Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-11-03
Wtc11p1ootu aaarautrer.

ing keepers house. has been swept away, leaving
| not vestige to mark the spot where II stood
| All this place the keepers family and friends, "a
! persons persisted; and where Sand Key and us
! lighthouse stood, is now left only shoal All
The vessels in the harbor, ten or twelve briggs ana
| schooners, have been driven ashore and wrecked
| including the revenue cutter; their crews saved;
but AS lar as ascertained, about lhirly-fye lives
| have been los, on The Key.
Abou, hallhe piles OF the wharf remain ana a
part of the breakwaler Of the forts lying below Inc
level Of low water, al The angles. but IN ihis se-
neral wreck, and loss of all The property on hand
we are pnt back 10 the position where we were
nine months ago. A large quantity Of lumber
NAV be recovered, and some tools: pile-driver
and Two scows much injured. Al the present
| time, have turned my attention 10 the COLLECTION
| OF the public property that can be found, and to
The erection Of temporary carpenter shop and
| other fixtures for doing work, and shall proceed
as soon as possible, 10 re establish The wharf,
The loss 10 the Engineer Department cannot be
less than S5O,000 tina, is, il will require that 10
make US good again, or put Us in The same Stale
we were in before the hurricane, supposing mat
we commence dc aWro. No storm like ms mas
been known on The island since its settlement
The water in this case rose on the west side ofthe
i
II was wholly wind tide
| Perhaps The department may deem some change
in The mode Of construction necessary since TINS
event, On this point shall submit my views 10
The department as soon as possible, and more
full report of The disaster, giving now only this
brief outline, 10 avail Of special messenger about
10 depart Tor Charleston.
We have Just this moment heard from the Tor
tugas. Garden Key is safe, though The light
house IS much injured, and small vessels lying
| there dismasted
The United States brig Perry is wrecked 10 the
Eastward.
| have The honor 10 be, respectfully, your ODE
dent servant, GEO. DUIION,
Captain oi Engineers.
To Col. j. G. ToTrEN, Chief Engineer Wash
ngon, ID. c.
In addition 10 the above, we are favored with
the following letter from Commodore Sloal to The
Secretary Of the Navy:
New ORLEANS, Oct. %, 1916.
Sir-I have the nonor Ia inform the Depart
menl that arrived al Havana ON The evening o
the 7h instant from Chasres, in The English
mail steamer, and not finding any vessel 10 sal
for any Southern port Of The United States. EN-
barked on board the U. S. brig Perry, and SAILED
on Saturday, the 10Th directing Lieutenant Com
mandant Blake 10 land me al Charleston, or any
port South OF that, from which | could react
Washington without delay. During the nigh
il commenced blowing Il gale, and on Sunday j
increased TO a tremendous hurricane, such as ha:
never before been Witnessed in those seas. Du
ring the whole day and Sunday night the bri:
was driven beiuic II al The Iae Ot twelve or lhlr
teen miles per hour, and no one on board expect
ei her 10 live from one moment 10 another
About two o'clock on Monday morning, sht
| ~, 10 al fnrIp mi Iva
Of Key West kind Providence directing her L
4 parl of The rect where the tremendous high
seas carried her over, striking several times very
hard, and breaking the rudder from the stern post
The mass were Immediately cut away, 10 pre-
vent the vessel going 10 pieces, that The lives 0
those on board might have some chance OF belnt
saved She finally stopped in comparatively
smooth water Al daylight we found we wer,
within mile Of one OF The Baya Honda keys
and several wrecks near us On board oil ont
not half mile from rs, twenty lives were los
out Of twenty one. One was saved BY boa
from the Perry. On Tuesday Two small wreck
ers came alongside, and Lieutenant Blake EN-
ployed them to take on board the guns, shot anC
other heavy articles, TO tighten The brig in hope.
to Get her of, as she remains quite tight Or
Thursday left her in one OF those vessels to lane
the cargo al Key West, and the next day tool
passage in small schooner from New Yorl
bound to The Brazos 81. Jaso The captain agree
ing to land me al the Balize, where arrived yes
terday.
Everything will be saved from the brig and
think she will be got off and taken 10 Key West
and probably she may be col 10 Norfolk under
Jury mas's. The department may res. assured
tina, Lieutenant Blake will do everything that car
be done for the interest OF The United States. II
is impossible 10 speak in too high terms OF the
| NJ nj clndupt a Lie
Blake, his officers and men, on this most trying
occasion; and am most happy to state, that nc
lie has been lost, or any accident happened "a
any one on board Lieutenant Blake will send a
detailed report TO The department BY the first op
porunity. He had not time 10 send one by me
as did not determine 10 leave until five minutes
before the wrecker lclt The brig.
The destruction OF life and property by this
hpgJcaRs, is. iMmsnss. y. Fqsyi .ipY, yesSfflj;
| all the wrccking vessels are destroyed; ihc town
al Key West is entirely in ruins; not more than
five or six houses remain uninjured. or The
lighthouses al Key West aud Sand Key, not a
veslse remains; Sand Key is washed away, so
that the sea flows over it. Fifteen persons were
os at The lighthouse at Key West, and six al
that on Sand Key. Many other lives were lost
in The harbor and Town of Key West. The re-
venue cutler Morris is a wreck, lying in two feet
water; the custom-house is blown down, and the
marine hospital unrooied, and otherwise much
injured the preparations for building the forts are
entirely destroyed. The barracks escaped with
less damage than any other buildings but they
have been slightly damaged. Some stores
wagons, &c, for The army, have been wrecked
in The harbor; and, as near as can judge, the loss
of public property at Key West will not ial
.hoIt Of two hundred and fifty 10 three hundred
| thousand dollars
Most respectfully have the honor TO be your
obedient servant, &C.. JOHN d. SLOAT,
Commodore.
To the Hon. Jons Y Mason,
Secretary OF the Navy,
Washington, ID. G.