The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-08-27
CYCLONE ON THE COiyP.
The City Of Houston i'm the
Tempest.
A NIGHT OF TERROR.
Uncle Sans Gallant Tars Struggling
with Wind and Waves.
SAFETY OF THE CRESCENT CITY.

The terrible hurricane that swept with resistless
force along our southern coast last week spread
havoc and destruction In Its path. At this moment
nothing like correct estimate Of the damage done
Can be attempted, as, owing to the want OF rapid
communication. information reaches slowly and
not In the most reliable form. We know for certain
Of the destruction of the steamship Lodona and the
loss OF many valuable hves and the account we
publish to day OF the narrow escape OF the City or
Houston shows how terrific was
THE FORCE or THE STORM.
Fortunately the City OF Houston was strongly
built. and carried with her number Of Uncle Sans
gallant seamen or we should have had another
fatal wreck to chronicle. 1t Is impossible to do
Justice to The courage and devotion exhibited during
trying time by Lieutenant Commander John
Schouler, Lieutenant Schety and the men under
their command.
The signal Of1icer telegraphs, under date OF the
26th, That another cyclone moving up the At
lantic coast with reslstess force spreading havoc
and destruction i'll its path, and doubt leaving q
sad history OF marine disaster which cannot reach
Us for some days.
TIE CITY OF HOUSTON.
Saturday the 18th inst, the City ofHouston, new
steamer, sailed from the port OF New York for Cal
weston on her first trip The first two days out were
favorable, but ON the evening Of the 14th there
were indications OF sQualy weather ahead. Nothing
unusual occurred until the afternoon OF Wednesday,
when, ABOUT four O'Clock, breakers were discovered
ahead. AT this time the weather was somewhat
thick, with
STIFF GALE BLOWING
nom the north Orders were at once issued TO
head the ship off Shore and bearings were taken
70 ina the exact position OF the ship. 1t was then
ascertained that she was running or the coast OF
Florida, IN the neighbOrhood OF the dangerous reefs
near Cape Canaervai Preparations were at once made
for the worst ana, in order to tighten the ship, all
the cargo abvve the matches was thrown overheard.
In the meantime the wind was freshenlDg, and the
gathering clouds announced the coming danger.
An attempt was made at dusk to bring the vessel
before the wind, but owing TO the incapacity Of the
officers and the lubberly conduct OF the crew
cess attended the effort AS the force of the wind
momentarily increased the dffculty Of handling the
ship became greater. Just as the attempt was be-
ing made to bring the ship 10 the wind sauall
struck her with tremendous force, and for an IN
slant she reeled and
STAGGERED HELPLESSLY
through the waves, with her mansail split and
dered useless. All command seemed to be lost over
the vessel after this accident, and, with her head
turned towards the shore, she rapidly drifted to de-
struction. There was no longer any CONTROL and
the broke over her bulwarks with ever.increas-
ing fury. At this moment the scene on board was
terrible; all hope Of salvation seemed to be lost
and the frightened passengers expected every mo-
ment that the vessel would strike some sunken
reef and sink in that awful sea which seemed to
roar ghastly welcome and leap In the madness Of
10y at the impending disaster. Far the eye could
reach nothing was TO be seen but
THE AWFUL BLACK WAVES,
rolling on In fearful strength and awful majesty,
with the light loan like the ghosts OF the dead dane
ing along the waves in a very devils merriment to
Ht,c Ste Of Tf oiu To
freeze the marrow in the bone and make man feel
his utter impotence before the wrath Of the Creator
Hudded together in the cabin their faces pale with
fear OF the coming DOOM were gathered the passen-
gers, making such preparations as their fright
would allow them for the catastrophe which their
fear had convinced them was inevitable Two
naval officers VINO were in charge OF strong
detachment Of Uncle SANS seamen, seeing the
way things were going. and thinking that some.
yhng must be wrong, resolved to leave the cabin and
Try to make tneir way forward 70 the pilot house
and II nothing could be done. Tue vessel Ut this
moment was rolling deeply in the trough OF the
THE SEA BREAKING HEAVILY OVER her SIDES,
rendering the passage both d1lcuit and dangerous.
So heavy was the rolling tnot the officers
BILE keep their feet and were Obliged to creep for
At last reached the pilot house they found tue cap
STATE OF DRUNKENNESS,
lHsuing absurd and contradictory orders to the quar-
termaster at the wheel, aud evidently unable to
take Of himself. not to speak OF the ship. I'M
Ger these circumstances Lieutenant Schetky pro-
posed 10 Lieutenant Commander Schouler that he
should take charge OF the ship and relieve the cap
take Charge Of the Wheel. CommUnicaton WAS at
once opened win the mates, who proved them
selves good seamen, and they at once agreed TO act
under the orders OF the naval officers. The United
States seamen on board were at once called on deck
TO lend their aid In last effort TO save the vessel,
which was now rapidly drifting towards the reefs.
Night had fallen. ana the darkness was only now
ana then tllumned by
THE PITrUL LIGHTNING FLASH
which, for an instant would reveal all The horror OF
the situation. Every minute increased the violence
ol the tempest that rushed down from the north
Aud seemed resolved to ba1ie the gallant efforts
which Uncle SANS boys were making save the
ship In spite Of the force OF the wind the gallant
fellows had mounted the creaking cordage, and
we're busy IN the yards trying to set the sans. From
time to time the vessel iurched and then rolled
heavily on her side until the very end OF the tall
masts seemed TO touch the advancing waves. AT
these moments 1t appeared II the ship could never
right herself but the sailors worked on steadily,
THE YAwNrNe WAVES HAD NO TERROR
for them. After much difficulty the foretrysail was
set and an effort made to wear the ships but hardly
had the sail Deen set when the nercc wind tore 1t
from the spars., At the same moment the foresall
Nothing discouraged by the Ill success OF their
efforts. a new man9uvre was tried and they
with no better success. In this mannuvre the
storm mainssil was blown away. It was now
solved TO secure the helm amldshps and TO back
the engines. but scarcely mad nfteen revolutions
THE rILLER ROPE BROKE.
Lieutenant Schouler at once hurried art with
some men TO repair the damage, and twice attached
q relieving tackle to the ruddcr, which gave way
eaCn time. The attempt was however, continued
until two O'Clock in the morning. when success was
despared OF and the rudder abandoned. The scene
was now terrible. During the night the water had
poured into the engine room and extlnguisned the
nres, and now that the sails were all blown away
and the rudder gone the vessel n0ated an unman-
aReabc hulk on the waters. Despair was written
in every face, anu the gallant men who mad strug-
gled herOIcally through
THE AWFUL GLOOM
Of the tempcstuous night, now held on YEARLY,
waiting for the moment when the sea would en-
gulf them and their miscres An examine
uon OF the well and tre showed that the water
was rapidly gaining ana the mate gave IL as his
opinion that the ship could not Keep a1oat more
than two hours unless the pump below could DC
GOT to work. Just at this time the second mate,
win number OF the naval seamcn, mad gone OF to
make another EFFORT TO secure the rudder, and
scarcely had they begun working when an I'M
mense sea broke over the stern, sweeping away
INC alter bulkhead and carrying the men into the