FEDERAL SECURITY AGENCY, Hon. EARL C. MICHENER, Chairman, Committee on the Judiciary, House of Representatives, Washington 25, D. C. DEAR MR. CHAIRMAN: This letter is in response to your request of February 14, 1948, for a report on H. R. 5381, a bill for the relief of George M. Beesley, Edward D. Sexton, and Herman J. Williams. The bill would provide monetary compensation to George M. Beesley, the sum of $238.30; to Edward D. Sexton, the sum of $494.70; and to Herman J. Williams, the sum of $504.53 for the loss of clothing and other personal property incurred during a hurricane on September 19, 1947, which, to a large extent, destroyed the buildings of the United States quarantine station on Ship Island, Gulfport, Miss. The claimants are civil-service employees of the United States Public Health Service. Their post of duty was on Ship Island, where they were quartered in buildings that were damaged by the hurricane. However, there is no provision in any Public Health Service appropriation or other law authorizing reimbursement to employees for personal property lost under such circumstances. An official review of the losses claimed by these three employees indicates that the amounts of relief provided in the bill are reasonable and equitable. We would recommend, therefore, that the bill be enacted by the Congress. The Bureau of the Budget advises that there is no objection to the submission of this report to your committee. Sincerely yours, OSCAR R. EWING, Administrator. FEDERAL SECURITY AGENCY, UNITED STATES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEAR SIRS: The following articles was lost in the hurricane of September 19, 1947, at Ship Island Quarantine Station, Gulfport, Miss., due to not receiving information as to where this storm was going to hit, we did not have time to get away before it was too late to go, the wind was too strong here for us to get away, so we had to stay on the station, the water washed out the back of my quarters carrying out lots of the following articles. Those we were able to save were of no account as they were spoiled by the sand and water. Following below is the list of articles lost. 1 electric iron (close). 3 pairs shoes (ladies'), at $8. 2 hats (ladies'), at $5.. 4 dresses (ladies'), at $10.95_. 1 suit (ladies') 1 coat (ladies').. Cost $6.00 15.00 10.00 5.00 35.50 238. 30 This is a true and accurate account of articles lost and destroyed by the hurricane as near as I can state. These articles will cost more today but will leave this up to the committee or as to what I may recover. Thanking you in advance I remain. AFFIDAVIT RE SEXTON, EDWARD D., 1850 DELTA STREET, BROOKLEY HEIGHTS MOBILE 18, ALA. I, Edward D. Sexton, hereby certify that the following is a true and correct list of the losses I had in the hurricane in September 1947: Subscribed to and sworn before me a notary public this 19th day of February 1947 at Mobile, Ala. (SEAL] JOHN D. MOSLANDER, Notary Public. FEDERAL SECURITY AGENCY UNITED STATES PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE UNITED STATES QUARANTINE SERVICE STATION, GULFPORT, MISS. GENTLEMEN: The following articles were lost in the hurricane of September 19, 1947, at the United States Quarantine station, Ship Island, Gulfport, Miss. We did not receive any information as to this storm hitting here so was unable to get away from the station, so had to stay here on the station; all the articles listed below were a complete loss. The life preservers were my personal property and were used here on the station when we had people come out on the boat. The seas broke in the entire back of my quarters and washed out all the articles listed below. This is a true and accurate account of articles lost and destroyed by the hurricane as near as I can state, these articles will cost much more today, but will leave this up to the committee as to what I may recover. Thanking you in advance I remain, Respectfully yours, Witness March 20, 1948: [SEAL] My commission expires August 21, 1950. O HERMAN J. WILLIAMS, General Mechanics Helper. HAROLD S. NUTTO, Notary Public. |