The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1885-12-30
A "NORHHER'S" FURY.
Fifteen Vessels and Scores OF
Lives Lost at Panama.
The Scene of Devastation Described
by an Eye Witness.

The Pacific Mail steamer Acapulco, which
has arrived at New York from Aspinwall,
brings advicos which tell a terrible story OF
disasters to shipping and the loss of life
caused by the hurricane of December z.
When the gale BEGAN there were eighteen YES
sells Of all rigs and nationalities laying in
Navy bay at Aspinwall. At its cessation on
December 4 only three of them had escaped
destruction and many lives had been lost.
Purser Henry Emerson, Of the Acapulco,
said to q reporter: 81 was a with sss Of the
terrible norther that visitel A,pinwall Oh
December 9. The town had been partially
rebuilt since it's complete destruction by the
rebel Prestan, lately hangel |, and commerce,
which had been frightened away during
those troubles, had returned. Vessels OF all
kinds and many nations lay at anchor in Navy
bay on the morning which ushered in the
hurricane. Situated in the tropics, the harom-
eter acts imperfectly and a norther generally
comes in unannounced, exc pit by a squat.
At this season of the year the weather
is always uncertain; but at that
particular time there was nothing to III :lcate
O storm which would induce O careful skip
per to put to sea. Navy bay is shaped some
LGlHS lke n uOlScSuoe, tuo oPeiii'? pNo
toward the northwest, so it is impossible for
q sailing vessel to leave If the wind anu sea
are from that quarter.
"At2 P. H., although the wind was not
strong, q heavy rolling SEA set in. This IN
creased to such all extent that at 4 O'Clock
all steam vessels we're forced to slip their
cables and go to sea. The first to attempt
this was q German steamer.
so great was the force Of the
waves that she found it lmpos,
sible to get her head to the wind and drifted
sideways against the dock of the Royal Mall
Packet company, damaging it considerably.
After a time she succeeded in healing sea-
ward and passed out of danger. In the mean
time the fleet Of sailing craft were using
every exertion to keep from being
driven ashore. The first one to part her
cable was the little sloop Mark
Time, manned by two men. Then followed
the Norwegian bark Holden, British brig
Evelina, American brig Orto.oI (all hands
lost, French bark Ocean, American bark
Veteran, British bark Douglas Castle, Nor
wegian bark Karnau,. British bark Lyn1ton,
Austrian bark Tigri, Norwegian bark
Blanche, Colombian brig Catalina, Coon
bian brig Stella, American schooners Frank
Atwood. Arts and Rio Grande and sloop
Mark Time. 1t is remarkable that each
hour of the gale was marked by the loss OF a
vessel. =,
1.-THE loss of life is variously estimated and
not yet ascertained, few, however, placing 1t
below fifty and many above a hundred. The
thr. lling scenes which took place during thu
storm would ill a book. On the afternoon
of Thursday three mon were seen clinging to
a buoy not far from shore. 1t was i'm
possible to get them through the SURF.
When night closed they were still there. In
the morning they were gone. The most
heartrending incident OF the storm was That
of the captain of the bark Lyntor. With
his wife and two children, one a babe III
arms, he was seen clinging to the wreck
of his vessel. The chief officer OF a French
steamer and four sailors volunteered to go
to their rescue. When near them an enor-
nous wave broke over their toat and the
mate was swept off and drowned. Discour.
aged the men put back to their vessel, IN |
the chief engineer took the place OF the LOST
mate. He shared the fate Of his brother ofti-
Ger. The boats crew kept on and succeeded in
saving the woman and her babe. The father
wa, drowned before assistance reached him.
"The total loss is said to be not less than
81 1000, 900, most Of which is covered by in
surance. 1t it seven years since a ntrther
visited Colon, and it is fortunate that the III
tervals are so long, else traffic with that port
would be greatly reduced. The schooner
Frank Atwood, Of New York, which was
lost, is notable as being the vessel on which
Boss Tweed effected his escape"