The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-09-06
1900 DROWNED,
And THOUSANDS STARVING
Appalling Details Of the Sea
Island Disaster.
THE SAD STORY AS TOLD BY A. W. JONES
AN EYE WITNESS.
Narrowing Details OF One Of the
Greatest CaIamities This country
Hax Known-The Phosphate In.
dustry Practically Ruined.
The Slale.

Greatest CaIamities This country
Has Known-The Phosphate In.
dustry Practically Ruined.
The State.
Although nearly a week has passed, IL has
been almost impossible to secure details OF
the loss of lie on the sea islands of South
Carolina by the hurricane. Previous reports
Indicated that It would be something fearful,
but not until last night war any authentic IN
formation obtainable from any point.
The facts came from q man direct from the
scene Of devastation and better In formed per-
hsps than any one else 10 the seGlion iS s ~ M Is
the estimate OF the actual loss ol human
souls, and the greater part Of the survivors
are threatened with food famine.
Last night State Phosphate inspector Jones
and Sheriff Reed, the Intelligent cOlOred OH
cial OF Beau fort county, arrived here, having
worked their way directly through from the
islands, and from them particulars or the
heartrending story were obtained;
MIR. Jones told his story hurriedly, being
pressed for time but IL Is graphic. IL IL given
verbatim:
"The morning q lter the storm there was not
craft to be seen atioai. About ~ O'CLOCK ,; tne
mines. She was placed In charter at once by
the Port Royal and Augusta Railroad Compa-
NY. On Tuesday another boat, the 81. Cecilia,
the only other buat In sight, belonging to the
Coosaw Mining company, came. She saved
seven teen lives on Monday after the storm In
Coosaw river. When she came down to the
wharf Smalls ordered her and the vessel Doth
to 20 out 10 the CITY OF Savannah. got on
the ST. Cecilia and TOOK q view OF the phos-
phate territory. When we arrived nothing
could be seen Except the dredge, and The DER
rick OF the Beaufort Phosphate e. Co,fnpany ,f PAM, q
About q mile up on Port Royal Island could
be- seen one OF the dredges OF the Farmers
Mining Company and one OF The Coosaw
dredges. Way up on Chisolrn's Island about
kIo tplo ha al trA1YaR.
OF which had cut her way through The forest
and was on the high land. The dredge VIM
bee was bottom side upward. One OF the Coo
saw tug boats was me- Gardners CSrher,
nile In the marsh, and one In front OF the VI.
flee up on high land. Nothing can he heard
or the Ivanhoe. She Is supposed 10 be lost.
The large and commodions wharyes OF the
The village at Coossw was totally destroyed
There was
"NOr SINGLE HOUSE IN SIGHT.
1.-THE drying shed was unroofed and the ma.
ehinery destroyed. This company had about
1000 tons OF rock on hand. about II. 700 oI
which had been dried and made ready Tor
market. II will now have 10 be re dried
This company had five dredges and sixty
eight lighters and forty flats. All are strand.
ed from Parrott's Creek 10 Coosaw station.
Many are total wrecks, others are 30 far In
land that they Will cost more than they are
com pany is placed ut Sl5O,UO0, considering the
property that can be saved. The Farmers
Mining Com pany's dredge Delaware Ia sunk.
The wnshout Is huff u mile inland ON Port
Royal Island. This company was fortunate
ln having their large dredge Columbia on the
ways, being repaired. The only dredge left OF
the eleven dredges Of the river fleet was this
The estimated loss Of this company is placed
at $40 100.
"The loss of the Carolina Mining Company
Is placed at S150.O0D.
pany, one dredgs and M tug boat, and lighters
THE brotherhood works or drying sheds,
the Beaufort and Farmers Mining Conpa'
MES drying sheds are seriously damaged but
nothing T., compare with the Coosaw Mining
Company's.
THE PHOSPHATE PROPERTY LOSS.
"The aggregate loss In my opinion is about
$3.50, 900. With liberal policy adopted by the
SLaie and concessions grnnted the CoosaW
Beaufort Phosphate Co., will resume opera
/ tions within sixty days, II money and labor
can be secured TO rehabilitate them. 10 re-
place the John Kennedy, one large dredse, y
Six months time this company Will be In op
eIatiOn.
NEGROES SWEPT FROM THE FACE OF THE
EARTH.
"a large number OF these phosphate hand:
were out on Coosaw Island. They had oy
thrift, etc., built up their own homes. VIII
strong ship glasses we could not see single
house standing and not single soul could bt
seen on the island. Pupe's store. which Wal
situated at the upper end OF the isiand, Oh
the corner of Dale's creek, was entirely swep
away; even the foundation and the earth be
lug washed away. Opposite, on the othel
side, was the custom house, but notning wa
| left 10 show where H. stQpd.
| HFr0m what could be seen win the RlaSSeP
the Pacific mines were completely lost. Th'
wharves were all gone and the houses Wer'
all down.
THINK OF THIS.
"There was a schooner drawing fourteen
feet Of water loading at the Paciflc mines Ina
was carried three miles over the niarsh. I'M
captain told me IL was like an Inland sea ant
he did not know he was out OF the river til
his vessel sunk The tide must have been bc
tween twelve and eighteen feet above NEAR
high tide.
sThe Sea Island Chemical Works were bad
ly damaged. The estimated loss Is s25:OVl
We found q great deal OF debris, broker
maSts, etc. We sighted three vessels higl
and dry, two on the Chisolm's Island marsh
one on South Edisto, and water logge'
schooner in st. Helera Snund. and wv
schooners about ten miles outside, the spar
off OF the wreck OF the City OF Savannah
about four miles where we found the City
Birmingham and she was burning sigma
lights 10 tile wreck ell steamer. W stoduie'
In two miles OF the steamer but the sea ran 8
high we could get no nearer. We cruise
around till o'clock IN the mUrning and mott
fled the Birmingham that we would run INT
Port Royal harbor and return next morn1ti
az the sea was running so high ami our III
boat had Deen lost. In Port Royal sound mex
morning we saw eight wrecks. we started !
return 10 the City Oi Savannah when lhe Ill!
tress signal was seen flying from
MARTINS INDUSTRY LIGHTsHIP.
I'VE went over and spoke 10 her ard fonn
that she had been In the Bhonl and gotten ou
and WAS then about three miles Off her Sta
tion. Capt. Messen. the officer In charge. VI, wa
dIsu bled ind was said to be dying below. I'll
pilot gave the mates directions az 10 IN
course 10 get back on the station. Our COZ
giving out we returned TO Beaufort.
THE PHOSPHATE SITUATION.
1.-THE State, In order to relieve the pho
phate situation, will, as the Governor say
make reduction In the royalty. am goin
back to Beau 'Ort and get q careful estimate