Holding down the fort

Maurice Tipton and his son, Maurice Jr., battled Hurricane Beulah together to protect their family investment.

Tipton Sr. weathered the storm at his Central Boulevard home. When he thought the worst was over, he decided to check on his Ford dealership Tipton Motors, his son Maurice Jr. said.

“We had Tipton Motors downtown opposite to the Pan American Bank on 10th and St. Charles (streets). It was surrounded with plate glass windows,” he said.

Tipton Jr. said his father drove over downed power lines and around trees to get to his dealership. When he reached his business, it was untouched by the storm.

“He got there, looked and about the time that the second side of the storm came through he went into the parts department and stood near part bins,” he said.

Tipton Sr. stayed inside the dealership for an hour or two while another band of the hurricane blew through, his son recalled.

By the time the second phase of the storm struck, all 11 plate glass windows were blown out, Tipton Jr. said.

“Then he got in the car drove to my house and said, ‘son, go down and guard the placeÂ…someone has got to watch the place or you’ll be robbed blind,” he said.

Tipton Jr. said goodbye to his wife and three children, took his shotgun and held vigil at the family business.

“We never felt so naked in all our lives sitting in our dealership,” Tipton Jr. said.

After guarding the business for some time, Tipton Jr. paid a neighbor of the dealership to watch out for looters.

“Mr. Davidson came by and said ‘What are you doing?’ and I asked him if he had anything to do and he said no, so I gave him my shotgun and some shells and some money,” he said.

Tipton said the National Guard came to Brownsville to patrol the streets and assess the damages.

The aluminum door from the service department fell on three new cars, which was the principal damage from the storm.

“We didn’t have any cars in the showroom,” he said.

Tipton Jr. said Beulah’s damage totaled between $40,000 and 50,000. By today’s estimate, the damages would have been between $240,000 and $300,000, when adjusted for inflation.