The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-10-07
Storm Swept Savannah
Great Damage to Property,
Several Lives Lost, Tele-
graphic Communica-
ton Cut OF.
NEARLY EVERY HOUSE IN
THE CITY UNROOFED.
Severe Blov IN Charleston, bit the
Damage not Serious.

SAVANNAH, Sept. 29.-Seveo lives
lost, million dollars worth Of property
destroyed. is the record of the cyclone
which swept Savannah from 1l:30
m. uptil 1915 p. m. to day The loss
of life aud damage to property are yet
mere estimates, aud both may be great.
er than DOW known The storm. which
has been lurking in 1.-The eastern gulf
for the last Two days, swept rapidly
across Florida. Ats O'Clock th;a morn.
ing it was at Jacksonville, and without
warning burst upon Savannah at l1:30.
Iu half an hour it had done its work.
The streets were filled with wreckage.
Hardly house 10 the city escaped
without more or less damage, though
there are comparatively few total
wrecks
Three hours before the storm at it's
height the weather observer said the
the wind would not exceed a velocity
of 80 miles an hour. 1t began to rise
at II O'Clock Half an hour later it
was blowing SO miles an hour and the
air was filed with flying debris.
When the wiad reached velocity of 66
miles an hour the instruments at the
weather station were blowo away. At
noon the barometer dropped to 90 20,
and at 1915 was % 95.
The storm waa terrific 10 its inten-
sity. exceeding that of the great cy-
clone of 1898. which devasted the South
Caroli,s coast. The shortpess of its
durasi'n was al that saved a complete
aunihi alton Of everything within its
range
The storm came from the southeast
aud swept directly over tho city
Hardly public building escaped its
fury The forests around the city we're
laid iu swaths. The parks are 10 ruins,
aud many buildings were RACED to the
ground. The immense Plant system
passenger depot vas the first building
in the path of the storm, and was 8
compile" wreck. The magnificent prize
train % the Plant system, exhibited at
the Co 70 States exposition and stored
in the ned, was wrecked, and the cars
are lost a total loss. The Central
rai|r"a aud Georgia aud Alabama rail.
road light warehouse on the opposite
side g the city were unroofed and the
walls demolished. The public market
was blown TO- The theatre vas par
tally nproofed, and the Second Baptist
chur-l is almost total wreck. The
Savaansh hospital aod the Georgia
in6rnary were unrooeed. The City and
Suburban Street railway car sheds, in
which we're stored 20 cars, were blown
down. The Georgia Hussars' armory
was badly damaged Nearly every
store 10 the retail section Of the city
was more or less damaged.
The damage to the shipping was less
then in 1893. The Norwegian bark
Rosenias, anchored ia the harbor. was
capsized. The German bark Cuba,
loaded With oaval stories for Hamburg.
went aground below the city. The
bark Mizpa, loaded with oaval stories
aud ready for sea. Sas blowu asaiost
the training vail 6se miles below the
city aud is lying on her side. The
tug Robert Turner weat to pieces
against the goveroment je'sy near the
mouth Of the Savanpsh river. Three
of her crew and the captain, c Z
Murray are supposed to have been lost
The Others were rescued by tug.
Two vessels at quarantine we're blown
across the river and are high aud dry
The United States revenue steamer
Tybee sustained slight damage. Small
boats we're thrown abou: 10 every
direction The Flora left at 9 a. m.
with heavy cargo for Brunswick. She
:s iu charge Of Captain Jeoklna. her
owner. The steamer Goveraor Stafford,
Captain Strobhar. vas to leave Beat
fort FOR Saoapnah at 10 II Grave
fears are entertained for toe vessel.
She vas due at Tyhee at II O'Clock,
and it is ,bought the ssora, vas at that
houv at it's height at the island The