The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-05
NEARLY ALL THE DEAD WHITES
More than Half the People Of the
Flooded District Lost.
ALL THE COAST WAS INUNDATED.
Heavy Death List Near Mobile; Prop.
erty Losses Reaching Millions.

Water to tho Depth OF Nearly Fifteen Rect
Swept Over tho Lower Louisiana Shores
and Islands. and There Was No Escape
Every Fishing Settlement and Coast Town
Covered-The Worst IL Near Graads
Isic-In Chemeie Caminada Alone Il 10
Estimated that 500 Lives Arc Lost-out or
OH Houses Only Three Remaln-FishinE
Fleets Were Destroyed and Vessels By the
Hundred Have Conc Down-The Youns
Men Who Could Struggle Long aad Hard
Are Chiefly the saved-A Great Property
Dnmnee-Later News, It 10 Thought, May
Raise tho Death List Above S,ooo
New ORLEANS. Dot. 4.-Nearly 1000 killed
and $5.0O0.O00 Of property destroyed is the
result Of the great Gulf storm OF two days ago
in Louisiana. More than half the population
in the region over which the hurricane swept
is dead. Everything is wrecked. Probably
one house in ten Is standing and the surviving
population is left in destitute situation. They
are without food. Most OF them have NO cloth
ing. for they were asleep when their houses
were crushed by tho wind and the waves.
More than dozen relief ex petitions went
down from New Orleans to-day to distribute
food among the survivors. Some OF them had
had nothing to eat since Monday. and to-day
an appeal was made to Collector Of Customs
Wilkinson to allow tho revenue vessels to pick
up the survivors or carry aid to them. The
known death list is already above 1900. and
only part OF the devastated country is heard
from. 1t 10 q network OF islands. bayous.
lakes. and swamps. and It will be week be-
fore the relief boats can traverse all tho water.
ways and discover the full extent OF the dam.
age dons.
The worst. however. 10 known. for all the
larger settlements have been heard from. and
it is only the smaller ones scattered along the
bayous and interior lakes. that will have to be
visited. The loss OF life In the parish Of
sippi. has been heavy. The record there 10
1913 lives. But the great loss was In the int
rior settle ments. on the Gulf coast and tho
bayous leading to It.
The country there Is mainly sea marsh. al.
most destitute Of trees. The highest point 10
only seven feet above the sea level. and the
greater part is only three feet high. When.
therefore. the storm piled the waves up fifteen
feet they swept over the islands and ridges
carrying everything before them. There have
been several similar disasters on the coast.
notably at Last Island six years ago. where
2S6 people lost their lives; at Johnston's
Bayou at the same time when tho lost num-
bered 22O. but Mondays disaster far surpassed
these In horror.
Tho news has come In slowly. On Monday IL
was known that the storm had been very de-
structivo in PlaQuemine parish. and the loss
OF life was estimated as high as thirty-Hve.
On Tuesday the news came OF the obstruction
of the Bayou Cook settlement and the deaths
were thought to be as many as $50. To-day
came in quick succession the news OF the dis
asters at Caminada. the largest fishing settle
ment on the Gulf coast. at Grande Isle. and
other places and the mortality Ia estimated at
2 O0O The list will probably exceed the latter
figure when the full record 10 made up.
The deaths are confined to two parishea
and Jefferson. and are moro than
one fourth total white population. The
seriously wounded are few In number. The
severity OF the storm was such that 1t required
q man Of tho finest physique and In perfect
condition OF health to live through It all. The
weak and injured were killed. and In the set
Elements whore the storm was worst not o
single child survived. and very few women.
The survivors are the young men In the vigor
,f manhood. There 10 none OF them but has
errble story to toll. and every one OF them 10
BADLY bruised. They escaped mainly on rats
Or logs. floating from twenty to forty hours In
he water with tho wind at lis miles an hour.
The deaths SO far reported. and which are con.
lrmed. are:
'hemie Caminada
Fishermen the settlement at In their boats e40
tayou Challon 20
ystor bayou
fishing settlements around Bayou Cook ........ as
jird Island %
mon Island 10
i0sAriO
Island
t. Malo 20
dams bay