Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-10-05
TERRIBLE HURRICANE.

Iitt+.'-a
On the ODD ult., the island of st.
Thomas was visited by Il terrible hur-
rirane. The st. Thomas Tidende gives
The following interesting particulars:
At ) O'Clock there was a sudden
caIm, The Gel tire of the cyclone was
nossina over st. Thomas. We seemed
~ he smut in all around with a heavy
nall of ominous darkness. The heav-
ans appeared to have contracted. The
or was unnaturally still, as ii, after the
violent effort, nature was catching
is breath for another fierce onslaught
ter During this calm the barometer
reached its lowest point. Different
harameters seem, however, to have Civ
on different results. One in the har-
borsnowed 2S:40 another 2S60, while
one in town showed 29:5G another 2S:-
~ and another 28:6S The calm last
ed for about an hour, and than it be-
gan to blow again III heavy squalls
rom southwest to south.
The barometer began to
rise rapidly. at 7 O'Clock it was
As high as $3.50, and the violence OF
the wind had ceased. At midnight tie
barometer stood 29:70 At 4 O'Clock
on Tuesday morning it stood at 1880.
At s o'clock is stood at 1920, and the
wind from the southeast with rain
SQUALLS continued all day Tuesday.
Monday night was intensely dark ana
gloomy. There were no lights in the
streets. The street lamps were all
smashed Many of the lGmp-posts
we've thrown down. There was no gas.
The streets We're encumbered with
lumber, tiles, zinc-sheets, tin-sheets,
branches Of trees, and rubbish of every
kind. In some places whole trees were
torn up by the roots, while those that
stood we're entirely stripped of their
leaves and had lost many branches.
Tuesday morning revealed the full
extent OF the fearful havoc caused by
the wind. The greatest amount of de-
Structon has been committed in the
valley between the first hill to the east,
known as Lucchetti's Hill, and the sec
ond, known rs the Government hill, es-
pecIally in a line from the military hos
pital up to Poly Berg Ofsome houses
there is scarcely yestige left Others
are but heap of mashed lumber. Some
have been moved from one place to an.
other. Others have been turned upside
down One, which seemed to be 9TH
erWise uninjnred, still contained Its fur
uitre, and rests on one side Of the
roof which now serves as the floor. while
the floor proper now forms the roof
and the inmates seem to have accommo-
dated themselves TO the new order of
things. Some houses We're entirely
Quilted OF their contents; others had
wing carried away, others the roof
while such loose objects as windows and
doors we're nowhere TO be found. except
scattered abroad in fragments. One
house, new brick building OF three
stomes had the upper story shaved OIL
Another house, wooden building, also
of three stories, had the middle story
blown away, leaving the third story
down on the first. These are but some
Of the freaks of the hurricane. Stone
walls and brick walls were blown down
Solid masonry was blown away. Iron
work was twisted, beHt and broken.
But the saddest part is yet to be
told A number Of lives have been lost
and many persons have been wounded
One hoyso was blown into the torrent
running in the gut known as " Majors
Gut, In Kings quarter, and five per
sons who were in it were killed The
dead and dying were eXtrlcated from
beneath many Of the ruins, and others
We're picked up in the streets, where
they had been struck down by flying
missiles. One was found with her skull
a.r.led nway. IN infant was found ut
Polly Berg. Ii died to-day. The
dead have been buried and the wound
ell have received all Il attention thaa
could he given them. The chairman of
tie colonial council called meeting
ut the council at noon on Tuesday. and
It was resolved to place j 800 in the
lands Of the police master to relieve
the Immediate wants of the sufferers
A further sum Of $1,000 has been
granted to n committee of I gentle
men, appointed by the council, who
.le to concert measures for its applca-
ool toward further relief. Two gentle
moa have with thoughtful generosity
opened vacant stores to give shelter TO
the houscless Door. Business was sus-
pended nom noon on Monday until
tHs morning. Yesterday it rained so
many OF the houses that remained were
leaking, go many people were dead and
wounded, that there was great dIscom-
.ort distress, and agony in this gloomy
city.
Tins cyclone seems to have been
more extensive, covering a greater area,
tan that OF 1867 The central calm
occupied Il longer time in passing over
.4s island than did that OF the other,
i'Has caused more destruction m the
town. audwe may therefore say that it
Was more severe. That it caused less
Pa the hlrbor is dine to there being less