Posted on 09/07/2005 8:54:48 PM PDT by jonatron
Using the unmistakable threat of force, police and soldiers went house to house Wednesday to try to coax the last 10,000 or so stubborn holdouts to leave storm-shattered New Orleans because of the risk of disease from the putrid, sewage-laden floodwaters.
"A large group of young armed men armed with M-16s just arrived at my door and told me that I have to leave," said Patrick McCarty, who owns several buildings and lives in one of them in the city's Lower Garden District. "While not saying they would arrest you, the inference is clear."
A frail-looking 86-year-old Anthony Charbonnet grumbled as he locked his front door and walked slowly backward down the steps of the house where he had lived since 1955.
"I haven't left my house in my life," he said as soldiers took him to a helicopter. "I don't want to leave."
Mayor C. Ray Nagin ordered law officers and the military late Tuesday to evacuate all holdouts — by force if necessary. He warned that the combination of fetid water, fires and natural gas leaks after Hurricane Katrina made it too dangerous to stay.
In fact, the first government tests confirmed Wednesday that the amount of sewage-related bacteria in the floodwaters is at least 10 times higher than acceptable safety levels. Dr. Julie Gerberding, chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warned stragglers not to even touch the water and pleaded: "If you haven't left the city yet, you must do so."
As of midday, there were no reports of anyone being removed by force. And it was not clear how the order would be carried out.
Active-military troops said they had no plans to use force. National Guard officers said they do not take orders from the mayor. And even the police said they were not ready to use force just yet. It appeared that the mere threat of force would be the first option.
"We have thousands of people who want to voluntarily evacuate at this time," Police Chief Eddie Compass said. "Once they are all out, then we'll concentrate our forces on mandatory evacuation."
Mindful of the bad publicity that could result from images of weary residents dragged out of their homes at gunpoint, Compass said that when his officers start using force, it will be the minimum amount necessary.
"If you are somebody who is 350 pounds, it will obviously take more force to move you than if you are 150 pounds," the chief said.
The stepped-up evacuation came as workers trying to get into the city to restart essential services came under sniper fire. More than 100 officers and seven armored personnel carriers captured a suspect in a housing project who had been firing on workers trying to restore cell phone towers, authorities said.
"These cell teams are getting fire on almost a daily basis, so we needed to get in here and clean this thing up," said Capt. Jeff Winn, commander of the police SWAT team. "We're putting a lot of people on the street right now and I think that we are bringing it under control. Eight days ago this was a mess. Every day is getting a little bit better."
The police chief boasted that 7,000 more military, police and other law officers on the streets had made New Orleans "probably the safest city in America right now."
Across miles of ravaged neighborhoods of clapboard houses, grand estates and housing projects, workers struggled to find and count corpses sniffed out by cadaver dogs in the 90-degree heat. The mayor has said New Orleans' death toll could reach 10,000. Already, a temporary warehouse morgue in rural St. Gabriel that had been prepared to take 1,000 bodies was being readied to handle 5,000.
Bob Johannessen, spokesman for the state Department of Health and Hospitals, said the Federal Emergency Management Agency has 25,000 body bags on hand in Louisiana.
Asked if authorities expected as many as 25,000 bodies, he said: "We don't know what to expect."
"It means we're prepared," Johannessen said.
The enormity of the disaster came ever-clearer in neighboring St. Bernard Parish, which was hit by a levee break that brought a wall of water up to 20 feet high. State Rep. Nita Hutter said 30 people died at a flooded nursing home in Chalmette when the staff left the elderly residents behind in their beds. And Rep. Charlie Melancon said more than 100 people died at a dockside warehouse while they waited for rescuers to ferry them to safety.
The floodwaters continued to recede, though slowly, with only 23 of the city's normal contingent of 148 pumps in operation, along with three portable pumps. The water in St. Bernard Parish had fallen 5 feet.
John Hall, a spokesman for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, said it was not clear how long it would be before all the pumps were running.
"There's a long way to go. We need to get a lot more capacity on line to make a real difference," he said.
Because of the standing water, doctors were being urged to watch for diarrheal illnesses caused by such things as E. coli bacteria, certain viruses, and a type of cholera-like bacteria common along the warm Gulf Coast.
Given the extent of the misery, Louisiana's two U.S. senators — Democrat Mary Landrieu and Republican David Vitter — wrote a letter to Senate leaders Wednesday urging them to put aside partisan bickering in assigning blame over the federal response and focus on providing for victims.
"Please do not make the citizens of Louisiana a victim once again by allowing our immediate needs to be delayed by partisanship," they wrote.
Patricia Kelly was driven out of her home by flooding in the low-lying Ninth Ward and took up residence under a tattered, dirty green-and-white-striped patio umbrella in front of an abandoned barber shop. Despite the warnings, she refused to leave.
"We're surviving every day, trying to tolerate the situation by the grace of God. He's keeping us holding on just one day at a time," she said. "I'm going to stay as long as the Lord says so. If they come with a court order, then we'll leave."
Sgt. Joseph Boarman of the Army's 82nd Airborne Division, whose soldiers helped coax people from their homes, said he could almost understand the reluctance to leave: "It's their home. You know how hard it is to leave home, no matter what condition it's in."
In the high and dry French Quarter, 48-year-old Jack Jones said he would resist if authorities tried to force him out of the home where he has lived since the 1970s.
While the streets were strewn with garbage, rotting food and downed power lines, Jones kept his block pristine, sweeping daily, spraying for mosquitoes and even pouring bleach down drains to kill germs.
Jones said the sick, the elderly and people who lack supplies should be evacuated — but not folks like him. He has 15 cases of drinking water, a generator, canned ravioli, wine, coffee and three cartons of Marlboros.
"I've got everything I need," he said. "I just want to be left alone."
___
Associated Press writers Cain Burdeau, Jerry Bodlander and Lauran Neergaard contributed to this report.
Sounds like a freeper.
"canned ravioli"
Chef Boyardi mini ravioli? He's sitting pretty, I love that stuff.
The authorities can't remove you if you not breaking law.
what about during a state of emergency? its a no win. if the people stay and die, the families of the deceased will sue the government. if they force them to leave and something happens, they get sued then also.
What happens if the city is torn down. Do property owners still own their land?
Rumour has it that members of the NOPD occasionally make forays beyond the boundries of legality.
That's a good one.
It is unlikely that the snipers are 86 year old men.
Whoever's doing that is likely hiding out somewhere, doesn't want to be found and probably won't be.
One can be forced to leave a public place but the government CANNOT force you to leave your home if you are not breaking the law. I say........"LET 'EM STAY".
Sorry, I don't know the answer to that one.
They are saying the water is 10 times as bad as it should be......but, what if that level recedes in the next 10 days.....? And, what if someone is able to stay out of the water, NOT drink or use the water, etc? In other words, they provided for themselves....made plans, etc...and will take the consequences......could they make them sign something to the effect that they, nor anyone in their family could sue ANYONE if they get sick, or worse, die? Just wondering....
again to forcibly remove you a court action has to take place, whether a criminal action with a trial, or eminent domain action.
BOR and John gibson have been arguing with da judge this evening.
Da judge can be an idiot but he does know the law.
Who knows they may have a will saying no extra ordinary methods, or could be someone like our friend with three cartons of marlboro's.
"Republic. I like the sound of the word -- means people can live free, talk free, go or come, buy or sell, be drunk or sober, however they choose.
Some words give you a feeling. Republic is one of those words that makes me tight in the throat--the same tightness a man gets when his baby takes his first step or his first baby shaves or makes his first sound like a man.
Some words can give you a feeling that make your heart warm.
Republic is one of those words." --John Wayne, in "The Alamo"
Change Marlboros to Partagas, and you got Clemenza.
THis is what I have experienced.
The City's appropriate department must make inspections of the structures. And if the structure is unlivable, then the City can "condemn" the property -- and the inhabitants MUST move out or they will be fined.
And it is the responsibility of the property owner to repair the structure and return it to it's livable condition.
This happened in Texas City TX, following the Texas City Disaster in 1947. Our home was "condemned" and our family had to move to Houston and move in with a relative, until our house could be repaired. As I recall, my parents had insurance which paid for the repairs. A lot of citizens didn't repair their homes, and the titles of the homes either went back to the people holding the mortgage, or the empty homes/buildings were confiscated by the City, sold at auction, etc.
In 1959, Hurricane Carla pushed 2 feet of water into our house, but the City didn't condemn it. Every house in the City was flooded. We actually walked around on pieces of plywood for months -- waiting for floor-men to fix our hardwood floors. Many people poured concrete instead of replacing the wood. Many homes were not repaired. They were eventually sold off.
i seem to recall W declaring a state of emergency for Miss, LA, and Ala
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