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Jewish Farmers Hit by Hurricane; Damage Exceeds $2,000,000

October 25, 1954
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Jewish organizations will have to come to the aid of Jewish chicken farmers in this area who were hit by the destructive vagaries of Hurricane Hazel ten days ago. The storm wiped out the flourishing Jewish agricultural industry of this community. Appeals for funds to tide them over the emergency have been addressed by the farmers to central Jewish bodies in New York.

Fifty chicken farms in this area owned by Jews, some of them refugees from Germany who went into farming here, have been completely destroyed and scores of others suffered varying damages. Total damages to the Jewish chicken farming community here are estimated at from two to three million dollars, some of which is covered by insurance, but a large part of which is not recoverable.

The hurricane destroyed buildings and installations and killed tens of thousands of chickens. The Federal Government has declared this a disaster area and the local farmers have set up an emergency body to help their stricken neighbors. The Jewish Agricultural Society has sent experts into the area to assist the hurricane victims salvage what they can, reduce damage and reestablish themselves.

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