Feliciana sentinel. [volume] (St. Francisville, La.) 1877-1892, 1878-06-22
4 CELESTIAL CYCLONE.
NINEr THOUSAND HOUSES DESTROYED
AND AS MANY PERSONS KILLED

IA\O I'D AhAt>A i.ASS-No ANAAACA-
letter from Canton to. the Hong Kong
Daily Press, under date Of April 18th,
gives the following particulars Of the ter
riDle tornado in that vicinity which was
recently reported by cable:
"Passing over the Shameen settlement
the storm crossed the canal to the city
carrying away III it's course tho Ealus-
trading of the East Bridge. A native
police station opposite was completely
destroyed. The storm leveled all the
houses in its course, making clean
sweep OF everything for ~ width of about
/ 600 feet. The mortality has been vari-
ously estimated at from 5000 to 10000
and probably the latter number is nearer
the mark. Nine thousand houses, speak
ing in round numbers, are known to have
been destroyed aud although many Of the
inmates had notice of the impending dis
aster by hearing the noise, caused by
other houses falling, and made their es~
cape, there were other cases in which
great numbers of people were killed by
the fall of Il single house. For instance,
there was an eating house i'll which fifty
two assistants were engaged. In this
house there were at the time over 1Ot
people taking Refreshments, and none,
either assistants or guests, arc known to
have escaped. In another case twenty
four persons were killed by the destruc-
ton of Il family house. There was also
great destruction of boats and life on tho
water. Allowing, therefore, for there be-
ing no one in many Of the houses at the
time of their fall, and on the other hand
allowing for there being great numbers
| in some of those that fell, it is probably
below the everage to estimate tho loss OF
| life at one to each house that fell, and
1000 lives on the water In most Of the
| houses blown down fire was probably be-
J ing used, either for cookiL g or other pur-
poses, and kerosene is now so UNIVERSAL
ly burned and stored in Chinese houses,
that it would have been no cause for sur
prise had tho con1lagrations been much
III re extensive than they were. AS to
tho clearing away OF the dead bodies, the
Chinese authorities seem to have acted
with most commendable promptitude.'
Almost immediately after the catastro-
pho ordcys for 1000 collins were issued
by the Oh Yuk Tong Hospital, and
up to the time tho steamer left
yesterday afternoon, 5000 bodies had
bccn recovered from the ruins and buried
without delay. The work of clearing
away the debris was proceeding rapidly
but the stencil in scnle places was un-'
mistakeable evidence that there were,
! dead bodies which had still to be cXtrica-
ted. Tho violence Of the wind for the wet
minutes it lasted was. as great as that OF
the severest typhoon. Granite blocks
We're lifted from their places and hurled
y considerable distance; thick trees snap
ped in twain like twiys roofs were lifted
! bodily, and boats carried far on to the
shore. Iu one case q small boat was ac-
tually blown on to the roof of u house in
the Tenth Ward. A row of hOuses-all>
brothcls but one, forming ono sido of u
short lane in the city-wcre the scene OF
one notable ca tastrophe The other side
of the lane is formed by the side wall OF
Nam Cheong Temple, which is some thir-
ty feet high. This wall gave way to the
force of the tornado and fell crashing liz
upon the opposite houses, the inmates OF
which, about 100 in number, were all
:. killed, most of them being crushed to
death, and the remainder suhocated.
There were no means of exit at the back,
and no one attemtcd to dig tho bodies ou3
of the ruins. The narrow creek is still
partially cholled up with tho debris,
consisting of broken boats and other
!. wreckage, in which arc numbers of dead
bodies. In too many instaces whole
families have been crushed to death in
one boat. The supply Of cotiins is nearly
r exhausted, and the undcrtll1ers arc now
am told, charging double price. The
, villages Of Pah Hook Tang, two or three
, miles to the north, outside tho walls
Y were caught in the storm and. suffered
:. great damage, many dwelling gil oases and
n other buildings being destroyed and mum
o. bcrs of lives lost. The village across the
@ water opposite to Shameen came in 70,
J. its share of the disaster also being par
@ TALLY destroyed. l hear that, thougl: The
@ whirlwinu did not effect SO much dnmag.
G at Fatlian as i'll this port, it has made
G severe havoc. 1t is stated by Chinese wh'
# have come from there that not less THAI
ii 200 houses have been wrecked. Tho los.
Il OF life is put down at several hundred
A passage boat coming from Fatshan t.
this city was, when D short distani
# Oft, caught in the tornado and inStantl,
n ! capsized. About seventy of the Passen
, gers were drowned. The tornado, it ap
ct pears, came from q direction quite con
,r,r,- tn that in ,yhi rh the clDulS hnl hcel