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SIX
FRIDAY
NEW O R L E A N
Cemetery Corpses
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“When the coast is rebuilt—and it will be rebuilt—the I old coast won’t be recognizable because it will be great,” j the governor said.
The rebuilding task will be a “monumental job,” Williams said.
THE MAYOR of Gulfport shared Williams’ optimism but the mayor of Pass Christian wasn’t so sure.
Gulfport Mayor Philip Shaw remained optimistic about the city's long-range plans, saying:
“Every place in the world has its natural disasters. The Northwest has its forest fires, Southern California its mudslides, the Midwest its floods.
*	“BUT WE have to keep going. Otherwise, the human race would end. It is a constant struggle between man and nature and man must be successful.”
Mayor J. J. Wittman of evacuated Pass Christian said, “I’m a mayor of a city in name only.”
Although he hopes for a “rebirth” of his city, the mayor said “I don’t know if people will rebuild or not.”
Gov. Williams confirmed that a little state capitol has , been set up in Gulfport in an effort to coordinate the work of various relief agency directors.
HE SAID it is uncertain how long he personally will remain on the scene. Earlier, the governor said either he or Lt. Gov. Charles L. Snllivan would be on the coast throughout the emergency.
Local officials still have their respective responsibil- j ities, Williams said, but the state is trying to coordinate | their efforts.
■	He blamed initial confusion on sightseers, tourists and curiosity seekers and said the situation is now stabilized. “We are now beginning to make some headway in cleaning debris and locating bodies,” he said.
There is a continuing need for food donations, particularly non-perishable canned goods and baby food, he said.
IN ADDITION, HE read off a list of other items, such as toilet articles, cleaning supplies and medicine cabinet items.
The concern over a possible epidemic caused by a lack of adequate sewage facilities, particularly in the hard-hit Pass Christian area, has diminished. Williams said there j is no longer any need for mass innoculation of the population.
There is a need for tetanus shots, officials said, but drinking water is now reported safe.
Dead animals, including dogs, horses, cows, pigs, rats, possums and fish, prevalent all up and down the beachfront, have been covered with lime.
EVACUATION OF citizens has been on a voluntary basis, with those wishing to remain in their homes allowed to stay.
However, one group of 701 elderly citizens in a nursing i home at Pass Christian were removed to Meridian, Wil- j liams said it was a question of moving them or letting them 1 die there.
Housing for other displaced persons has been set up at Jackson and at Camp Shelby, near Hattiesburg.
Gov. Williams also revealed that entertainers Jack Benny and Bob Hope are planning benefit performances in New Orleans and Jackson to raise funds for storm victims.
THE OFFERS WERE relayed to Williams by Vice Pres-idet Spiro T. Agnew, who toured the disaster area Wednesday.
An organization called “We Care” is sponsoring the
Reported in Toll
Hope show, scheduled Sunday in Jackson, and contributions are being received by mayors of towns all over the area.
It was reported yesterday that several members of the New Orleans Saints will participate in this benefit.
Williams said there is no way to determine how much food and clothing was poured into the city by truck and autos. He said 250 military planes have brought in 3,750 tons of supplies, equipment and machines.
ANOTHER 600 PRIVATE aircraft have brought in 300 tons of medical and emergency supplies, he said.
One volunteer rescue unit from Willow Grove, Pa., came with 300 men and $100,000 worth of equipment.
George Hastings of the U.S. Office of Emergency Preparedness has been assigned to conduct a regional OEP office on the coast.
Elderly persons, pregnant women and mothers with small children from the Waveland-Bay St. Louis area are being sheltered at the University of Southern Mississippi. Williams said 600 to 700 persons were sent there yesterday.
SOME 25 U.S. CONGRESSMEN from the Senate and House Public Works Committee are scheduled to tour the area tomorrow.
Hurricane victims seeking information on filing insur- j ance claims will be aided by a team of attorneys assigned ! to the area by the Mississippi Bar Association under a legal air grant from the federal government, Williams said.
The state insurance commissioner, the governor added, also plans to take ^ whatever steps are necessary to help.
NAVY CAPT. JAMES M. Hill Jr., commanding the 800 Seabees engaged in the search and rescue operation in the area between Gulfport and Bay St. Louis, said he expects to complete it today.
Dr. Frank Wiygul, state health director, said the potentially hazardous health situation along the coast is under control with no signs of epidemic.
The Gulf Coast Mosquito Control Commission was to , begin aerial spraying of the area today for emergency fly and mosquito extermination.	j
THE SURVEY OF damage was far from complete but • the Red Cross said its preliminary count showed 4,717 i homes destroyed on the Coast and in Plaquemines Parish.
In addition, 9,718 homes suffered major damage, the survey showed.	!
Meanwhile, Mississippi and federal highway personnel j continued an extensive engineering study on portions of U.S. Highway 90 damaged by Camille.
The Mississippi Highway Department said yesterday the highway was restored for light two-way traffic but warned that military and highway patrol authorities were still controlling access to the coast area.
THE BAY ST. LOUIS bridge apparently suffered the most damage of the three major bridges along the Mississippi Coast.
James Brownlee, southern district engineer* said traffic 1 no larger than a panel truck was being allowed on the Bay St. Louis bridge after authorities determined some beams directly under the roadway slab were left unsupported by the high tides and waves. He said parts of the span were tilted at odd angles making passage hazardous.
Light traffic of an emergency nature will be allowed to cross the Biloxi-Ocean Springs bridge while the Pascagoula River bridge is safe for all traffic.
Department officials reported several sections of the highway itself were severely damaged with western Harri-son County suffering the greatest amount of destruction.