The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1893-09-06
600 LIVES LOST.
Seven Thousand Persous Totally DestI-
tute,
Columbia State.

from, and the people were resting easier.
But it all seems to have been false reck-
oning, based upon the reports from all
points heard from.
A brief but very startling message came
ticking into the Western Union office
last night from far-of section of the
State which had not been heard from,
and was soon after delivered to Governor
Tillman, being the first official intelli-
gence to reach him upon his return from
Chicago.
Upon it's receipt, he acted promptly, as
the following proclamation, issued at IL
o'clock last night, shows. 1t contains
the information furnished in the tele-
gram:
STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
EXECUTIVE CHAMBER,
COLUMBIA, S. G., Aug. 81, 1893.
Proclamation:
Having received the following telegram
from J. H. Ayerill, receiver Of the Port
ROYAL and Augusta Railroad Company,
conveying the startling intelligence of an
appalling loss of life and terrible state
Of destitution upon the islands on the
coast of this State resulting from the ter
rible hurricane which the Almighty in
His Judgment has visited upon the people
of the South Atlantic States, causing uni
versal suffering:
"YEMAssEE, s. c., Aug. 81.
ITO Hon. B. R. Tillman, Governor of
South Carolina:
"The loss of life by the recent cyclone
on the islands adjacent to Beaufort and
Port Royal will number not less than 600
people. There are 1000 people on the is
lands entirely destitute Of provisions, all
they had being washed away, and their
crops entirely lost. Great destitutlon
will prevail among them unless they
have speedy relief I am working night
and day to open up communication, and
hope to have trains into Beaufort not Ia
ter than Monday next. Please address
eny reply you have to me at Yemassee,
from which point it will be forwarded by
railroad. 81. II. AvERILL."
Now, T, B. r. Tillman, Governor OF
the State of South Carolina, acting in my
official capacity, and for the best interests
of the people of this commonwealth, do
issue this, my proclamation, and call upon
the people throughout the length and
breadth Of the State to come to the aid OF
their suffering fellow citizens.
The fact that these are poor colored
farmers whose homes have been ruined
and crops destroyed, appeals with pecu-
liar force to every right-thinking person.
The general loss in Charleston and else.
where is great, but other communities
can take care Of themselves.
Contributions can be made in money,
food, clothing and other necessarles OF
life sufficient to meet the present emer-
oency. Money contributions can be sent
to the Bank of Beaufort. subject to the
draft of general relief committee,
which I will appoint at the earliest posi-
BILE moment with headquarters at Port
Royal.
call upon all classes Of people, both
white and colored, to come hastily to the
relief Of these unfortunate people.
would suggest that church, charitable
and philanthropic organizations collect
their contributions at the various railway
stations, to be shipped to Port Royal as
soon as the railroad isrepaired.
Full directions will be given through
the press later on; and remember, "He
gives twice who gives quickly" under
these circumstances.
B. r. TILLMAN,
Governor of South Carolina.
Governor Tillman has telegraphed Mr..
Averill that prompt measures for the re.
lief of the sufferers will be taken and ask
ing him to suggest seven persons Of
Beaufort and Port Royal, two at least Of
whom shall be negroes, whom he can ap-
point at once on the general relief COM
mittee.
AUGUSTA, GA, August 31.-A special
to the Chronicle from Beaufort, S. O.,
says: Over three hundred and ninety
dead bodies have been found on the ls-
lands about Beaufort and Port Royal.
Over two million dollars worth of prop
erty has been wrecked near the same
points. Both Of these are the direct re-
suits of the severe storm which swept
along the Atlantic coast Sunday night.
Every one of the fifteen or twenty islands
lying around Port Royal and Beaufort
are stepped in sorrow. On every door
knob there is bunch of crepe and upon
every hillside there are fresh made
graves, some already filled, while others
are awaiting the bodies that will be de-
posted in them just as soon as some one
can be found to perform the kind Chris
tian act of shovelling the dirt upon the
coffin.
The beaches, the underground, trees
and shrubbery, the marshes and the in
lets are turning up new bodies every
time an investigation is made. OF the
many disasters and devastations which
have visited this section Of the country,
none have been half 80 horrible as those
which came Sunday. Already more than
200 bodies have been found, and those
who are at ali posted about the country
and the habits Of the people IN the storm
visited sections are confident in their pre-
diction that the death roll will run as
high as 500. Some of the people, and
they are among.the best people OF this
section of the State-even place the loss
at more than one thousand.
There has not been an hour OF any day
since the early hours Of Monday morning
that dead body has not been found at
some point on one of the mauy islands.
AS the waters recede and the people
move deeper into the wreckage gathered
by the storm. the CHASTITY pictures are
uncovered. So frequent are the dlscove-
ries that the finding of a single body at
tracts no attention at all. 1t takes the
discovery of at least a clump OF hall
dozen or more to induce the people to
show any feeling whatever.
It is around Beaufort and Port Royal
that the death rate was the greatest, but
in neither of the towns were many lives
lost. At Beaufort only ten cotfins were
bought to supply the local demand, while
Port Royal got OFF even lighter, Around
the two towns there is a complete chain
of islands, and it was upon these that the
black angel Of death lowered for hours
Sunday night, leaving in his path sorrow
and desolation greater than has ever Wis
tied the State before, even in the bloody
days of reconstruction.
The storm was one of the most severe
the people of the coast have ever known.
This section OF the Atlantic coast has
been prolific in storms-storms that scat
Tered death and destruction OF property
in their wake; but the weather-wise, the
oldest citizen, the pilot, cannot recall
anything equaling it. Wind, rain, and
hail and the elements seemed combined
in their greatest fury. TIE seas ran
high and salt water waves were driven by
the heavy winds as much as twenty miles
inland. Houses were blown away /; trees
were torn from the earth, leaving holes
big enough to hide a freight train. Yes.
sells were dashed againstthe breakers and
thrown upon the earth as much as five
miles from the waters edge. It was 9
grand tableaux, and those who passed
through twill never forget the experience
Of Sunday nipht