The Waco daily examiner. [volume] (Waco, Tex.) 187?-1888, 1885-12-08
wild WINDS.
A Terrible Storm Creates
Great Havoc and Destruc-
ton at Aspinwall.
scores of Vessels Wreck ed, and
Many Others Driven Out to
the Open Sea.
Many Lives Lost and Great
Damage Done to the wharves
and Railway.
Great Fire in Death in
shaft-MysteriOus Movements
OF Troops.
OUR NEI,sHBORs.


II
Tho Great storm NJ Aspinw ali.
AsPINwALL, December t. The
great storm which ragged with such
destructive violence for the past three
days, leaving death and devastating
ruin In Its wake, has subsidized. On
I, the morning of December I'd, u heavy
swell set in from the northwest, the
wind freshened to a gaze; the weather
looked exceedingly threatening, and
instant preparations were made tor
the Pacific Mail steamship, Acapulco,
to leave her wharf as the wind was
increasing hourly in violence. At 8
o'clock p. m. the German steamship
lying at pier No. l, cast loose and at
tempted to head seward, as the sea
at this time was running inland
WITH FRIGHTFUL VELOCITY.
The captain of the German steamer.
in attempting to save his anchor,
allowed the vessel to be carried by
the wind and current against pier
No. 2, of the Royal Mail line, where
she remained in very critical posi-
ton, until p. m. when she succeeded
In getting off and steamed seward,
in the teeth of the furious gale. The
French and Spanish steamers, which
were berthed at pier No. 2, cast loose
as soon as the German steamship got
clear, and also stood out to sea with
full head Of steam on. At $3.50 p. IN.
the sea, wind and squalls rapidly in
creasing in velocity and tempestuous,
and the weather continuing to assume
a more threatening appearance, with
heavy swells breaking over the
wharves in all directions, the Pacific
Mail steamship, Acapulco, cast loose
her anchors and with great difficulty
cleared the docks, and under a fujl
head OF steam sought greater leeway
outside the harbor. The wind, which
bad now increased to the velocity of
hurricane, continued throughout
the night with undated fury. The
morning of the Sd, there was no ces-
sation in the storm and as far as the
eye could reach in the binding spray,
1t unfolded sickening scene of
DESTRUCTION AND DEsoLATIoN.
The WIND shrit ked and moaned as
1t swept by in terrific blasts, while
the sea came rolling in with thunder
ing breakers that broke with sullen
roar upon the wharves, carrying de-
struetion upon its maddening waves.
that rolled far inland. On the waters
front piers Mes / and 2 still
remained intact, with little apparent
damage. The foundations of the
shore end of theRoyal Mail pier which
was damaged by TIE collidiug of the
German steamer were badly washed
by the heavy seas; the company's new
Office was completely carried away
and the freight warehouse badly
canted over. Pier No. 4, for dis.
lance OF seyenty-ilve feet, extending
from the railway track TO the Goa
berths, is washed away, and the bal.
last supporting the railway for about
thirty feet, is also swept away.
The Pacific Mail pier still stands
but is badly shattered; about twenty
feet OF its northwest end is gone
while the flooring is torn up ana the
warehouse, with its contents, Ii
washed away. Two iron piers On tn,
north side of the harbor were carried
away, and hundred cars OF kerosene
and number of barrels of alcoho
were preciritated overheard. Their,
are Now five vessels within 100 Yard
of the breakers, off the mouth Of Flo,
river, and they are in an extrcmel,
precarious position.
THE GREATEST LOSS
to life and property is among tn,
shipping. The following vessels ar,
known to be lost with all hands
Norwegian bark, Holden; British
brig, Eveliua, and the American brig
Ortolan.
) l
The French bark, Ocean; the Amer
can bark, Veteran; the British bark
Douglas Castle; Norwegian bark, Kar
man; British bark, LINTON; Austrian
bark, Tigri; Norwegian bark, Blauche
Columbian brigs. Catalina an,
Stella; American schooners, Frank At
, wood, the Avis and Rio Grande, an,
! The sloop Moutlime, are all suppose,
+ TO be lost with their entire crews, ex
cept the wife and baby of the captain
I of the British bark, Lynton. TIL
4 number of lives lost or the extent o
damage jnllicted is still unknown.
nj During the 4th and 9th the hurri
!. cane subsidized, but on the 9th, at 2 I
a m, the weather still continued threat
y ening. A scud is flying very rapid
. from the northwest, Indicating an
| pthti tei iihD hoitntIs DUN Tue hoy
4 al Mail steamers, which returned al
ter the subsistence OF the storm, hav
a left their wharves and are anchore
!, in the stream. The steamship AcaI
= uico is still alongside the wharf. III
, wind has veered from west southwe,
), to northwest, and is blowing fires
: and strong. qs -ls a.N,I.t
e The Unitec States steamship Gal,
: ma, has arrived and dropped her al
g chors In the stream.
q Passengers and mail from Panan
,, for the Royal Mail steamers, got
\, far as Bahia Saldado, and were the
% compelled to return ON account of Il
- immense damage inflicted on Il
a railway by the storm.
y 1t will be several days before al
correct estimate of the damage CT
be ascertained.