The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1893-10-14
4 Graphic Picture Of Poor Che
Mere Caminada.
OUR LOCKPORr CORRESPON-
DENT.
Appeal to the Charitable.
Lockport, La. Oct. 10th, 1898.

readers will be interested III any news
from CheBiere Caminada therefore.
l will send you. for publication. a brief
aecoun of our trip there on the Hell
ene7 last Iiday.
Although Lockport has recently
been the see 1e of a ravaging cyclone
yet When it was learned that the >pivi-
vOrs on Cheniere were destitute of the
bare necessities of life. "A generous con
tIihution was made by its citizens: and
the steamer Helene, gratnitou-ly given
by Captain Constantine. was prepared
To carry water ana provisions for their
relief. A party consisting of Pilot. J"-
sepil Toups, Captain Maurice Bragard.
aud Messrs- Ferd- Baiiiieaux, Pierre
Barrios. ADSalom Davis. Clement Ra-
bion, FirmIn Gui,lroz, john MelaHcon.
Julien and Arthur LaToussc. aui tie
writer, went with the Helene. Ii was
about 10 a m, Friday, before We start
ed. Owing to the low water in the
Bayou, our progress WAS rather slow
until we reached the Cut Of. Below
this place we overlook the luggtrs
John Over the Sea- and Happy
George; and as they were going tn
Clenieie also. the Helene took them
in tow as far as Sanders Canal. II
was 8 p. III. before We reached the Ca
nal, and, as the water was low, we
were obliged to lay over until the tide
wonld rise, in the morning. Here we
learned some of the particulars of the
disastrous storm. The next morning
We started through the canal. bat when
We had reached about half way. We
could GO no further With the Helene,
owing to the condition of the canal
since the storm. il having been almnsr
entirely filled with prairie grass. We
transferred a part of our load to the
John Over the Sea- and proceeded
on our journey. We arrived at Che
Mere at about 8 a. m. Saturday. and
sent a lugger for the balance of the
provisions.
Mr.. Editor Ii wonld be impossible
for HE to describe the utter desciatiOn
which met oureyes upon arriving there.
| would not have believed such "A scene
possible, had | not beheld it myself.
Houses are tumbled together in almost
undistiDguisi,a6le MASSES. Trees are
uproOted. Numerous creyasscs are
made in the earth, some of these along
the south shore being almost frightfni.
Bedding. garments and household u
teDsils are scattered everywhere. Ev-
licences of death were visible all about
the island; and, indeed. tie stencil,
from the decayiDg bodies was well
nigh uncomfortable. The tales of mis-
cry related by the unhappy people
were indeed heart rending. Husbands
mourned the losses ut loving wives
and children : wives and mothers be-
walled the losses of their Carlings:
while here and there the tear swollen
eyes of little children told the uniiap-
Ply story of their %0rt,llanage; aud these
together with the desOlate appearance
of the surroundings, were enough to
make the stnutest heart sick.
took pains To learn as nearly as
possible how many We're drowned, and
from accounts given me. it will reach,
II not exceed, the appalling number of
l4OO. Had the storm occurred in day
time. it is probable less people would
have been drowned. But occurring as
1T did, at night, the unfortunate peo-
pie we're completely at the mercy of
the elements. Only a few were able
to save themselves by means of RATS.
while a few others driftcd into the tops
of trees and lodged there until the wa
tiers subsidized. When the winds be-
gan to blow alarmingly strong. the
people congregated into the largest !
and strongest houses. In many in
stances this was an element in their
In the house of P. La
font, there Were seventy-eigllt people |
collected when this house capsized,
IA were killed. In Thonas Lario's
house there were seventy people aud
only TWO escaped. In Frank Gllbeau's
house were MIR. and Mrs. Gilbeau and
their nine children. aud Mr.. Gilbeau's
brOther-in-law with his wife and four
children. The house was blown down
upon them, and all were killed save
Mr.. Gilbeau and four of his little chill
dreD. Mr. Gilbeau with his own
hands washed and inferred the re-
mains of his W wife and children
and those, of his brother iu-law and
In Leopold Guidry's house.
there were Is people and only two of
them remain; one of these was car
ried about Six miles by the water; he
returned the SECOND day almost fam
for the want of food and water.
In Madam Ducos house there were 10
people and only two escaped. On one
there were five families it is
not known how they met their fate;
all were lost. At O. Petit's there
were ten people and only one escaped.
Mrs. Angelet witnessed the drowning
of her five children. and as she told
her Dl.iful story. She became cnnynls-