Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Lang survives storm

Reports reached all of the way to Gurdon, from Gulf Port, and Biloxi, Mississippi about the destruction caused to more than a million homes and lives from Hurricane Katrina.

The vast hurricane has a handful of Gurdon families concerned about relatives who lived around the Mississippi, Louisiana and Florida areas most affected.

One such story was from Mary Benson, 48. She is concerned about her mother, Ruby M. Lang, 70, who also lived on Maple Street here, until three years ago.

Benson said her mother moved to Gulf Port, and her brother, Paul McNeil, 42, had an apartment behind the Lang house there.

"I am also worried about my step-dad, Frank McNeil, of Biloxi, Mississippi," Benson said.

"My last telephone contact with my mother was on Sunday, Aug. 28, about 11 a.m. She had first called at 9 a.m. and the hurricane had hit land at 6:10 a.m. that same day.

"The news told me that the water surge happened between 11 and 12 on Sunday. My mother's house was only six to eight blocks from the beech and the Atlantic Ocean."

Benson said the reason her mother had not left at the time of the surge was because the government warnings said New Orleans would be hit, rather than those in Zone C.

"She believed the news but the hurricane changed course and surged right next to her," Benson said.

"The results were 5 to 5.5 feet of water inside the homes around there, with authorities telling people to go upstairs with an ax and chop a hole in your roof so you could climb out and stand on that roof, waiting to be rescued."

Benson said her mother has asthma and is 5'4", with her future uncertain as to whether she could cut a hole in her roof or if Benson's brother was with her or not.

Benson said the news she was getting indicated teams of Red Cross and National Guard volunteers are picking live people off of the roofs, but they are also putting black marks on roofs where residents are already dead.

"If mom did survive, she will probably come and stay with me when she is allowed to travel," Benson said. "I could not go to school on Monday because of being so exhausted with worry."

Benson said a news web site; www.gulfcoastnews.com, has been set up to help keep relatives informed on the latest reports. However, she said someone has "hacked into it" and its less available than intended.

"Im just waiting to hear something," she said. "I called my brother's cell phone and at first it said all circuits were busy. Then the second time it said, due to the hurricane your call cannot be completed."

Upon pulling up the news web site mentioned, it said of Hurricane Katrina victims, "No power, no water, no sewer, no phone, limited cell phone range, coast wide curfew, no travel allowed."

The site also noted theft of property was getting common, as people became more and more desperate to survive.

Benson said, "I have 20 family members in the Gulfport and Biloxi area, counting aunts and uncles, and I am concerned about them all.

"However, my mother is most on my mind. In our last conversation, she told me she was a good Christian woman, she had a good life and for me not to worry.

"We were both crying on the word worry."

Benson said she has been averaging six to seven calls a day to her home from other concerned Gurdon residents. She said she has appreciated all of the calls.

As to other local families with loved ones in possible harm's way, Benson said she knew of Winnie Clark, who goes to her church, having someone in Biloxi.

"I wish I knew every one of the Gurdon people effected so we could stand together. I appreciate all of the prayers and concern for my family," Benson said.

Darrel Potratz, of the Fountain of Hope Food Bank in Gurdon, said Wednesday his organization was being approached to help feed some of the hurricane victims, through the Red Cross out of Arkadelphia, and had been asked to also provide food for victims who may be housed in Gurdon at the Hours of Joy, across from the grocery store on Highway 53.

"That brick building over there called the Hours of Joy is to be used as a shelter, if I am understanding right," Potratz said. "Of course, Fountain of Hope will do all we can to feed as many as need it in this crisis situation."

The Gurdon Times received a call from the people at the Hours of Joy, indicating Youth Minister Justin Casey of the Mt. Canaan Baptist Church on Fifth Street, had negotiated with the Salvation Army to get 24 hurricane victims housed in Gurdon.

The caller said the group is getting settled in and could use all of the help they can get. Fountain of Hope Food Bank and Faith Mission have been contacted to lead the effort.