Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-11-07
ESTABLISHED 1850.
DESOLATION IN CUBA.
Great Destruction of Life and Property
by the Recent Cyclone.

By the reports OF late Havana pap.rs ft
appears that the cyclone that visited the
Vuelts Absjo on the S,h ultimo was one of
terrific violence, almost unprecedented even
10 the West Indies. which are the theatre so
often OF great meteorological disturbances.
Tne most detailed accounts come from PIuar
DEL klo, which was almost wholly DESTROYED.
On the 9TH the air there was stagnant and
humid, the heat suffocating and the skies
were heavy with dark clouds that, from time
TO time, discharged copious showers. These
conditions continued until late in the after
noon OF the next day. At noon on the Ssh
the barometer stood "A 65, and though the
heat was as great as during the preceding
day, steady wind was blowing from the
east and gradually increasing in strength.
BY nVe O'Clock that evening the fury OF The
cyclone began to be felt. An hour and a
nalf later the scene revealed by titful
flashes OF intense lightning was one of
terror. Rain descended seemingly in
masses; trees, broken or uprooted bY the
power OF the gale, were falling in all direc-
tions; the frightened inhabitants, fl ieeing
from their unroofed houses, were staggering
through the furious storm and night in
search OF shelter; animals, mad with r gh',
were plungtnR about wildly. Yet the
cyclone was not at its height. It's forces
seemed to augment up to nine o'clock.
Then suddenly eDsued an interval of per-
feet calm, Ia which there was neither wind
nor rain. This lastt half an hour during
which the barometer fell to 73 so or as indl-
Gated by some instruments to 1920. That
was the time In which Pinar del Rio was ex-
actly In the quiet centre OF the cyclone. At
$3.50 o'clock the other edge OF the surround-
ing storm belt struck the town. l. came
with seemingly the same measure of VIC
lence manifested half an hour earlier. ten
seconds before the interval of calm.
Again everything was dominated by
this horrible rage of nature. Palms up-
rooted from the soft earth crashed to the
ground, and neither the shock Of their fall
nor the cries OF the wretches crushed be-
meath them were heard in the roar of the
elements. Buildings were levelled with the
grounds ana their contents scattered ire
coverably. People caught by the tempest
were hurled through the afr like leaves.
Slowly, but by clearly perceptible degrees,
the storm abated until a. m. on the morn
ing OF the ninth, when # was no more than
an ordinary and seasonable affair. The.
barometer then stood at seventy four.
When day broke, the revelation of the
disasters wrought in the night was appall-
ing. Ptnar del Rio, was, as has been said,
almost destroyed. In San Juan and Mar
tinez 800 warehouses and dwellings had
Deen destroyed. In the Hacienda del Vale
5OO houses had disappeared. Seventy-five
POA SO11s Va bAC uOubes OF COnsOlaCiOn del
sur were in ruins. The greater part OF the
houses In the municipality of San Luis were
swept away. In the district of Guane it
was estimated that the cyclone had leveled
in ruins no less than 2,000 houses. dwellings
and tobacco storage buildings
In the vicinity OF San Jose, and, indeed, as
Tar as could be learned of the path of ihe
cyclone, all the country houses were scat
tered In fragments; the roads were obstruct-
ed Dy fallen trees, and rendered impassable
Dy the Tavines cut in them by rushing tor
rents OF water; the bridges were swept away:
great numbers OF domestic animals were
drowned; fields OF vegetables were wholly
ruined; in short, In that richest portion Of
Cuba, hunger suddenly stared in the face a
large population of ruined, homeless, and
absolutely destitute people.
The first reports only mentioned twenty
one persons as positively known to have
perished, but there is no doubt that number
VIII be largely exceeded. The Vuelta Absio
furnishes the finest tobacco In Cuba.