, 1885-08-27
A Terrible Cyclone IN Charleston.

CHARLESTON, Aug. 26.-Yesterday 5
storm in Charleston was a cyclone in
the proper sense of the term. The wind
was twenty-five miles an hour at 1870 in
the morning, increasing to thirty-five, for
ty and fifty, which was reached about s in
the morning, finally running to seventy or
! eighty miles an hour. The northern edge
of the cyclone touched Charleston and
COMPLETED its passage in forty minutes.
The streets of Charleston were not more
desolate at the end of the two hours. than
after the bombardment during the war.
The storm commenced properly at daylight
from the southeast, with frequent gusts as
early as 6 o'clock. The roof of St. Mi
chael's was stripped. At 7 a. m. the appa-
ntus on the roof of the signal Office was
demolished. The last observation recorded
the wind sixty-eight miles an hour. The
climax of the cyclone was about s o clock.
But a single shed is standing on the
wharf, everything being in ruins. At 9
o'clock there was a sudden lull, but soon
the gale increased and continued till 10
O'Clock, when the storm was over. Hun
dreds ufthousands of dollars were expen-
ded on the wharyes this season, putting
them in order. Halfa dozen yachts, two
pilot boats aud a dredging machine were
sunk. The cotton exchange building was
also damaged. There was also a fearful
storm at sea. The damage TO houses in
the city cannot be estimated
The Nelcs and Courier makes the fol-
lowing rough estimate of losses: Wharf
property, s35O,OOO; private property,
$500, 900; cotton presses, $50, 900; church,
$500 city property, $685. 600; railroads,
s5O,OOO, Ashley river bridge, $1,000;
shipping, 800, 900; lumber mills. $40, 900;
miscellaneous. slOo, 900. Total, sI,l2s,
900.
1t was impossible yesterday To telegraph
an adequate description of the cyclone.
1t proves to be the most disastrous storm
that has ever visited Charleston. Within
a comparatively few minutes the injury to
private property was very large in the ag-
gregate, though individual losses were
comparatively small, chiefly to roofs and
fences. Some of the wholesale dealers,
however, lose heavily by damage @ stock
The heaviest losses were along the water
front. A description of the damage in
this locality, however, was given in the
Augusta Dispatch. The Sullivan island
steamers, Pocsin and Sophie, are aground
in the harbor and considered beyond re
pair. The Union naval stores and city
wharvcs are badly wrecked. On Charles
ton favorite promenade, the East Bat
terry, the ground floors of residences were
from three to six feet under water. and
the handsome gardens were covered deep
with sedge, The sea rose so rapidly as to
have the appearance of a tidal wave. The
steamer Monticello, of the Florida line,
encountered the gale twenty-four hours
before she reached Charleston and had a
terrible passage, but is not injured. The
railroads leading into Charleston are con-
siderably damaged. On the Savannah
road several hundred feet of track was
washed away, but the road was in work
ing order again last night. The freight
depots of the Savannah and Northeastern
railroads are badly damaged, but the
freight in the depots is uniniurcd. The
Northeastern railroad track for a mile and
a half is covered with water and half the
track is washed of. Running arrange
ments have been made with the South
Carolina railway.