Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1854-10-17
From the New Orleans Picayune, Sept. 20.

| Gale the Texas C00st-Gfeat Loss OF Life and
Property.
| We are greatly indebted to Mr.. Pool, the obi
gng purser of the steamship Louisiana, arrived this
morning from Galveston, for the annexed graph
ic account of the late tremendous gale on the
coast of Texas and thereby. The gale appears to
have spent its utmost fury the Inflated coast
of our sister State. But we have no time for
comment now. Here is the purser's statement
The coast Of Texas was visited by most disas-
trous gale, commencing on Sunday the 18th, and
lasting until Thurday night, the 2lst inst.
1t would be almost matter OF impOssibi lily
to imagine even greater destruction of life and
property by such an occurrence.
In Levaca and MatagOrda Bays there was much
suffering and loss.
At Levaca not much damage was sustained,
other than the schooner Pacific going through one
of the wharves, with little injury ,however to her
self.
At Indianola, the schooners Atlas and Fanny
Mott, owned by II. E, Behner, were both driven
through the wharves of Messrs. A. FrOmme and
VIM. NJ. Varnels, and subsequently went on the
beach, where they now lie. The Mott will be
total loss the Atlas, probably, will be gotten Off
Both of them had full cargoes of assorted mer-
chandise from the steamship Charles Morgan,
which were saved in damaged condition, and
were being sold for account of those concerned,
Sloop Louisa, with freight from the Charles Nor
gan, was also total wreck, and cargo partly
saved on the beach. \ few buildings were taken
off the blocks, but none materially damaged.
Saluria and Deckro's Point did not escape, but
were even greater sufferers than on the bay above
them. Many houses in both places were entirely
washed away, some unrOofed, and others taken
off the blocks, there not being single house that
escaped serious damage, and quite number being
RACED to the ground.
The new wharf, Zone of the finest structures Of
the kind in the State,) owned by Judge Uawes,
totally demolished /; not n post remains to
show where it stood, except few standing near
the shore.
Dcckro's wharf and warehouse are entirely
gone not vestige of them is to be seen.
The schooners Aida and S. Belden, which had
arrived on Sunday from Mobile and were lying at
anchor opposite Deckros, dragged into the reef,
were capsized and totally lost, with both entire
crews. The schooner Mustang, just arrived from
New York, dragged her anchors, and barely esca-
ped the fate of the others. She lost both masts,
which probably saved her. The United States
steamer Fashion towed her up under Sand Point
on Sunday. the 24th, where she would discharge
her cargo.
The United States schooner Fairy, belonging
to the Lighthouse Department, was beached
and is total lOss-crew saved. The schooner
Emma De Russey, owned in Pensacola, is suppo-
sed to have drifted to sea, and as she was a good
vessel. strong hopes entertained for her
safety.
The machinery, &C., of the lighthouse Of Pass
Cavallo sustained some material injury, but the
light is still shown as usual.
The wharf and buildings at Powderhorn were
not in urcd in the least. Nothing on the wharf
was lost, nor even piece of timber started from
it, which is truly remarkable, considering that
death and devastation ruled in the entire neigh
borhOod.
The Lavaca mud machine, used for the pur-
pose of trying to make channel for year past,
lies sunk, ana is probably a total loss.
The gale visitel Matagorda with almost I'M
PARALLEL fury, destroying nearly all the buildings
in the place, those of Col. Williams, Mrs. Sart-
well and one or two small ones being all that es-
capped prostration unrOolng. The stocks of
goods of merchants have been mostly ruined,
with one exception, Messrs. Sheppard & Burk
tart, whose store only was unro ofcd, but goods
materially damaged. Four lives were lost in the
own : Mrs. Duffey, Mr.. Merriman and negro
woman and child.
The steamboat Kate Ward was entirely wreck
nine Of the perish:ng. But three only csca-
ped, by cling ne to one Of the wheels, and were
taken off on the Odd.
Schooner Tom Payne, Capt. F. Iulscmann,
owned at MatagOrda, was totally lost, with the
captain and crew.
\ vessel from Sabine, with lumber, lost on the
peninsula. Crew saved.
and nearly finished, lies high and dry in the prai-
RE, 800 yards from the bayOn.
Crops of cane and cotton are blown down and
nearly ruined. In fact, it is said not bale of
cotton is left in the county.
Quite number of small craft are reported lost,
with all their crews.
TreSpallacious, and the houses on the peninsula
opposite, were all swept away, except Col. Lew
ISIS and two others not rcccllcctcd. Several lives
are reported to have been lost, among which
were two children Capt. Jno Hugely, an old and
much esteemed planter, who were killed by the
house being blown down upon them.
An eve witness to the devastation Of Matagor-
da, says that he never could have conceived of
such sight rs he witnessed between i and
O'Clock on Monday morning houses crashing and
brcakin" up, their materials flying through the
air, women and children screaming and running
whittier they knew not, seeking protection, and
when found, only to be driven forth again after
short lapse of time to find new one, and in many
instances in nearly denuded state.
Corpus Christi and other places westward re-
main yet to be heard from, as also the country.
Since the gale the following vessels have ar
rived at lndianOsa schooner III. l.. Scranton,
22d 9th United States steamer Fashion and
brig Bingham, from Mobile.