1938 Hurricane - A Memory

Many newscasters are comparing Storm Sandy with a hurricane few alive today remember: 1938's Hurricane named "Long-Island Express". I wanted to share this story passed down through my family from that storm.

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My grandmother's neighbor once lived on the southern shore of Long Island's south fork. Unlike many of the summer cottages, he lived there year-round, two blocks from the shoreline.

One beautiful September day, he drove the two miles into town to pick up his mail at the local post office. He was thrilled to see the brown-paper wrapped package there from Sears, Robuck and Company. At long last his order from the Sear's Catalog had arrived.

He drove home and immediately opened the package, removing the well-packaged barometer.

His heart sank immediately.

While outside it was a clear, sunny day, the barometer clearly read "Major Storm."

With a sigh, he carefully packaged the item back in the box with a note to the Sear's Catalog explaining his return. 

Not wanting to wait, he drove the two miles back to town to ship the broken barometer.

When he arrived home...

... his house was gone -- literally gone. Only the foundation remained.

The storm had moved in with such uncanny speed and without warning.

Had it not been for that "broken" barometer, he would have been out in the Atlantic with his house.

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~ ESA  
Images Credit for Hurricane: New York Daily News ~ http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/great-hurricane-1938-article-1.1194501 
and Ruby Lane for Sear's Catalog ~ http://www.rubylane.com/item/715248-481/Sears-Roebuck-Co-1938-39