The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1881-09-15
THE STORM ON TYBEE.
A Thrilling Story of the Hurricane

From the Charleston News and Courier.T
The following extracts are taken
from Charleston lady who was on
Tybee Island during the great storm
on last Saturday night, to her FAM
lily in this city:
1t stormed all Friday night and
all day Saturday, and / hoped it
would cease by night. Each hour /
thought must be the heighth of the
storm. So l packed up everything
to be ready to move in at a mo-
ments notice, when alas heard the
steamer had approached Tybee and
been beaten back by the fury of the
waves, the wharf swept on, and thus
we were cut off from all human aid.
About z o'clock p. IN. the cyclone
reached us. L saw huge live oaks
and palmetto trees, which had stood
the test of centuries, torn up by the
roots and whirled about like straws.
Our house rocked and creaked like
boat at sea. took Frank in my
arms, Nina on one side and Maude
on the other and went into a corner,
the most remote from the direction
of the wind. No words can describe
my terror. The wind did not whis-
tie or shrek as l have heard it, but
it was 20.
A CANNONADING.
| do not exaggerate when L say so.
L looked out ON the roaring water
rising fast upon us, and into the life
seeking tempest, and wondered
which death would be easiest for my
children; to be crushed by the fall
ling house, drowned by the sea or
beaten down by the winds and fly
ing trees and houses. We fell upon
our knees, begged God to receive
us all together. 1 wrapped up my
babes, the two servant girls picked
up Nina and Frank, while followed
up with Maude. We ran out into
the kitchen, which, being low, 1
thought might escape. We reached
it, thing | hardly expected, rushed
in, slammed the door, when, my
God, what a crash!
THE HOUSE WAS BLOWN DOWN,
no two boards sticking together.
A few moments of breathless ter
ror, the kitchen rocking in the same
admonishing manner, the window
burst open and the shrek from one
of the servants, "Christ, the island
is on fire!" and the fearful lurid
CLEAN showed me too plainly that
another element was loose upon US.
just then voice outside, "Mrs.
H, for Gods sake, are any of
Won aliua 11 1raua n,a a ro,, &c 49,
"Come to the window" / screamed,
"and take my children" and
passed them out into strong arms.
How am | ever to thank that man.
Holman, the hotel keeper, saw from
his window my cottage rock, and he
and his two clerks ran 10 our res
cue, but it was done before they
reached it. They called. and, upon
receiving no answer, he went INTO
the tottering ruins, at great risk to
his life, to look for our remains.
felt in the bed, and then shouted,
when We heard and answered. He
wanted us to go 10 his house, but
the same directing spirit, which was
saving us through these dangers,
made me firmly refuse and insist
upon going TO Blun's, a house
often remarked for its brick founda-
ton and chimneys, two strong
points which no other house on the
island possessed. So there we
started.
THE KITCHEN WAS BLOWN OVER
as soon as we left it and we were
blown along amid burning sparks,
rain and sand, which blinded us
and pricked like needles. The young
man who had Maude mistook the
way and ran into the cottage next
to Mr.. Bluns's. Finding their mis-
take they ran out, when that cot
tage was blown to the ground i'm
mediately. We reached our desti-
nation and found there was one
room in their large house which
was not flooded and there we Joined
the family and sat in mute terror.
Oh. the roaring and the rushing and
the crashing! The house tottered
and threatened. About IL o'clock
sound reached my ear which my
prophetic soul interpreted instantly.
"a dull, steady roar under the house
the land SWELL! The ocean had
sweptaway the sandhills and was
flowing under the house, The foun-
dation would be undermined and
the house be swept away. l took
my babes again and put wrappings
on them and we. stood in instant
steadiness to