The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1867-12-04
Correspondence Of the New York Times. I
The Hurricane in the Wost Indies.
TIE HURRICANE AT PORTO nCo.
HAVANA, Saturday, Nov. 1G.

Tho hurricane at Porto Rioo was much
more destructive than it was at first sun
posed; fifty towns are known to have suf.
fercd more or less, and il is feared that the
remaining sixteen, whom heard from, will
only swell tho list Of horrors: AT Cidra.
nincty-six houses was destroyed and four
persons killed. AT Lola. twenty seven
houses. were destroyed. At Aguasbueras,
all the buildings were destroyed and seven
persons were killed. At Rio Grande, cley.
en- persons were killed, forty houses blown
Down, nearly all the cattle killed and the
crops entirely ruined. At Corozal, forty.
five houses were oycrthrown. Faiardo was
entirely destroyed and thirteen persons
were killed. Tho plantations in the vicini-
| ty have lost everything, cattle, farming i'm
plements, crops, SC,
Az Tabucoa the hurricane was of but
short duration but the damage was i'm.
mense. Forty-six families are homeless
and have lost everything. At piodras
| there arc seventeen houses in ruins. Two
fires occurred thcro. but they wero speodi
| ~ extnguished. At Patillas many houses
were destroyed and two persons were kill
At Ceiba seventy seven houses and tho
church were destroyed. Aauuabo is q
heap OF ruins and the crops are all destroy :
! CT. AT liumacao NIL the houses including
barracks and warehouses ave in ruins. On
/ ths plantations the crops as we'll as the
sugar-houscs are destroyed. In tho harbor
/ the schooner Isabcll H. was sunk and seven
| OF her crew perishcd; these and one person
IN the town were the only ones to perish. =
10 Deum was sung on tho 3lst. The
, spanish war steamer Nasco de Balboa
which was at st. Thomas during the hurri
cane, and fortunately escaped, though not
without suffering much damage, arrived
Wednesday ria Porto Rico, bringing as
passengers Don Pedro Resano, who comes
commissioned by tho Captain General of
torto Rico to represent to tho authorities
here tho lamcntable position of affairs, and
ask pccuniary assistance from the Cubans.
Before leaving he had visited n greater
portion of the island, and states that there
are over 5000 families rendered entirely
destitute and depending for the present on
charity. Over 200 persons have lost their
lives. The sugar and coffee crops arc en-.
tireiy destroyed, and not only are tho sugar
and coffee factories in ruins, but in many
cases the machinery, steam engines, &C.,
are completely lost. Subscriptions had
been opened in all parts Of the island, and
thus far the results had been very salts.
factory. In Porto Rico, $2,3l5 we're sub.
scribed the first day. There had been
! meeting of the authorities, and il had been
proposed to furnish farmers with seed for
corn and potatoes free of charge; to do
away with duties for ak months on beof,
Hour goldfish, rice and corn meal, and also
mat ono year be given to the owners of
plantations wherein to pay taxes now due.
proposition was also made to admit
American -four duty free for two months.
The Captain General has all these matters
uuder consideration, and was to act upon
them at an carly day. Directly after The
arrival of the Denor Rosapo the Captain
General called meeting of the different
eui'ors OF this city andinformed them Of the
MISSION OF that gentleman and its object.
requesting thcm to use the influence Of their
respective journals in its furthcrance. nh.
thorlzing them TO receive subscriptions.
Tho subscription lists were at once prcpar.
CT, and the Directors of the Datro de la
Nu9hn subscribed, is tho name of that
journal, 500. Commissions will he MP.
pointed 10 call ut the houses of tho citizens,
and tho governors Of tho different towns
have been instructed to do the same.
ST. THOMAS.
The loss Of life was much greater here
than was at first supposed. One thousand is
the number now announced, but as seven
hundred and sixty three have already been
washed ashore by the waves, my impression
is that tho total will greatly exceed thai
number. 1t was found impossible TO give
burial to all, therefore hugo fires have been
built, and many of the bodies are being
burned to prevent putrcfaotion. Of the
eight steamers lost, six belonged TO the
Royal Mail Steamship Company. The loss
OF the company is estimated at $4,000
ooO' During the hurricane two diatinc,
shocks ofan earthquake was felt at St
Thomas. Some of the ediGces show the
effects Of it.
All the streets ave moro or less obsiruct.
cd by the debris of the houses, trees. &C..
That were leveled to tho ground by the
force of tho tornado; not q house in tho
town but has paid tribute to its violence
houses that any one would have supposed
e6le to withstand any weather were domol-
ished as If they were built of cards. Phi.
lars OF solid masonry, twenty seven inches
square, were prostrated by Tho wind, md
III some GASES, entire houses were lifted
from their foundations, and carried q con
, siderable distance.
In the Cerro Frances the destruction was
! terrible. Tho district called Guiriqui is
! mountain of RUNS. The house of Senior
Moron, which is Of iron, and built very
substantially, was one Of those which SUI
icrco the most; the roof was carried off,
ana the wrought iron pillars supporting tho
gallery was bent. Tho pillars had been
manufactured expressly Of wrou ght iron. -
Of tho barracks nothing remains but The
ruins, and the Governors Garden has dis.
appeared The hotels arc all destroyed,
and tho gas-works suffered severely. In
fact i: would be an endless task to attempt
giving nl! the details pertaining to tic
! calamity. Tho markets arc almost entirely
bare of provisions. vegetables and fruits,
and prices have risen frightfu, Thousands
wander about the streets, without homes,
clothing or means of subsistence. Those
houses which escaped total destruction have
been thrown open by their owners or oocu-
pants for the accommodation of the suffer
ers, and are filled to repletion, though not
one.quaYter of the destitute are provided
for. Every effort is being made by the
authorities, and 1t is hoped that in few
days none will be without shelter. ,l8
vIEGnEs, m@Pa
The Island Of Yiegnos did not escape ;.
all the vessels in the harbor were eitker
driven ashore or sunk, and houses were
blown down or mroGfed. The garrison.
aided by tho citizens and Crews of tho yes.
sells, gave what assistance they could to tho
drowing and persons whose houses had been
Aouf 81 -,