Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1846-11-10
From the ST. Louis Reyeillo.
Ferrible Gale in the Cnlf.

Iletsaue Gutter Morris-I'o.ol Des-
frsletion Of Key West-FJfy Lires
Iost--I Immense destruction Of Property.
The schooner Sorah Churchmaa, Capt
BayInore, from PhiIadelphia, ria Key
West, for Brazos Santiago, arrived at
The N. E. Pass of the Mississippi, on
Wcdne sday morning. the 2lst October,
and landed Com Sloat and son from the
Pacific, and Lieut. VIM. G.. Pease, of the
revenue service, bearer of dispatches to
Washington. To Lieut.. Pease the Plea
yune is indebted for the details of terri--
BILE gale in the gulf-of a fury unexam,
Pile, and from which we must. not expect
to hear all the deploratle effects in many
weeks.
The gaze at Key West commenced
blowing from N. Z. the morning of the
18th ult. By one O'Clock it blew per-
feet hurricane. The tide rose rapidly
and the storm ragged with incredible yio-
lence until near midnight, when it abated
On the 18th itblew moderate gale aud
gradually subsidized. Every dwelling
house, save five of six, at Key West was
destroyed or unroofed. The Custom
House was blown down, the marine Hos
pital unroofed, and it is supposed Govern
ment property destroyed to the amount Of
100000. Fifty wharves disappeared,
and the salt works are destroyed. The
U. S. barracks were injured, but suffered
less than any other buildings. Many
families were turned out houseless, but
the U. S. Quartermaster came promptly
to their assistance.
The loss of life is great. Many were
drowned, and many killed by failing bull
dings. Key west lighthouse and dwell
ling attached are entirely gone. the spot
where they stood is covered by white
sand beach. Fourteen Souls persisted in
these buildings.
Sand Key light house is totally
Disappeared with the buildings connected
with it. The occupants, too, have per-
ished.
The Light ship, in the N. w. passage.
dragged her mornings, and went to sea,
but she was recovered aud returned to
her position, the agent Of the underwri-
tiers was doing everything in his power to
save property. Very great danger is 10
be apprehended from the loss Of the light
house to vessels from Europe and the
north, bound to the Gulf. We must re-
fer to the list below for the injury done to
shipping, furnished to US by Lieut.. Pcase
The loss fcu!tcr Morris is described to
us in letter from al officer on board
We give the substance in another column.
The U. S. brig Perry was in the same
gale or tornado, driven with resistIess vo-
lence before the wind, but was finally run
ashore after all hope of saving her was
gone, and in all PROBABILITY be saved
Many vessels, doubtless, will get ashore
flom the fact Of Sand Key light-house be-
gone. Dead bodies are occasioally dug
out from under the ruins, and no one can
tell how many there are remaining. As
far as ascertained, fifty persons have lost
their lives, and it is singular that so few
are dead and injured, when we remem-
Der that the air was full of boards, timber
slate, &C., and buildings falling in every
direction. Stone could not withstand the
gale, and all seemed to be going to des.
truction. Many persons escaped in boats
and held On to trees, expecting every mo-
ment to be washed away. The scene
was awful in the extreme.
Lieutenant Pease writes to the DsIsa:
Twas on board the revenue cutter Nor
ris, about one mile from Key West, at
anchor, with 15) fathoms OF chain out,
yards down on deck, and every prepare
ton made for the storm. Our riding bits
were working, and it became necessary
to back them with deck tackles; the cur
rent was now moving by US stthe rate of
IL miles an hour; the Morris laying
broadsIde to it, as well as. the wind, made
her labor very heavy, and in danger of
parting our chains, when we were com.
PEELED to cut away the mainmast for the
safety OF our lives as we'll as the vessel.
When the mast went overthe side it hung
by the friaticl stay, and in danger OF falling
upon US every moment; man could not
get aioft, and we were anxious to hold
on to the foremost as tn, last resort in
case the schooner should founder at her
anchors. After few moments a man
made out to get aloft and cutthe stay,
when the mast fortunately fell clear of
US. ii ,5-s.s
. 1t was narrow escape. Thirty men
tossing to andfro on the deck ola small
vessel, with auast suspended above their
heads, as itwere, by thread, made the
situation anything but enviable. We now
sbattened down the matches, and all hands
passed through the ward room. The yes
sci continued to labor very heavily, and
the sea made complete breach over US.
1t was with difficulty we could keep her
free, with both pumps going, and bailing
from ward-room and birth deck. At4
P. II, +, the air was. full of water, and no
man could look windward for a second
HOUSES, lumber and vessels drifting BY
uS-some large sticks of timber Turned