The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1867-11-22
The Late Tornado OF St. Thomas.

The terrible storm which took place at St.
Thomas, on the 29th of October, is represented
as the most terrific ever witnessed. The New
York Observer says:
The most terrific hurricane ever known at st.
Thomas visited The place Oct. Goth, and lasted
about fonI hours. Trees we're torn up, houses
were lifted into the air by the force of the wind.
ana some On or 60 vessels were either sunk or
wre' ked on the coast In the morning the pas
sengers Of the old steamer Conway, anticipating
storm, were, by their own request, transfer ell
TO the Rhone--a newer vessel OF the line. Both
steamers put to sea. During the storm the Rhont
struck On Peters Island, her boiler exploded and
l6O persisted, only % or Is of the passengers
escaping. The Conway was cast upon Toftolos
Island, AMI all on board were saved The steam
er Columbia entered the harnor about II A. NJ,
and ut p. NJ, WAS sunk Six persons were
lost. Her cargo was valued at from 81 900, OUO
| to So. 600. 600
| From the yet imperfect detsils which have
reached US we learn that some 800 persons have
persisted 8 steamers aud 25 mailer vessels have
been lost, and some 40 Others are repo, ted ashore
or dis nased. The wharves Of the harbor III,
fort barracks and the lighthouse have been de.
stroyed. The total los is e. timated at over So,
600, 600 list of tie vessels destroyed .s fur
nished by our correspondent. The inhabitants
are in terrible dcSiituton, and firm in New
York, trading with the island has opene1 sub
scriptiuns for their relief. An expedition has al
ready been forwarded to the relief of he ship
wrecked vessels by the coast wrecking company
of this city.
In referring to the storm the New York Herald
of IL late date, SAYS:
Our special correspondence from ST Thomas,
dated November !, gives further particulars of
The late terrible huric ne in that neighhorhooh
1t lasted only four hours hut in that time over
five hundred persons were drowned. The steam
er Camaguey lost seventeen, the Wye 6ity-threp
and the Rhone one hundred and thirty Of those
On board. The fury OF the tempest was such
that houses were lifted one thousand ieet in the
air, and men were lifted bodily from their places
Of safety on shore and carried out to sea. Rvery
dwelling in the town and every vessel in the har-
Dor received some damage The loss is estima-
ted at over So 900, 900. The inhabitants arr in
terrible destiution, and firm in New York
trading with the island has opened subscriptions
for their relief An expedi ion has already been
forwarded to the relief of the shipwrecked vessels
by the wrecking company of this city.
STORM AT PoRro Rico -Advices from Porto
Rico are received. The late tempest wis more Sc
we're than the two terrible gales which visited
the Inflated island previous to 1850. All the
towns have been terribly desolated. One thou
sand houses have been laid in ruins, and three
thousand have been severely damaged. In some
instances the houses along entire streets hare
hren demolished, and the roadway entirely hid
den by the ruins.
No news whatever has been received regarding
the effects of the storm in the central portion If
t c island, where, on the savannes, numerous
herds nre pasiured but elsewhere the cattle
have been killed and the fields swept entirely
bare The loss is incnlcuIub'e. The merchants
of the island have demanded that -four, corn,
provisions, &c, shall be entered duty free.