Alphabet File page 283
The factory is gone and not one pier is standing. The water was up in the Whitfields in the back of Gradys. A part of the bridge is in my backyard and the trash on my front steps in up to the door. We had to cut our way out this morning.
The sick and wounded are in the High School, Hospital and Mrs. Singreen has turned her house into a hospital.
In those places there are about 200 - about 100 or 150 are reported missing. Late this afternoon they took a woman and her little 2 year old boy out of a tree.
The Waveland depot was hurt by the water and you know how far that is from the water. Cars everywhere wrecked.
500 National Guard are here guarding and helping out. No milk and no bread - But I understand we will be able to get some milk by plane tomorrow. The street in front of the college in fair condition but it is gone in front of the Catholic Church.
Martins Bar is completely gone so is Terrells office.
Tess, I've never seen the water rise so quickly - It was like the Bay was lifted up all at once. I was looking out your window and I saw it coming. I told Tempie to pray.
I thought we were gone. It was like a tidal wave.
Everything in the house is wet, but in Gradys house it is soaked. Grady telephoned me at 6 a. m. and told me he thought he was gone. I didn't know if he was alive until 4 yesterday afternoon. Tess, you can't possibly picture the destruction. Bay St. Louis or this coast is ruined. I understand that the Pass is about as bad off. Not anywhere is there a square yard that isn't damaged in some way. I wish I could describe it. I can't it is so terrible, and the experience is one I will never forget.
Everyone seems to be in a daze. I am dirty, no clean or even dry clothes. I am hungry but I am alive, and so is the rest of the family for which I am so, so thankful.
Tempie was a little trooper she stood it better than I did. I just couldn't see how we could pull through when I saw that water coming in on us and I couldn't do a thing.
One of the guards just came by to see if I was o.k.. I am glad he is out there. I feel a little better - Tempie is asleep she is exhausted poor little thing.
The street in front of my house to Renshaws is in pretty good shape - Gilmores service station got a terrible beating. All the plate glass is broken so is the new Ford place. I have never seen as many trees down. Trees every where twisted. This was really a hurricane.
My backyard is like the bottom of the Bay, soft and mushy.
Sunday Morning - Just heard that 11 more bodies were brought in to the funeral parlor.
It looks like the Marine Base is about gone.
No word from Norma yet. The Red Cross are giving us pills and I hear that 2 doctors and 12 nurses have come in to help us.
8 babies have been born, 3 dead, in the hospital since yesterday.
Will write again soon. Love, Mary (VF Perkins)
Perkins, Mrs. Grady, Photo with Friends of the Library, (SCE 5/28/1978).
Perkins, H. Grady. Commissioner of Public Utilities and Secretary of BSL in 1942. Photo. (SCEJUB42p27)
Perkins, H. Grady, 628 N. Beach Blvd., (Ph 48 thru 50) - 125 Court (Ph 55)
"Perkins Home" remodeled. Formerly known as Dr. L. H. Von Gohrens "Point Comfort". (SCE 1908 #48).
Perkins, Mary 644 N. Beach (Ph 48 thru 50) Phillip (Ph 55)
The following is from an article in the SCE about Miss Perkins. "We went down to the depot to meet the freight train that brought the shiny new Cadillac that Papa (R. R. Perkins) had ordered. It came in a box car. There were very few cars in Bay St. Louis in those days and that 1912 black Cadilliac's arrival was something of a news event. My father, R. R. Perkins, sat under the wheel with Mama beside him and the five of us children scrambled in to ride home. (Photo in SCE 5/28/1978).
Our house was a large two storied home on North Beach and it overlooked the Bay of St. Louis. (It stood where the bridge touches shore on the west side of the bay - CHG). It had a big attic where we played in winter and on rainy days and there was a balcony.
Our home had two screened-in porches as well as open porches across the extent of the first and second floors. One screened porch was over the driveway and the other an extension from the right end of the open lower porch.
Although Papa was born in South Carolina and lived a number of years in Broxton, Georgia, he really put down roots in Mississippi.
I remember Papa's schooner, the Mollie Lee, her deck was wide and she was seaworthy. We had some happy outings on the Mollie Lee and the Power Drug Company sold post cards with the picture of the schooner on them. There was another post card on the rack that was popular. It showed Papa's Naval Store, a long building with a narrow porch across the entire front which served as a community gathering place.
I remember Papa's friends and business associates. There were George Rea, C. A. Breath, W. A. McDonald, A. L. Stokoe, Dr. E. W. Manar, Dr. J. A. Evans, W. H. Bouslog, J. S. Green, Nat Owen, L. M. Gex, J. O. Mauffray, Chas. Moreau, John Osoinach, and many others." (SCE 5/28, 1978)
Perkins, R. R. Was a mgr. of Bay Naval Stores Co. (SCE 9/5/03)
Perkins, R. R. photo "Out Riding" on July 4, 1913 R. R. Perkins the Dominant Factor in the Naval Stores
Industry of Hancock County. Mr. Perkins is the President of the Imperial Naval Stores Company, and he is also President of the Hancock Naval Stores Company. Through the progressive methods pursued by Mr. Perkins and his Associates, Hancock County has made tremendous strides as a Producer of Spirits of Turpentine and Rosin. Imperial
Naval Stores Company, Ltd. This is one of the largest industrial enterprises in the State of Mississippi. It is capitalized at half a million dollars, and has headquarters at Bay St. Louis, Miss. The company manufactures spirits turpentine and rosin, and the operations of this corporation are confined practically to
Hancock County. The Imperial Naval Stores Company has branches in various sections of the County. The following companies are owned and controlled by it: The Center
Turpentine Co., of Caesar, Miss; the J. L. Long Co., Vidalia, Miss.; Perkins Turpentine Co., Sellars, Miss.;
Fenton Turpentine Co., of Fenton, Miss; Standard
Turpentine Co., of Standard , Miss., and the Catahoula
Turpentine Co., of Catahoula, Miss. This season the Imperial Naval Stores Co., are working 169 crops, consisting of 10,000 boxes to each crop. The products will total in value over $500,000. R. R. Perkins is the President and General Manager, and C. H. Robinson, Jr. is the Secretary-Treasurer. (HCSB)(SCE 5/28/1978).
HANCOCK NAVAL STORES COMPANY, LTD, is another big factor in the turpentine and rosin industry of Hancock
County. This concern is working 70 crops this season of 10,000 boxes each. The valuation of the output will be in the neighborhood of $250,000. This concern is domiciled at Dillville, Miss., and has branches in the Hancock
Turpentine Co., of Logtown, Miss., and the Bayou LaCroix
Turpentine Co. of Dillville, Miss. The capital stock of this corporation is $400,000, R.R. Perkins is the President and General Manager of this concern, and J.R.
Grimshaw is the Secretary-Treasurer. All of the products of these two concerns go for export and are shipped through the ports of New Orleans, Gulfport and Mobile. In addition to being a commanding factor in the Naval Store industry of Hancock County, Mr. Perkins, is a very large stockholder and a director of the Harrison Naval Stores