Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1885-12-08
CARIBBEAN CAPERS.
Particulars Of the Five Days Storm
OH the Panama Coast--A Tale
Of Death ard Destruction.
Three Vessels known TO be Los, with
All on Board--A Dozen Others Snp.
posed TO Have Gone Down.
ocean steamers Compelled 10 Put 10 Sen
for Proteotion-Plers and Ware
houses Shattered

AspINwALL, Dec. The great storm,
which has ragged with such destrnctive
| violence for the past three DAYS. leaying
death and devastating ruin In its wake
mas subsidized. On the morning OF the
"a, heavy swell set In from the north.
west. The wind freshcned 10 a Gale
Inc weather looked exceedingly threat.
| enihg aud instant preparations were made
Tor the Paciic Mail steamship, the
Acapulco, to leave her wharf. The wind
| was increasing hourly In violence. A s.
p IN. Herman steamship lying at pier
NO cast loose and attempted TO head
SEWARD, The sea at this time was run
nlhg inland with frightiul velocity.
| Inc captain OF the German steamer In
| attempting TO save ms anchor allowed
| inc vessel 10 be carried by the wind and
current against pier No. . OF the ROYAL
man, where she remained IN A
very critical position until 1 y. M.
when she succeeded In getting
on and steamed seward in the teeth OF
the furious gale.
The French and Spanish steamers, which
were both az pier No. 2, cast loose
as soon as the German steamship got
clear and also stood out TO sea with full
head OF steam at 1880 n. m. The sea
wind and squalls were rapidly increasing
In velocity and tempestuousness and the
weather continued to assume more
| threatening appearance, with heavy
swells breaking over the wharyes I'm all
directions. The Pacific Mail steamship
Acapulco cast loose her anchors and with
great difficulty cleared her docks aud I'M
! der iull head OF steam sought greater
leeway outside the harbor
The wind, which had now increased to
the velocity Of hurricane, continued
! throughout the night with undated fury
The morning Of the Sd there was 40
cessation In the storm, aud as far as the
! eye could reach In the binding spray II
unfolded sickenjng scene of destruction
aud dcsOlation. The wind shrieked and
moaned as itswept by IN terrific blasts
| while the sea came rolling in In thunder
| Ing breakers that broke with sullen roar
| upon the Wharyes, carrying destruction
| upon It's maddeuing waves far inland
| On the water front piers Nos / and still
remained intact with little apparent
damage. The foundations OF the shore
and OF tie Royal Mail pier, which was
damaged by the collision OF the German
steamer, were badly washed by the heavy
seas. The company's new Office was
| completely carried away, and tue
freight warehouse badly damaged.
Pier No. for distance OF seventy-fve
feet, extending from the railway tracks
to the coal-berths, Is washed away and
the ballast supporting the railway, for
about thirty feet, is also swept away.
The Pacific Mail pier stands, but is badly
shattered. About twenty feet OF the
northwest end are gone, while the floor
ing Is torn up and the warehouse, with It's
contents, Is washed away. The pier on
the north side of the harbor was carried
away, and 100 cans of kerosene and a
number OF barrels of alcohol were pre-
cipitated overheard. There are now live
vessels within 100 yards OF the breakers
OF the mouth of the Fox river, and they
are in an extremely precarious position.
The greatest loss TO life and property is
among the shipping The following
hands:
| The Norwegian bark Holden.
The British brig EvelIna.
The American brig Ortolan.
The American bark Veteran, the
British bark Douglas Castle, the Nor
wegian bark Kurwan, the British bark
| Lynton, the Austrian bark Tiger, the
Norwegian bark Blanche, the Colombian
| briggs Catalina and Stella, the American
schooners Frank Atwood, the Avis and
the Rio Grande, and the sloop Moutline
are all supposed TO be lost with their en-
tire crews, except the wife and baby Of
the captain OF the British bark LINTON.
The number of lives lost or the extent
OF the damage inflicted is still unknown,
During the 9Th and 9TH the hurricane
subsidized. On the 9Th at ? p N. tie
weather still continued threatening A
scud is flying very rapidly from the north
west, indicating another terrific norther
Botn OF the Royal Mail steamers, which
| returned after the subsistence of the
storm, have left their wharyes and are
anchored in the stream. The steamship
Acapulco Is still alongside the wharf.
The wind yeered from the west-southwest
TO the northwest and Is blowing fresh
and strong. The United States steam
ship Galena has arrived and has
! dropped her anchors In the stream.
The passengers and mail from Panama
| Tor the Royal Mail steamer got as far as
Bohio, Saldado, and were then compelled
to return on account OF the Immense dam
age inflicted 10 the railway by the storm.
II will be several days before any correct
estimate of the damage can be ascertalnedg