Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-10-11
EQUIYOCTIAL STORM In LOUISIANA.
LIVES DESTR0YED-TRAVEL INTERRUPTED
SUGAR CROP RUlNED-FULL DETAILS.

LIVES DESTROYED-TRAvEL INTERRUPTED
SUGAR CROP RUlNED-FULL DETAILS.
By telegraph have already given account OF the
last eouiuocta storm at New Orleans and other parts of
Louisiana The New Orleans Delta, of Wednesday, De-
| tober Sd, says;
" increased throughout the day and night and ragged
With great force yesterday and up to O'Clock In tho
evening, when it abated.
thorough knowledge of the damage done was not
obtained until Friday II was however, known before
that time that many houses blown down that the
back part of the city Submerged that the iounda-
tons of many buildings washed away; that the
houses occupied by many poor families on the waters
edge we're washed away that the gale on tue lake ana
river had been SO violent as for time 10 suspend nav
CATION and that the railways were so much damaged as
! 70 prevent communication with the city
The Delta of Friday gives the following interesting
| particulars in addition:
Every hour VIC learn Of some disasters from the
late terrible wind and rain Storm and though our city
has been cut of from all railroad and telegraphic CON-
municaton during the past thirty six hours, which COM
muncaton undoubtedly will increase the number OF the
disasters still the following list shows fearful array oil
! accidents aud casualties:
From information received Of Superintendent Williams,
of the Jackson Road we learn that eleven miles Of the
track is fully washed away and that the water was from
four to five feet deep the track between the points
BAYOU 10 Branch and Bayou Desert, or near the station
points Of Premier and Manchac During the time of the
| fury and force-beyond description.
Between these points some eight houses were
floating on the track, and Superintendent Williams on
board his row.boa steered through the upper story OF
one building going in and out the front and back win
| dows with view OF seeing II any dead bodies we're
within, or sufferers near by
Luckily none were discovered II is reported 10 kr.
Williams by persons living there that two German faml-
lea numbering either five six, were washed away on
badly constructed raft and there Is no doubt Of their
| loss by drowning.
Seventeen families residing in the region Of the track
| between the points of disaster were washed away or
every floating material OF safety they could obtain Two
men in skill lent their aid, with long rope and sailed
around about the RATS and floating persons and thus
saved them and brought of them to the railroad
companys new division house, at Bayou Desert, where
| they are.
At Mr. Foucher's house, off the track of this section
OF this roads some six families OF the above-a house
| less.
| The Picayune Of the same date gives graphic
count of the detention and suferngs Of hun
cred and fifty passengers the Jackson New Orleans
and Great Northern Railroad. Five miles from Pass
Manchac the train was compelled to stop passenger
says:
| We were then a Bayou Desert, within one hundred
and fifty wards of the Lake Shore and could the
waves rolling in from the Lake The water around US
was about seven feet deep and covered with large logs
which driven by the waves with such force against
the track as break and wash of all around u.s. The
water was nearly up the bottom OF the cars and large
logs two feet in diameter, were forced in between the
cars and the track We anchored by the locomo-
tive which held fast the weight of the train alone
preserving that portion of the track which stood
In this dreadful position we remained contemplating
scene of most awful grandeur Above and around us the
tempes roared with careless fury torrents OF rain con-
tinualy falling the mooneSs train, with violence
increased by the force of fierce wind The dreary sheet
of water surrounding covered with fallen timber
and pieces of wreck forced up by the angry waves which
clme necessarily from the lake, making the water rise
higher and higher around TO our imminent peril
Among this floating timber could see The cattle strug-
Cling 10 resist the waves and keep their heads above
water A thing that many Of the poor animals could
not succeed in doing aud were washed away We could
see but without being able to 60 to her relief an Old
negro woman nearly 20 years old floating on the top Of
hay stack She disappeared in the darkness and was
only next morning that could ascertain her late She
had got to the old embankmcnt and chung to piece OF
the wreck. she saved and remained with the men
at the camp.
The scene on the cars was certainly an exciting one.
We were in what cGu be called "Dad hE-thlTty miles
from New Orleans in the midst Of cypress swamp sur
rounded by brickish water with nothing TO eat and only
about half barrel of water for one hundred and fifty
persons The whole forenoon had passed; it was now
past o'clock T. aud we had nothing TO eat since the
day before at dinner One gentleman among US had the
Good fortune TO have basket Of provisions with him
lie was travelling with four orphan children under his
care aod the provisions for their this he gen
erou.y divided amongst al-the ladies and children
bsng of course, first provided with the scanty ration
Tho boat Ariel sent by the Jackson Railroad Com
nanv Yesterday aid in bringing the passengers 10 the
Lake-end Jeferson is momenariy expected, with all
the $50 or passengers who have been detained
the road in the most trying position for over fifty hours
The force of the storm is visible through these par
ishes of St. James and Ascension. The cane, which is
of any considerable size, is blown down. Along the
whole coast many of the baggage chimneys blown
down aud several dwellings ruined.
1t believed the sugar crop is seriously injured, aud
the loss to planters very large.
The steamer Vickburg reports that all the coal boats
in the river from the month of Red River down. have
sunk A sternwheel steamer, name unknown, has
foundered below Baton Rouge. Three steamboats,
| blown ashore near Donaldsonylle One Of them was
the Cincinnati packet Stephen Decatur. At Bayon Sara
| the wharfbOat had been blown up the bayou and at
Ration Rouge the whafboat had been torn from her
| mooriugs and blown three miles up stream. The loss
by coal boats az Willow Cove have already given in
snmmary-say about $3.50 600. The total number lost
| is by actual count fixed at Orty-nine.
At the Baze the storm not disastrous at AL TIE
wind was only severe, but no damage ws done by it,
The California from Mobile in this morning, gives no Sc
rious accounts Of the storm across the Lake.
The destruction the lake shore has been very great
About 20 settlements TALL but the lake shore have
been entirely destroyed. Capt Jacobs wife and TWO Of
his children we're drowned His othertwo children
found after twelve hours the railroad embankment
| guarded BY a dog who would let approach them
except a negro whom no knew. The children have
drifted at least half mile They probably saved
and dragged on the embankment by the faithful animal
| found watching by their side.
There are three other families missing and unheard Of
It is possible that they may have taken sks and gone
back in the swamp, seeking shelter among the timber
The men in the employ Of the railroad at Bayou Desert
! twelve in number were saved in that way. The water
ran into their house the camp four feet deep they took
TO q skill and among the timber where they remain
ell until the over when they got back safe.
| Their house was washed away.
/