The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1888-08-25
Storm Notes.

SACNO Nhup b1 tliC NiutA
and rain, and large numbers of horses,
mules, cows, colts, hogs, goats, calves,
poultry, ETC., were drowned, and the
bloated carcasses were evidence of the
fact as they foated around in the sub
merged districts.
Boats and RATS of all kinds were the
only means of travel in the rear of the
city all day yesterday, and as these
were rather slow, as we'll as limited in
numbers, considerable suffering was
entailed upon the poor people residing
in the flooded portions of the city who
depended on the markets of the city for
supplies. Parties owning skiffs reaped
harvest, for they charged high prices
for passage in their craft
Some of the residents in the over
flowed districts appeared to enjoy the
novelty of taking boat rides over
streets and sidewalks OF through yards
and over fields. Canal street as a
canal appeared to be preferred to Canal
streeteas a drive by pleasure parties,
and quite number of ladies were seen
in skiffs enjoying a sail on Canal street.
When a shower came the boat was
rowed under shed, and remained
there until the rain abated, when the
boat would proceed on its trip. To
protect them from the sun's rays the
ladies opened umbrellas.
! The steamer Henry Lourey, landed
at Eighty -one Mile Point at 9 O'Clock
Sunday night with tow of eight
barges, and at IL o'clock the wind in
creased in fury and blew her and the
tow across the river. where she struck
the bank, breaking some of the buckets
and arms of her wheel and loosening
several of the guys of her chimneys.
At the same time G1e of the outside
barges had its roof torn off and lifted
over the entire width of the tow, dis
tance of about $50 feet, breaking the
hog chain Of one of the other barges
and tearing up several matches. The
high waves then rapidly filled the roof
less barge, and in about fifteen minutes
it sank out of sight.
The cargoes of one or two of tire other
barges were slightly damaged by rain
The steamer Teche was damaged to
the extent of about $4,000. She first
felt the effect of the storm at 8 o'clock
Sunday night and sought landing
above the coal feet, this side of Baton
Rouge. There she mado fast her lines
to three large trees, and remained there
until 10 O'Clock, when an extra heavy
blow caused her to break from her
moorings, tea,ing the trees up by the
roots Jushii then the bdmping and
twisting sh8 received by The waves,
Which, ran twenty feet high, caused one
of her small steampipes to give way,
and she was left to tie mercy of the
clements.
That she was not torn to pieces and
that nobody on board was lost or in.
jured seems miracle. She was blown
ut fearful rate of speed broadside
aG.inst the current and across the river
to Borasso Landing. point two miles
further mp the river, where she went
into the bank stern foremost, breaking
one of the fianges and large portion
of the woodwork of her wheel, knock
ing down her derrick, boom and stage,
breaking two hogchains and twisting
her cabif considerably.
The wind then kept her in near shore
and she was again made fast and the
passengers, including Mrs. Captain Belt
and several other ladies and children
were gotten safely on the bank, where
they were provided with tarpaulins
and bedspreads to protect themselves
with. There they remained until Mon
day morning, being nearly drowned
out by the rain, which all the time was
coming down in torrents. The cabin
and stater0oms of the boat were flooded
by the rain and the carpeting and bed
ding were considerably damaged. The
waves broke over the guards with great
force but did comparatively little dam
age. Monday morning the storm sub
sided, all hands were taken aboard
again and made comfortable, repairs
were made and Monday night the boat
once more started for the city, arriving
here about noon yesterday.
The Teche is owned by Captain Lloyd
T. Belt and others and the captain
states that after the experience she un
derWent he is convinced that she is the
best sternwheel boat afioat.
The steamer Warren, running tempo
rarily in the Bayou Sara trade, Jared
considerably worse than the Teche.
She was about to make landing at.
Baton Rouge at o'clock Sunday night,
when the wind caught her and carried
her over to the opposite side of the
river, where she made fast to several
large logs on the bank. She was not
safe there, however, for in less than
three hours the wind shifted and blew
her broadside out into the river and
foiafsmiles up stream over to Montesano
landing, where she struck with such
force that her elimneys toppIed over
and fell an-a, her port derrick, boom
and stage we're carried away. The
forward part of her texas was Knocked
in, her wheel was badly damaged, her
Fudders broken and the cam of one Of
her engines broken The rain also
PLAYED havoc with the carpeting and
bedding in the cabin and statereoms.
It was while the Warren was landed sst
Montesano that the sad accident hap
pened to Mr.. John r. Luckett. her
second clerk. It is supposed that he
left the cabin to go down stairs, when
the wind blew him against the boiler
deck ratings, where he lost his balance
and fell to the deck below, breaking
his neck.
The Warren arrived yesterday in tow
Of the Mamie COyle. The damage TO
her will probably amount to $4,000.
The State board of education con
vened at Baton Rouge last week and ap
pointed parish school boards for the en-
fire stats For ST Landry. the follow