New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-12-11

ricane at Cape Girardeau, on the Mississippi River
We find in the 81. LOUIS Republican the following
letter from the clerk OF the steamboat Saranac,
communicating the particulars Of this fearful visi-
tation
CAPE GIRARDEAu, Wednesday, Nov. y.
DEAR SGRs; About o'clock this evening we
anded at this place with the Saranac, bound for
New.Oreans, for the purpose of taking on board
some passengers who had hailed the boat Just
after she had landed and made fast, the clouds u.s.
sumed the appearance OF storm, and as wewere
comparatively safe, we thought best TO hold on
for few minutes until it was passed. The storm
struck the stern blowing up stream at the timel
and in less than five minutes the whole entire
cabin fixtures and furniture, chimneys, pipes,
and in fact everything above the main deck,
was blown to pieces. There were some two
hundred pows on the roof which were blown
for hundreds of yards from the boat part of the
railing was carried on the top Of the hill, one
mile from the boat The whartboat CHAM
plain was also blown to pieces The hill SIDE was
literally covered with the wreck OF the ooats; 6ut,
strange to say, no on board was kiled though
nearly all were injured. Joseph Mccoy, pilot at
tho wheel when we landed, was blown out of the
nilot. house and fell through the cabin near the
wheelhouse; his ribs were broken and his shoul.
ders cut but we think he may recover Samuel
Hill, engineer, was blown out Of his room and fell
between the boats, badly injured. Mr. Bailey,
passenger, was thrown on a log chain, and also
severely injured, though the physician thinks
they will all get it. Many others were
slightly injured. Not one% of the crew or passeu.
gers in the cabin but has lost some of their clothes
and some lost all they had in the world One
lady had her trunk and every thing she had blown
overheard and lost Almost all Of the Cargo
above deck was blown overboard-eyen barrels
Of flour The bell weighing three hundred
pounds was blown hundred and fifty feet from
its place but not broken. The stoves in the cabin
were blown ashore, after the cabin and CHIN
neys went to pieces. The steam and smoke in
stanty caused the alarm OF fire, which created tho
greatest excitement among all on board but those
OF the officers and crew who were not injured
promptly extinguished every particle of fire on
board and then relieved those who were helpless
and confined by parts Of the cabin lying on them.
The groans of the injured soon brought others who
were not to their aid. Notwithstanding the
calamity was great the scene no tongue can
describe. The danger was threatening but not
one of the officers or left the scene or tal.
tered from his duty. Every man stood to his
post until either blown away or the timbem
knocked him down.
But Il have still q more painful scene to describe
and that is the destruction OF the town. st Vim
cent College and the beautiful mansion Of B, H.
Horre are in ruins the Convent is gone; tue
Catholic Church and all the buildings aroundt
are gone the Methodist Church and every build
ing from that to the bridge more or less IN
ured Mr.. Gboneys warehouse unrooied the
wooden bridge torn up Mr. Tompkins's new
brick house at the bridge literally wreck
Messrs Byrne & Sloan new three story building
on the corner OF Maine and Theme SITS. unrO0led
entirely, and the zinc with which it was covered
was thrown for some hundreds OF yards
Mr.. Surrells three story house, thirty teetby
Fifty feet, the upper story ball for the Sons OF
Temperance, dedicated yesterday, now lies
shapeess mass of ruling. Capt SGrre wife and
child were in it when it fell, but Were not killed
though badly injured.
The Cassidy warehouse the Lacy buildings,
roofs off and walls shattered Mr.. Penuy's new
threestory house, gable blown in, roof damaged.
Some twenty more houses, names not recollected
injured some badly.
The telegraph poles and wires all blown down.
The people are still running about town, aqdsom
mothers, with children in their arms, may be seen
seeking places OF shelter from the storm and ram
l can ind no language to describe this awful scene
the heartrending cries OF the distressed mothers
and children were agonizing in the extreme
Ten O'clock Have just heard the sorro"iql IN
telligence that one man was killed at the college,
and one lady Mrs King down town KumoF
says six deaths AS yet, only certain OF three
fifteen badly iniured-some Wilde -tenortweFe
slightly Injured TOHN l.. HARPER,
Clerk Seamboa Saranoc No j