700812
Title
700812
Text
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August 12, 1970
Dr. Simpson, Chief
Hurricane Bureau, Miami
Dear Dr. Simpson:
Am writing to point out a most inaccurate and really unscientific statement that you made to Maddry, the local reporter, when he called you a while back and talked to you. You told him (approx.) that I'd sent you a whole lot of material...but nothing helpful. Nothing...helpful? I could not believe my ears!
First...although I came down there personally and showed you my documented file...your letter to me, my answer to you, followed by the demonstration I promised you...a cane to Cape Kennedy...and you would not admit even this to Maddry. But...let's get to your statement about "nothing helpful" in my info to you.
The season before Hurricane Camille...I wrote you and warned you...that the SI's were going to produce the "granddaddy of them all...biggest and most powerful hurricane ever to hit the U.S." It didn't hit that season...it hit the following season. Camille WAS the granddaddy of them all. How was my information helpful? If you'd believed me, as you should have by now...you'd have warned the people of the possibility of this, and they'd have been prepared.
Also, in all that "unhelpful material" I carefully explained to you that all hurricanes then, and now, are SI canes...they are different than old, ordinary hurricanes. They are special, with special properties. Why was this information helpful? Because, if you'd have believed me...countless lives would have been saved and that's a fact. Before Camille struck, newspapers printed stories of people who were going to "ride out Camille...people announced they'd ride her out...because they'd been through hurricanes before." Before Celia just struck and people announced they'd ride her out...because they'd been through hurricanes before. Yes, sure, but NOT SI CANES. If they'd KNOWN these were special canes, with special properties, known about the SI's...and gotten the hell out of there! You, sir, have failed quite badly...in your duty...to the people of this country...to keep them informed, accurately and adequately.
Also, in all that "unhelpful material" I offered to give you the services of my SI mind...the only one of its kind in the world...to AVERT hurricanes as they approached. If you'd believed me...I could have turned Camille back, and the same with Celia.
You aren't a dumb man. I enjoyed talking with you. You are very intelligent. So that I KNOW and YOU KNOW that what I am saying is quite true. My documentation is quite powerful and good. And you damn well know that, too. But it isn't fair to the people whom you're supposed to be guarding with YOUR services...to let them keep on thinking the hurricanes that approach are ordinary hurricanes. You know that Celia was the only one of its kind ever; Camille was quite a fooler too, yes?
Think about it a while.
Ted Owens (PK Man)
Box 3134 CHS
Norfolk, Virginia 23514
August 12, 1970
Dr. Simpson, Chief
Hurricane Bureau, Miami
Dear Dr. Simpson:
Am writing to point out a most inaccurate and really unscientific statement that you made to Maddry, the local reporter, when he called you a while back and talked to you. You told him (approx.) that I'd sent you a whole lot of material...but nothing helpful. Nothing...helpful? I could not believe my ears!
First...although I came down there personally and showed you my documented file...your letter to me, my answer to you, followed by the demonstration I promised you...a cane to Cape Kennedy...and you would not admit even this to Maddry. But...let's get to your statement about "nothing helpful" in my info to you.
The season before Hurricane Camille...I wrote you and warned you...that the SI's were going to produce the "granddaddy of them all...biggest and most powerful hurricane ever to hit the U.S." It didn't hit that season...it hit the following season. Camille WAS the granddaddy of them all. How was my information helpful? If you'd believed me, as you should have by now...you'd have warned the people of the possibility of this, and they'd have been prepared.
Also, in all that "unhelpful material" I carefully explained to you that all hurricanes then, and now, are SI canes...they are different than old, ordinary hurricanes. They are special, with special properties. Why was this information helpful? Because, if you'd have believed me...countless lives would have been saved and that's a fact. Before Camille struck, newspapers printed stories of people who were going to "ride out Camille...people announced they'd ride her out...because they'd been through hurricanes before." Before Celia just struck and people announced they'd ride her out...because they'd been through hurricanes before. Yes, sure, but NOT SI CANES. If they'd KNOWN these were special canes, with special properties, known about the SI's...and gotten the hell out of there! You, sir, have failed quite badly...in your duty...to the people of this country...to keep them informed, accurately and adequately.
Also, in all that "unhelpful material" I offered to give you the services of my SI mind...the only one of its kind in the world...to AVERT hurricanes as they approached. If you'd believed me...I could have turned Camille back, and the same with Celia.
You aren't a dumb man. I enjoyed talking with you. You are very intelligent. So that I KNOW and YOU KNOW that what I am saying is quite true. My documentation is quite powerful and good. And you damn well know that, too. But it isn't fair to the people whom you're supposed to be guarding with YOUR services...to let them keep on thinking the hurricanes that approach are ordinary hurricanes. You know that Celia was the only one of its kind ever; Camille was quite a fooler too, yes?
Think about it a while.
Ted Owens (PK Man)
Box 3134 CHS
Norfolk, Virginia 23514
Collection
Citation
“700812,” Archive Home, accessed September 15, 2026, https://pkman.org/archive/items/show/34.