Newspaper Page Text
Page 2A
Saturday, July 9,1994 "Houston Tlmee-Journal
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Big Indian Creak turned Perry Into two cities on
Wednesday and Thursday, as flood waters cut off traffic
on Courtney Hodges Boulevard. Flood waters across
Red Cross shelters gives aid to stranded
By JIMMY SIMPSON
Staff Writer
Faced with broken roadways,
crippled bridges and hungry
children, tens of persons sought
refuge here Wednesday after they
were met with an unexpected
roadblock due to mass flooding.
Some 68 people flocked to a
temporary shelter provided by the
Middle Georgia chapter’s American
Red Cross at the peorgia National
Fairgrounds. Of those, 27 people
were forced to seek overnight stays.
“We had a lot of families come
in that were able to find motels, but
because of unexpected expenses,
didn’t have enough money to feed
their families,” said Red Cross
Executive Director Sam Register.
That crisis prompted officials
and volunteers to seek food from
local businesses and associations.
Kroger, McDonalds, Waffle House,
Colonial Baking Co., and the
Rehoboth Baptist Association
contributed many of those items.
By about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday,
food and beverages began to arrive
for those short of funds. While
some consumed hamburgers and
hotdogs, others paced the floor
frantically looking at maps for
routes that could possibly get them
to their destinations.
One of those persons was
Warner Robins resident Millie
Sovine. She was heading home
from a night shift at Lithonia
Lighting in Cochran when she was
forced to take an alternate route to
Perry.
“I’ve got an 18-month-old baby
at home,” she said, as she sipped on
a cup of coffee. “I’m planning on
getting home any way I can, even if
I have to get in a boat. But,
realistically, I know I’m stuck..."
Sovine did eventually get to her
destination, although she was forced
to leave her car behind.
As of late Thursday, Red Cross
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Weyerhaeuser donated to Red Cross
The Weyerhaeuser Company
Foundation today announced the
donation of $25,000 to the
American Red Cross for disaster
relief efforts in the Middle Georgia
area. The donation was made at the
request of Weyerhaeuser’s Flint
River Operations located in
Oglethorpe, Ga.
volunteers were still manning the
Fairgrounds building, described as
“an excellent” facility for disaster
relief.
“We’ve (the Middle Georgia
chapter of the ARC) got other
shelters set up,” Register said early
Thursday, “but this one (at the
Fairgrounds) is unlike any other
Citizens pitched in during
flood to help city clear road
By BRIGETTE LOUDERMILK
Editor
City workers have commended
two citizens for helping out during
the confusion and rain Tuesday
night.
According to Public Works
Superintendent Hugh Sharp, Todd
Bozeman and Clay Hughes called
Perry City Hall Tuesday night to
inform the staff a large pecan tree
had fallen across Highway 341 S at
Hill Road.
Although the tree was down on a
county road, Sharp knew the county
was busy at Houston Lake dam. He
went out and Bozeman and Hughes
worked with him in the driving rain
to remove the tree while people
waited in their cars to pass.
"I bet I talked to over a hundred
interstate travellers stranded. We re-
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Interstate 75 meant that Perry residents could not get
from South Perry to North Perry until late Thursday
afternoon, when the Courtney Hodges was re-opened.
Flint River Operations Interim
Site Manager, Sam Hamilton, said,
Cordele and Vienna, have all
suffered severe damage from the
flood. We hope this donation will
furnish assistance in critical areas
like food, water and temporary
shelter--to help area residents take
the First step toward recovery.”
because of the space. It’s excellent”
Register said that because of
additional locations having to be
manned in Oglethorpe, Vienna and
Hawkinsville, as well as a second
shelter at the Georgia National
Guard Armory here, the Middle
Georgia chapter is now very low on
routed as many as we could. Some
were frustrated but most were really
helpful. Everyone wanted to see
what was going on, but they moved
out of the way and pitched in when
help was needed. Also, the city
workers did an outstanding job,"
Sharp said.
Roads,
from 1A
it is logical to expect Abbeville
will the next area to be faced with
problems of flooding.
Patrol representatives report that
as water from the north flows
south, roads in the area will open
and close at different times of 'he
day. Before travelling anywhere, be
sure and check road conditions.
funds.
“I’m not ashamed to say that the
Red Cross needs money, lots of it,
and right now,” Register stated.
“It’s not until something like this
happens that people see how
valuable the service can be in
disastrous situations.”
Anyone wanting to contribute to
the fund can send their checks to
“Disaster Relief Fund”, in care of
the American Red Cross, 346
Corder Rd., Warner Robins GA,
31088. Any corporation wishing to
make a donation can call 923-6332.
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Perry
1208 Washington St.
912-987-0011
Perry was 'cut in half
when bridge flooded
By BRIGETTE LOUDERMILK
Editor
"The most detrimental damage in
the city was the flooding at
Courtney Hodges bridge," according
to Public Works Superintendent
Hugh Sharp said Friday, adding that
"we were very fortunate" in Perry.
According to Sharp, areas in town
that suffered damage and roads that
had to be closed included Valley
Drive Jbridge, Courtney Hodges
bridge, Park Avenue, James Street
and Houston Lake Road at Hart's
Nursery had to be closed for a few
hours Tuesday night.
With Courtney Hodges Boulevard
being a main artery in Perry, when
it was closed several people were
restricted to one side of town. The
road closed at 6:20 a.m. Wednesday
morning and was opened again just
after 1 p.m. Thursday.
"Normally, it wouldn't be that big
of a problem, because there are
roads outside of town people usu
ally would be able to take. But,
those roads were also closed and we
had people restricted to either the
north or south side of town," Sharp
said.
Sharp said the guard rails on the
Dr. A.G. Hendricks Memorial
Bridge on Courtney Hodges
Boulevard were 30 inches high and
that, at the highest point, water was
four to six inches over the guard
rails. He estimates that water rose
to three feet over the roadway.
Mayor James E. Worrall stayed at
the bridge most of the day
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Wednesday, since he was cut off
from Perry City Hail.
"I've never seen anything quite
like it--especially the snakes and
eels slithering out of the water and
being scooped up in nets," Worrall
said.
According to Sharp, damage
seems to be minimal at this point,
but "we just won't know until the
water goes down and we can inspect
all the sewer lines."
There are some concerns about a
sewer line at Big Indian Creek
which is suspended on stilts. Sharp
feels this line may be damaged and
will probably need some repairs.
He also said that sometime be
tween Thursday and Friday morning
there was a sewer line break or a
manhole lid washed off somewhere
in town. "We’re getting some red,
sandy water at the sewer plant, but
it won't affect service," Sharp
stated.
Park Avenue may need extensive
repairs. Sharp said the city would
possibly install another pipe in that
area.
City crews will re-sandbag the
North end of Bay Creek and some
repairs will be made on the bridge
on Valley Drive.
Although water rose as high as
six to eight inches on James Street,
"it held up real well," according to
Sharp. This road was currently un
der construction, and Sharp was
thankful that the work already put
into the street was not ruined.
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