50 Years Ago

Monday, Aug. 18, 1969

Rome area feels side effects of hurricane Camille in Gulf

The Rome area, though hundreds of miles away from the Gulf Coast of the southern United States where hurricane Camille is wreaking her destruction and death, has not remained untouched by the violent storm.

Fourteen Rome area men of the 342nd Army Postal Unit from the Rome Army Reserve headquarters, on active duty at Camp Shelby, Hattiesburg, Miss., are all safe and sound today after hurricane Camille passed through the camp Sunday night.

Staff members of the local Reserve headquarters this morning were in the process of telephoning the families of all the men to notify them that the reservists were safe. They said that the storm caused rough weather at Camp Shelby and that trees were uprooted there by the winds.

The reserve group in Mississippi is commanded by 1st Lt. Henry S. Holton and

1st Lt. Edward H. Rudert and it included men from Rome, Cedartown and other area cities.

They are scheduled to return home Aug. 24.

The Rome office of the Georgia Power Co. has sent two sevenman crews, a line truck and an aerial basket truck to the devastated area. The crews left Rome this morning and will remain as long as they are needed.

The Rome district office of Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph Co. has sent no crews yet although the company was on standby Sunday to send maintenance workers into neighboring states if they are called.

A power company spokesman said that the Rome, Athens and Atlanta areas of Georgia, which sent help to the stricken states, would still be amply covered if severe storms associated with Camille should strike.

Heavy thunderstorms and gusty winds are expected to be sent into the Rome area by the hurricane today and tonight. The forecast calls for cloudy skies and thundershowers today and tonight, with skies becoming partly cloudy by Tuesday.

Although the hurricane was spawned some tornadoes, no tornado watch has been issued for Rome.