Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-04
HUNDREDS PERISH IN THE STORM
Terrible Loss of Life in the Gulf
States.

Terrible Loss of Life in the Gulf
| States.
Reports indicate that the loss Of life by
the terrific storm in the gulf states Monday
will reach 200. in the neighborhood of New
orleans. The reports that come in from
the gulf coast of Plaquemine and Jefferson
son parishes are of the most alarming char
acter.
The storm was much worse than around
New Orleans, the wind averaging lis miles
an hour. The steamer Webre, from Grand
Isle, which was due Monday. and ought to
have brought news from the gulf coast, is
reported grounded in Bayou Barataria.
Refugees reached New Orleans yesterday
from the lower portion of Plaquemine par
ish. They are all more or less bruised and
injured from the storm. The water from
the gun was driven up over the land to a
depth OF three to five feet. While the fury
OF tne storm wrecked many houses, the loss
or life IN that section from Buras settle
ment down is not heavy
Inc worst news is from Bayou Cook,
whence New Orleans gets its supply OF
oysters. This is midway between Barataria
Bay and the mouth of the Mississippi. Here
colony OF oyster fishers. numbering $50,
n,,.L epor.ed 20 be completely annihilated.
win nearly the entire population killed or
crowned. Boats have gone down from
New orleans to the settlement. but 1t will
De Impossible to get any news from the
| AT Grand Isle much damage Is reported
Inc new Ocean Hotel was blown down and
E Lne Island Hooded but the loss of life is not
| damage from the storm
| Village Wiped Out.
Point la Hache, forty-five miles below
| 'he city on the Grand Island suffered the
| most When the tornado struck the little
| settlement on the river 1t had attained a.
Veioc,ty Oh nearly 100 miles an hour. Roofs
shantles and fences were hurled eyery
| WIZ wnere IN the air, and not a structure in
| eae siidSe came out unscathed. As soon
! as the daylight broke the storm abated
anu speclai train was sent from the city
Nm, M,acn Up picked up the planters along the
FROM their reports, the little town is en-
| tirely obliterated "
Two deaths are reported. the victims
| name unknown both of whom were killed
| by nying timbers. All telephone and tele-
grapn wires In the lower coast country are
| tablished. S '
Inc reports which continue to come in
| from Plaquemine parish confirm the first
news new,S, Oh great loss of life there and almost
kinds. From Point L. Hache to the
Tort, distance Of forty miles. nearly every
tnlng Is swept away. The Mississippi rose
nine Feet, being forced up by the wind
WhlIe the water from the gulf was driven
over the land to depth of from two to five
leeC IN This water the people stood for
hours, their houses being destroyed, until
boats or skiffs could come to their relief.
hanging on to planks and trees or posts
| For distance OF forty miles below Point
| Ia Hache on both sides of the Mississippi
| there is not a single house which does not
| show signs Of the storm, and most of them
are wholly destroyed or endered uninhabit-
| able The crops are a complete loss
The country is devoted mainly to the rails
ing or rice, oranges and early vegetables
Inc rice had been harvested and ready to
| be milled. These were swept away by the
| storm and the flood and the loss is COM
| plete. The oranges are stripped from the
( trees and have rolled in the water in which
| they have lain for two days. The garden
truck is almost completely destroyed. One
man lost over 10000 head Of cabbage
| The greatest loss of life feared is on
| Bayou Cook and other sections upon which
the oystermen live. The only news received
| cued In one Of the back bays upon float
Ing logs. They lived in the Bayou Cook set
| Element and narrowly escaped with their
lives, and express the belief that many
| other persons in the settlement but them
| selves persisted in the storm.
| Grand Isle. summer resort lying in the
| gulf. directly in the path of the Storm is
| said to have been utterly DESTROYED and it
is known that the loss Of life is large
| Many people were here spending the de-
| lightful early autumn season. and numbers
OF those who had spent the late summer
! months In their cottages had not yet
| started for their homes. The hotel and the
| two long rows of cottages which consti-
| tuted the resort are said to be no more.
and 1t is feared that the loss of life at this
| point will be very great.
Life Lost at Mobile.
The damage done by the storm at Mobile
will reach up into the millions. The steam
er Crescent City was wrecked on the bay.
In the Gardeners district, across the river
dwelt twenty-three families. Only one Of
these homes can now be seen standing. and
1t is believed many Of the inhabitants have
\ been lost.
away, and his entire family consisting Of
himself, his wife and his niece. were
| drowned.
At Grand Bay four churches were de-
| stroyed, while at Scranton five churches
suffered a like fate Houses have been
scattered, crops ruined and desolation APP
pears on every hand.
| There Is no doubt that II will be fully
week or longer before the full story Of the
Storm with all the attendant tales Of death
| and destruction. will be fully told.
The beautiful shell road which wound
| along the western shore of Mobile bay for
| a distance of nine miles, through glades Of
moss festooned magnolias. is almost to-
| tai wreck.
Communication direct between Mobile
and New Orleans, by rail and wire. has
| been totally cut off and will probably not
| be resumed for weeks to come. Between
Mobile and Scranton the Western Union
| Postal Jared somewhat better. Between
| Venetia and Scranton thirty or forty houses
| were blown down, but no lives have been
| reported lost.
| At various towns along the route twelve
| churches were wrecked, five Of them being
| located at Grand Bay. In Scranton and At
| East PascouSala, four miles distant, on the
| sound. houses were blown down, stores
| flooded and stocks damaged, while at East
! East Pascagoula, four miles distant, on the
| entire beach is said to have been wrecked
| The losses at the two points are said to
| reach 100000.
| There are no authentic reports from points
| south of Mobile on the Louisville and NASH
| Vile railroad, except that 26O spans Of the
| Biloxi bridge are washed away.
| For miles inland the trees are laid low,
| and much loss of life is reported all along
the shore. The rumors over there would
| place the loss of life at fifty, but possibly
| not more than twenty-five have persisted
| This side of Blakely, in the marshes, whole
| families have been swept away and the
| actual loss Of life will probably never be
| known.
| Damages to Shipping.
| Among the disasters to shipping the fol-
| lowing are all that are known up to the
present time: Eastern Shore steamer Cres-