Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1871-09-01
FEARFUL HURRICANE.


The island OF ST.. Thomas Visited
with n Destructive St0rm-N0t
House Left stauding-Many Lives
Lost.
NKw YoRK, September 1.-the following is
from the Herald's special correspondence:
ST. THOMAS. August p. via HALIFAX. Au-
gust 81. There was terrible hurricane in
and around this port yesterday. 1t swept
along the neighbOring islands but prevailed
With the greatest fury on st. Thomas. The
destruction to life and property was awful.
Trees were uprooted. houses unroofed and
merchandise scattered In all directions. A
heavy sea indicated the coming hurricane,
and many vessels were prepared for it. so
there Is leemparatively little damage to the
shipping. lf Mf af r
This was one of the most destructive hurri-
canes on record. Although the inhabitants
lhshed down and secured their houses in an
ticipation Of the coming storm. thousands are
left without roofs to shelter them. Several
persons were struck dead By flying fragments
Of roofs, trees and other debris. Buildings
are laid waste, and the impetuous torrents Of
water washed away part of the docks. The
signal station on Water Island has been seri-l
ously damaged. Fears were one time enter
tanned that the floating dock which was sunk
shortly after the last hurricane, would be en-
tirely destroyed. atf
The following are additional particulars of
the hurricane: Another hurricane has swept
this unfortunate island. overturning every
house and laying the place in ruins. Yester-
day about am. q gale broke from the east,
shortly afterwards shifting to the northeast,
from which point it blew more fercely until
noon, when the winds yeered round slowly to
the North and fell ON the island in a terrific
hurricane, 1t then shifted to the Northwest
and blew with great violence until s pm,
when there came lull which lasted until
pm At this hour the hurricane again swept
over the island from the south. Its duration
was not SO long as on the previous visit, but
its violene. was equally great. Its term of
greatest fury lasted only two hours. Closely
following in the wake Of the hurricane
came an awful gale from the south and
southwest. which ragged for several hours.
Hundreds of dwellings have been swept away,
and not a house has been left standing un-
damaged on the island. Some six thousand
people have been left houseless and destitute,
and nearly one hundred and fifty persons
have been killed. mangled or disabled by
houses blown down, or bricks and tiles flying
around during The hurricane. Already some
thirty corpses have been taken from under
the ruins strewn through the streets.
No casualties TO the shipping occurred. with
the exception Of British bark loaded with
sugar. which was anchored at the mouth Of
the harbor, which broke loose and went adrift
towards the rocks b the channel, and became
q total wreck. woFrench steamers recently
arrived here drifted about and went fast
aground. w
The English steamers corsair. Tyne and
Delta, MS we'll as the American steamer
Florida, at anchor here, weathered the storm
handsomely. The latter. however. had to cut
down her masts 70 save herself.
The Island Of st. Kits Is said 10 De inrnins.
as ii vas caught first BY the hurricane which
has lust passed over here.