer Bahama Islands as it moved on a broad curving path northward. The center passed very close to San Salvador Island, Bahamas, late on the 7th where winds were up to hurricane force in gusts, but no appreciable damage re¬sulted. High seas and gale winds were experienced on the outer fringe islands northward to Great Abaco. During the 9th and 10th, the storm moved northward very near the 76th meridian and gradually turned to the north- northeast closely paralleling Carol’s path 11 days earlier. It passed just east of Cape Hatteras early in the night of the 10th and winds of about. 75 m.p.h. were felt on the North Carolina Capes from Cape Lookout to Manteo. Thereafter, it moved rapidly northeastward and passed about over Cape Cod on the 11th, and thence moved into eastern Maine, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick that night. Where it caused great damage and some loss of life. There was no loss of life in North Carolina where damage was minor. Damage in New England was estimated at over $40 million and there were 20 casualties. Strongest winds were estimated by aircraft at about 115 to 120 m. p. h. The highest wind speed over land (95 m. p. h.) was measured at Brookhaven National Laboratory, Long Island.” (Davis 1954, 370, 372)

Newspapers

Sep 11: “Portland, Maine (AP) – Washed-out highways, railroad tracks and crops lay like a jagged wound today across territory raked by death-dealing hurricane Edna from Massachusetts to Nova Scotia.

“The death toll reached 20 – 13 in New England including 8 in Maine, where autos were trapped in road and bridge washouts by streams that went wild under a record eight inches rain.

“Maine Gov. Burton M. Cross after an air survey set loss there at more than seven million dollars – on top of 10 million wrought 12 days before by hurricane Carol. Cross asked President Eisenhower to declare Maine a major disaster area…..

“All of Maine’s dead were drowning victims. Four persons perished in Massachusetts, one in Connecticut, another in Nova Scotia. Six highway fatalities in New York State were attributed to the hurricane….

“At Augusta, the Kennebec River rose 20.5 feet from normal – five feet higher than its peak during last spring’s runoff.

“Two of Maine’s hurricane victims perished in a daring seven-hour effort to rescue a family of 10 from the top of an automobile engulfed by little Sandy Stream at Unity. Asst. Fire Chief Alton McCormick, 47, and Ruth Brokeway, 8, one of the passengers, were swept downstream when floating debris broke a human chain to shore…

“…the threat of floods continued today as rivers – swollen by rain which measured as much as eight inches –flowed dangerously closer over their banks.

“Stay-at-home orders made the streets of most New England communities resemble deserted villages when the blow struck….” (Newport Daily News, RI. “19 Left Dead in Wake of Hurricane Edna; Maine Hardest Hit, Calls on Ike for Help.” 9-11-1954, p. 1.)

Sep 11: “Boston, Sept. 11 – (AP) Hurricane Edna swept furiously up the north Atlantic coast today – grazing the populous northeast in a breath-taking near-miss before dealing a punishing blow to the western tip of Nova Scotia….

“The death toll stood at 11, most of them in highway accidents. Five New Englanders died, including a man who came in contact with a dangling electric wire….

“Maine was cut off from the rest of New England by road and rail. Floods and washouts cut tracks and highways in so many places that officials could not keep count….At least two persons drowned in Maine’s heaviest rainfall in 58 years and there were reports of several other possible deaths…”
(Bridgeport Sunday Post. “Furious Storm is Torn in Two; Rips Wide Area.” 9-12-1954, p. 1.)

Sources

Associated Press. “19 Left Dead in Wake of Hurricane Edna; Maine Hardest Hit, Calls on Ike for Help.” Newport Daily News, RI, 9-13-1954, p. 1. Accessed 4-22-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/newport-daily-news-sep-13-1954-p-1/

AP. “Ike Labels Parts of Maine as Major Disaster Areas.” Bridgeport Telegram, CT, 9-14-1954, 7. Accessed 4-22-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/bridgeport-telegram-sep-14-1954-p-67/

Biddeford Daily Journal, ME. “Hurricane Edna Leaves 8 Dead in State of Maine.” 9-13-1954, p. 1. Accessed 4-22-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/biddeford-daily-journal-sep-13-1954-p-1/

Bridgeport Sunday Post. “Furious Storm is Torn in Two; Rips Wide Area.” 9-12-1954, p. 1. Accessed 4-22-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/bridgeport-telegram-sep-12-1954-p-23/

Burt, Christopher C. and Mark Stroud. Extreme Weather: A Guide & Record Book. W. W. Norton & Co., 2004, 304 pages. Google preview accessed 1-1-2014 at: http://books.google.com/books?id=NuP7ATq9nWgC&printsec=frontcover#v=onepage&q&f=false

Cornell, James. The Great International Disaster Book (Third Edition). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1982.

Davis, Walter R. “Hurricanes of 1954.” Monthly Weather Review, December 1954, pp. 370-373. Accessed at: http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1954.pdf

Lowell Sunday Sun, MA. “Edna Was Lady Compared to Sister Carol.” 9-12-1954, p. 10. Accessed 4-22-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/lowell-sun-sep-12-1954-p-10/

Newport Daily News, RI. “19 Left Dead in Wake of Hurricane Edna; Maine Hardest Hit, Calls on Ike for Help.” 9-11-1954, p. 1. Accessed 4-22-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/newport-daily-news-sep-11-1954-p-1/

Norwich Sun, NY. “Storm Toll Rises to Five; Torrential Rains Hit Eastern Seaboard; Jersey RR Line Out.” 9-11-1954, p. 1. Accessed 4-22-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/norwich-sun-sep-11-1954-p-1/