The Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1834-184?, 1846-11-05

| letter and memoranda, giving accounts oil some
of the effects Of the gale of the fth and 18th
instant. in Key West and its vicinity:
New ORLEANS, Oct. %, l845.
| l arrive ed here last evening, on my way to
Washington, having landed at The s.. w. Pass
of the Mississippi, yesterday monino, in the
schr. Sarah Churchman, from Key West.
| One OF the most violent hurricanes that has
ever shown itself in this country, passed over
Key West, on Sunday. the | tn inst, and has
aid that town In ruins. Time alone prevents
my going infinitely into particulars asI could
wish, nevertheless, | will give you as graphic
| description OF il as / am able at this time.
! The scene was awful, almost, if not quite be-
yond description. The gale commenced about
| 10 O'Clock A. NJ. the llth inst, and ut 2
/ O'Clock P. M, il blew a perfect hurricane
was on board the revenue cutter Morris about
one mile from Key W est, at anchor, with $50
Iaihom OF chain out. yards down on deck and
every preparation made for the storm. Our re
ding bits were working, and il became neces-
sary 10 back them with deck tackels, the cur.
rent was now moving by US at the rate of 10
miles hour; tine Morris laying broadside to
1t, as well as the wind, made her la Dor veryhe
Wy, and in danger of parting our chains, when
we were compelled TO cut away the maumast
for the safety of our lives as well as our vessel.
When the mast went over the side il hung by
the triatic stay. and in danger of falling upon
us every moment; man could not GET aloft.
and we were anxious to hold to the foremase
ss the last resort in case the schooner should
founder her anchors. Alter few moments.
man mace out 10 get alOft and cut the stay,
when the mast fortunately fei clear of u.s.
1t was a narrow escape. Thirty men tossing
to and fro on the deck OF a small vessel, with
a mast suspended above their heads as it were
by thread. made the situation anything but
enviable. We now battened down the haIches
and all hands passed through the ward-room
The vessel continued TO labor veiy heavily and
the sea made complete breeeh over US. IL
was with difficulty could keep he rfree with
both pumps going and bailing from ward room
and berth-deck. AT 4 P. NJ, the air was full
OF water, and no man could look windw ard for
second. Houses, lumber, aud vessels drifting
by us-sOme large sticks OF timber turned end
over end by the force of the current, and the
sea running SO high and breaking over IN
brought lumber, casks, &c, ION board o: US and
across our decks. AT quarter past the water
was up 10 our lower half-ports inboard, and
gaming upon US when our STAFFORD chain part
ed; and We commenced dragging We knew no.
which way. as our compasscs few round in such
a manner that they became useless for that oh
ject. Now our fears were that we should 90
out over the Reef into the Gull, and be lore
we got into the Gulf the vessel must strike and
bilge but that would not cave her, AT this
Time we cut away the foremost, when sea
struck US, knocking tbs schooner on her beam
ends, carrying away our bulw arks, cranes lar
bord boat, quarter house. swIngiag boom, and
every thing movable of deck and to right The
vessel we hove the lee guns overheard, and
Knocked OFT the ports, and all expecting mo-
mentanly 10 60 10 the bottom. We were in
this suspense for one hour, when we struck on
some rect unknown when our larbord chain par
ted, and we made preparations to scuttle The
vessel. The hurricane gradually subsidized, al
though at IL midnight we were sticking heavy
and blowing gale from S. E.
On the n the I2ft,
anything but agreeable; we had drified abou.
three miles, aud one half of that distance over
a shoal with only two feet of water on il at or
binary tide-this is the depth of water around
the Morris when left her. Around her large
wrecks OF all descriptions; one ship on her beam
ends; three briggs dismasted; also, three schoon--
ers; three vessels sunk in a small channel, and
iour vessels bottom up. How many persons
attached TO these vessels have been drowned, /
am unable 10 say! we have picked up only two
-one oil them young man whom | knew In
timately. The light-ship at the N. w. Pass had
gone from or sunk at her mooring. The light
house ut Key West and Sand Key washed
away; and Key West in ruins. white sand
beach covers the spot where Key West light
house stood, and the waves roll over the spot
where Sand Key was.
Fourteen persons were either killed or
drownea, at Key West Light House, and NOT
a soul escaped 10 tell the tale. The only YES
rige OF the Light House to be seen, is a portion
oil the iron posts OF The lantern, and some pie
ces oil soap stone which have washed one hun
dred yards from the spot where they fell.
At Sand Key, six persons were killed or
drowned-most likely the former, as the gen.
eral impression is they few to the stone LIqh,
House for refuge, the Key being very low
Poor old Capt. Appleby-I knew him very well
he has told me the first hurricane would sweep
all to destruction, and alas. his prediction il
verified.
At Key West the tide FIVE feet high, and
running six miles hour through the centre
Of the town. The citizens fed 10 the back parr
OF the town W hch is rather higher than the rcst
into the bushes--lad down and held on. expect
ing every mnment the waves would reach them.
Parents were separated from their children.
husbands from their wives, and all was confu-
sion. terror and dismay. The island trembling =
10 its very centre. A few hours MORE and
White sand beach would have covered the now
desoIate remains OF Key West. The occupants
OF the Marine Hospital were expecting every
moment to go into eternity. A large stone
building surrounded with five feet OF water
running by SIX miles an hour, cutting the sand
from under the foundation, made the situation
aw ful. Thirty feet of the stone washed away
from one corner, fifteen from the other, aud the
root blown off.
All the wharves washed away or injured
mot one wharehouse escaped the fury OF the
81 orm-wood aud stone seemed all alike going
10 destruction. There more than s out
oil 600 houses but are unroofed or blown
down-3UO are estimated TO have blown down.
The pubic buildings at the Fort, as well as
the wharf are all goEe, and the Fort is itself q
a mass OF ruins. IL is estimated that the Gov
eminent alone will lose at least S200,000 by the
hurricane.
The Custom House is much injured, but the
U. b Barracks at The east end oil town sustained !
no injury and are occupied by the crew of the
brig Perry and revenue cutter Merits, an5 by
IhUse whose houses have blown down.
The streets and roads are impossible, being
nlled up with lumber and the ruins of the fall
EN- houses,