The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1893-10-11
AWFUL LOSS OF LIFE
Over Two Thous md Lives Lost
In a Southern Storm.
A TALE OF DESTRUCTION
From Louisiana That Rivals the Stories
of Wholesale Losses of life by
Flood and Earthquake in
the Orient.

The great storm between New Orleans and
Mobile last week has passed aud the
loss of life, to say nothing of the destruc-
ton OF property, is tremendous. From
Bayou Cook, the great oyster field which
leads to the gulf 1t is reported that
the settlements of the fishermen have been
completely demolished and that the loss of
life Las reache the appalling figure of
$50
Grand Isle a summer resort, lying in the
gulf, is said to have been utterly destroyed,
and it is known that the loss of life is large.
Many people were there spending the sea-
son. The hotel and the two long rows of
cottages which constituted the resort are no
more.
In the parish of Plaque Mine the villages
of bohemia. on the Mississippi, and Shell
Beach, on Lake Borgue were wiped cut and
at least -four lives lost in each place. On
both sides of the river the sugar, rice and
orange crops suffered a great deal of dam
age, and on the west side the loss of life Is
reported to have been great. 1t is feared
that the grand total will pale into insignif-
cance the number Of deaths reported from
the storm which recently devastated the
Atlantic Coast
At Grand Bay, Ala, four churches were
destroyed aud the churches at Scranton
suffered a like fate. Houses have been
scattered. crops ruined, and desolation an
pears on every hand.
Train crews arriving at New Orleans on
the Grand Island road, report the track
covered with debris in which dead bodies
are profuscly interming'ed, and one Of the
passengers asserts that he counted no less
than ~ bodies on his Journey to the city
from that part of the DESTROYED district
The country throughout is a scene of wreck
and devastation.
Tony Negovtch, one Of the survivors, re.
ports that ~ bodies had been found there
up to the time of leaving, and from infor-
nation volunteered by other arrivals, it is
estimated that 300 people perished on Ba-
YOU Cook and in that section ofthe coun.
try
fhe deaths at other points all the way
fro Bayou Cook to Grand Isle and Chen
iere, VIII swell the total To more than 200,
according to the best Information now OBJ.
tainable.
At Grand Bayou not less than 20 perished.
II is learned that the loss of life on Rosario
and Linton Islands has been greater. No
definite information has vet been received
from Grand Island. The tracks are COM
pletcly washed away, and as there is no
communication by telegraph, il is impos-
sble to verify the report that there has
been great loss of lie at that point The
houses on Grand Isle are built on ridge
that runs through the middle of the island
and as many of them are she eltered by the
trees, II is difficult to calculate what the re-
suit of the storm has been. There are only
about 200 residents on the island, and no
one has arrived from there.
OVER GOO LOST on ONE ISLAND.
From the meager details at hand 1t is
fvI La .iNsakl Ia sI,.t a..
ton to life occurred at Cheniere a settle.
ment OF 400 people mostly fishermen, on
the mainland, west of Grand island Here
the wind and waves dealt out death in an
appalling manner Bodies and wreckage
are strewn everywhere and the pictures
from descriptions by one or two refugees
are heartrending, The loss of life there is
variously estimated at from 500 to 800.
NARROWING TALE OF WOE.
Matthew Schurb. of Goldsboro, lust op-
posite New Orleans was one of the suryiy-
nrs OF the Cheniere calamity, and arrived
Wednesday morning, bringing with him
narrowing story of his experiences and the
loss OF life. Mr. Schurb went to the Island
about four weeks ago with George Thomp-
son and negro bricklayer named Louis
Roberts for the purpose of constructing a
school house.
schurb on Sunday night had an expert
ence severe enough TO turn a mans hair
gray, and when he reached New Orleans on
Wednesday morning he showed the result
OF the peril he had been through. He was
almost naked what clothes he had were
torn into shreds his lace was bruised and
he had not yet recovered from the excite
ment ne had undergone and the frightful
scenes Of death he had witnessed. He esti-
mates that the loss OF life on Grand Isle and
Cheniere Camina6a and in The Grand Lake,
Adams, Cook Chalon and Tristet Bayou
settlements will reach 500, When he left
Chaniarq nd ba tal h,,t G,,o
standing out Of a total Of abont 300, while
the land was covered with cornses
The wind beg to blow hard on Sunday
evening ana at o'clock it had reached the
proportions of hurricane. From that time
on 1t continued 10 increase in velocity and
as It increased the waves covered the land
and got into the houses OF hundreds of resi-
dents OF the island BY o o. clock there was
an average depth of i've feet OF water, and
at midnight depth of feet of water while
The current was as swift as the Mississippi
ri'er when that mighty torrent is bank full.
No person could stand up against it.
AS the wind increased the houses began
10 60 TO pieces. The wind picked the roofs
on as though they had been shaved from
ra'ters with great carving knife. One by
one the houses were torn down, crushing
the occupants as they fell. Schurb, Thomp:
son and the negro bricklayer were in a
house in which there were fully 25 people.
all huddled together and terror stricken at
the mighty agony of the elements. Suddenly
there was fearful cracking Of tint bers and
the roof caved in burying nearly every one
ofthe party, only Schurb and the br rcklay-
er escaping
Schurb clung to some floating debris un-
I'll he saw light twinkling in a house. He
broke away from the timber and swan to
the house and was admitted. He had hardly
entered when the structure went TO pieces.
and out of the 10 who were in II only Schurb
woman and a child got out Schurb sue.
ceeded in getting them to tree, and there
the party stayed until o clock in the morn
ing, when the wind began to abate.
The negro bricklayer managed to reach a
pole to which fishing smacks are usually
tied, and clung to II during the whole terri
BILE night. finally being saved. Thompson
was lost sight Of and was probably drowned.
Schurb says that while he remained in
the tree waves washed over him that were