Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1846-11-05
TERRIFIC GALE INTHE GULF.

NUE. GUTTER moRRtS-l o1hL OBSTRUCTION OF
Key WEsr-FrFrY LIVES LosT--IMmKNsE Dss.
TRUoTIoN OF PRoPERrY.
The schooner Sarah Churchmsn, Capt Raw.
more, from Philadelphia, via Key West, for ]razo,
Santiago, arrived at the N. f. Pass on Wednesday
morning, the 2lst and landed Com. Sloal and son
from the Pacific, and Lieut.. VIM. G. Pease, of the
Revenue Service. bearer Of dispatches TO Wash.
inpion. They came up 10 town last evening IN
the towboat Jefferson. To Lieut.. Pease we are
indebted for the details of terrible gale in The
Gulf-of fury unexampled and from which wa
must not expect TO hear all the deplorabe effects in
many weeks We will begin with the gale as il
was felt at Key West.
The gale commenced blowing from ~ Z. the
morning Of the Ilth inst BY O'Clock it blews
perfect hurricane. The tide rose rapidly and The
storm ragged with incredible violence until ne,,
midnight, when il abaied On the 18th !, blow
moderate gale, and gradually subsidized Eyerv
dwelling house save five or six, at Key West was
DESTROYED or unroofed The custom.house wa,
blown the marine hospital unroofed, and il is sun
posed Government property destroyed 10 the a.
mount Of $500 900. Fifty wharges disappeared
and the Salt works arc destroyed The U. s
Barrocks were injured, but suffered less than any
other buildings Many families were turned out
houseless, bulthe U. s. Quarermas,er came prompt.
ly to their assistance.
and many killed by falling buildings Key West
lighthouse and dwelling attached are entirely gone.
The spot where they stood is covered by white
sand-beach Fourteen souls persisted in these build
ings
Sand Key lighthouse is gone--totally disappear.
ed. with the buildings connected with it, The oc.
cupan;s too have persisted
: The Light ship in the N. w. passage dragged
her moorings and went 10 sea, but she was recore.
ed and returned to her position. The agent Of The
underwriters was doing everything in his power 10
save property. Very great danger is to be appre.
hended from the loss of the lighthouses, to vessels
from Europe and the North, bound TO the Gulf
We must refer the list below for the injury done
, to shipding. furnished to US by Lieut.. Pease
The U. s. brig Perry was in the same gale or
tornado driven with resis,ess violence before the
wind but was finally ashore after all hope Of
u saving her gone, and in all probability will be
saved
d All the lives on Indian Key and Key VEGAS arc
saved and il is hoped all the crews Of the wrecking
:, vessels.
The Captain of the cutter Morris saved the pro-
duce, the cargo Of one schooner and distributed it,
through the Methodist minister to those in need Of
y the necessaries Of life.
Tho following letter from Leut Pesse, Of the Cutie,
u Morris, describing this fearful and destructive hurricane
I; we find published in the New Orleans Bulletin.
arrived last evening on my way TO Washington having
landed a, the South West Pass yesterday morning. in The
u schooner Sarah Churehman, from Key West
% was board the cutter Morris ahou, mia
from Key Wes anchor with hundred and fy faith.
Of chain, with yards down deck and every prpa
ration made for the Our riding bits working
and became necessary TO back them with deck tackles
The current running BY the rate Of twelve miles
hour the vessel laying broadsde TO well e
wind made her labor very heavy and being danger Of
parting our chains, compelled TO cut away our
msinma for the safety Of our hives well as the vessel
rs When the mast went the side hung BY the ah
ar stay and in danger Of falling upon every moment
a could not get so, and anxious to bold on
" 10 the oremas the last the schooner shad
founder at her anchors Afer few moments man made
Of To get aOt and cut the stay when the mast fortunately
n, fe clear OF us-n escape Thirty men toss
~ ing TO and fro on the deck Of a small vessel with
III their heads, by thread, made
ne our situation any thing but envable We now baene
down the matches and all hands passed through the wand
!, room.
The vessel continued to labor very heavy, and the
re made a complete breach II with difficulty
could keep her free with both pumps going and ealng
from ward.rOom and berthdecks. At 7. NJ the air va
full Of and could look TO windward for se'
oBd houses lumber and vessels drifting by Us some
IN large sticks timber turned end end BY the
force OF the current and the running high that
as broke brought lumber, casks, e &C. On
m board and carried them decks Al II The
up lower half ports, board and gaming
e, upon u.s. when s,arboard chain parted and we con-
menced dragging, knew not which way as our comP
&c few round in such manner that they became useless
Now fears that should 60 out the reel IN
10 the Gulf and that before got into the Gulf the Ve
ne sci strike and bige But fear would not her,
IN At this time cut away foremost, when struck
knocking the schooner on her beam ends carrying
bulwaks lAtboard post quarter houses sEnl
boom, and everything movable, of decks; and to rgh
Il the vessel hove the lee guns overheard and knocked
OF out the ports all hands expecting momenary 10 Tx
bottom We in this suspense for hour, when vs
aud We made preparations 10 scue the vessel The bur
rcane gradually subsidized although at ~ midnight wen
: striking heavy, and blowing gale from S E.
Ga the morning Of the 18th, the thing bu
agreeable. We had drilled about three miles, and half
that distance shoal, with only two feet Of water
at ordinary times. This the depth Of water afoun
IN the Morris when let her Around her lie wrecks oil d
descriptions; ship her beam ends three brig do
= mas,ed also three schooners three vessels sunk in
10 small channel and four vessels bottom up How mani
persons attached these vessels have been drowned
"A unable say We have picked up only two, and d
i; them, young man. knew intimately The light ship a
the North Wes Pass had gone from sunk her moor
10 ings The lighthouse at Key West and Sand Key we
washed away, and Key West is in ruins.
white sand beach the spot where Key West
81 light house Stood and the roll the spot Wbs'
'' Sand Key Fourteen persons either killed Of
drowned at Key Mes, Ugh, house and soul escaped
TO tell The tale. The only vesge Of the lighthouse TO Be
seen portion of the Iron posts Of the lantern and
pieces OF soaPsione which washed hundred yafd'
from The spot where they el AZ Sand Key sI Per.on'
were killed drowned most likely the formeras the g.a'
eral impression IT, they Few the light house or
refuge the Key being very low. Poor old Captain ApPe
cane would sweep all to deetrueon and, alas his pre-
~ dction 10 verified
e, At Key West the tide was FIVE feet high and running
III SIX miles an hour through the centre OF the town M
czens lied 10 the back part Of the town, which iasi
higher than the rest into the bushes, laid down and hea
on, expecting every moment the would reach them
Parents separated iron their children, husbands iron
Their wives, and all confusion, terror, and dma
The island tembed to its very few hours n'ie
and white sand beach would have covered the now oe
late remains OF Key West The occupants Of the MaIns
Hospital were expecting every mnnent 10 60 into
g u Is large stone building und being surrounded WIZ
ieet water running by six miles hour cutting the ss
as out from tho foundation the situation awful lnv
eel Of the stone washed away from one eSr2er
from the other, and The roof blown off All Of the whaf's
~ are washed away injured warehouse escaP.