Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1891-08-26
SCORES OF LIVES LOST.
Wide Destruction at Martinique from the
Hurricane.


Hurricane.
PARIS, Aug. notwithstanding that
Martinique is a French colony, and that
news has reached here from the United
States showing that a hurricane has
swept over that island causing consid-
cradle damage, only the most meager
details have been received in this city.
The first information received here was
20 the effect that every vessel in the
harbor at Fort de France, the principal
harbor Of the island, situated on the
southwest side of Martinique, had been
lost. st. Pierre, however, is the cap
ital and on the northwest side. 1t
was also said that the houses at Fort de
France and st. Pierre had been dam
aged by the hurricane, and that many
lives were reported TO have been lost.
The only additional Information re-
ceived here is that the number of yes
sells lost is over twenty, and that this
number includes the Bienfaiteur and
Ned White. The Bienfaiteur is a French
bark, Capt. GARNER, 2S7 tons. She left
Rio JaneirO on June Ii for Martinique.
I he Ned White is an American barque,
Capt. Elwell, 523 tons. She left Havana
on June % for st. Pierre.
Official advices received here this
which has visited Martinique is the
most severe since the year 1917. The
disaster is said to equal the cyclone
which swept over the island of Antigua
in 1871. So far as can be learned, there
have been nearly if not quite sixty
deaths as a result Of the hurricanes Wis
itation, but it will be some time before
the extent Of the disaster is known.
At Fort de France alone there have
been twelve lives lost, and in both
Fort de France and st. Pierre, to say
nothing of the country districts, there
have been large numbers of people in
iured. AT st. Pierre five persons are
are known to have been killed, but it is
feared that the number does not repre-
sent the entire loss of life in the
capital.
Communication with the different
ports of the Island was never an easy
matter, and it is now doubly difficult to
get detailed news. AS the reports
from the various sections reach
St. Pierre it becomes evident that the
extent of the hurricane and devastation
has not been much exaggerated De-
strucjion of property and loss of life is
reported from all parts of the coast.
The latest report received at St.
Pierre from Lamentin, shows that the
hurricane counts ten victims in that
place alone in addition to large num-
Der of injured. At Francois there have
been sixteen people killed and large
numbers injured, and at Riviere Pilote
there have been two or more deaths, and
SO on from all parts of the island come
tales of woe and destruction. La Trinite
sends in the list OF its dead at ten, and
numbers of more or less severely in
iured.
The damage done to shipping and
property may safely be classed as stu
pendous. About two-fifths of the island
WAS under cultivation; all the cultiva
ton and all the forests in the path of
the hurricane appear to have been
swept away. The numerous sugar,
coffee, cotton and cocoa plantations
which felt the force of the tornado
seem to have been utterly destroyed.
As is we'll known Fort de France
and st. Pierre are important ports on
the lesser Antilles. They are not only
ports of destination for a large number
Of vessels from all parts OF the world,
but are ports of call for hundreds of
others. Martinique lies in such a
position that it is liable to re-
dreadful gales that prevail in
these ATTITUDES during the hurricane
season. Masters of sailing vessels at
Martinique take extraordinary precau-
tons to secure the safety of their yes
sells while lying a. anchor or moorings
at either of these ports, and as a rule
steamers during the hurricane season lie
with steam up ready to proceed to sea
at the first indications of a hurricane, SO
that they may have plenty of sea room in
which to ride out the gallo.