The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-10-01
FURIOUS IN FLORIDA.
The stories Printed at Jacksonville !
About the Storm.

The jacksonville Times-Union and CIti-
zen of yesterday were able to obtain re-
ports about the storm in Florida which
the absolute suspension Of Geographic ser
vice in Savannah made it impossible for
the Morning News to secure. The story
printed below is compiled from the two
papers mentioned. Concerning the storm
in Jacksonville. the Citizen says: "a
hurricane, the extent of the destruction
of life and property by which cannot YET
be estimated, crossed Florida from south
west to northeast yesterday forenoon.
The tempest had its origin in the Yves.
Indies and entered this state from the
Gulf of Mexico, not far from Cedar Key.
Its path across the state was a narrow
one, though a large area seems to have
been affected, in greater or less degree,
by what might be called the edges Of che
storm The registry of the velocity of
the wind at the government weather bu-
reau in this city showed the remarkable
and unprecedented record of nearly 100
miles an hour. This terrific gale fortu.
nateiy lasted only about a minute, but
for five minutes of which 1t was a part
the velocity was shown to be rather more
than seventy miles an hour This was
about o'clock. From to clock the
wind blew at the rate of forty-nine miles
an hour; from 8 to 10 o'clock, it blew
at the velocity of sixty-three miles, and
from 10 to II, at a velocity of forty-foYr
miles, the average from to II o'clock be-
ing hfty-two miles. After II o clock the
rate of the wind subsidized to thirty-six
miles at noon, and to light wind in the
latter part of the day. No great rainfall
occurred at any point.
The storm, according to Observer
Mitchell, had some peculiarites that have
not been seen in the few heavy blows of
the kind that have been experienced in
this state. Usually they have spread over
a large and wide area, but from reports
that were gathered during the day, the
raYageS this time do not seem to have
been severe along the east coast Dis
patches received during the day from Ju-
piter did not indicate nearly so high
winds there as in this vicinity Similar
news was received from Tampa. The
path of the greatest severity of the storm
seems to have been not more than about
forty miles wide. After passing over
strip of territory lying within the north
ern part of the state, the Storm according
to the weather authorities, passed on to
the Atlantic coast, which it followed
north. This could not be verified as all
of the telegraph wires on every line lead
ing to the north were down, and no news
was received by wire during the day or
las. night.
The damage in this part of the state
was quite severe from falling trees, which
delayed traffic on the railroads, and from
the unroohng Of buildings. No communi-
cation by telegraph could be had during
the day with Fernandina Callahan or
any other point north. A large force of
men was sent out by the Western Union
Company and the work of repairing the
damage was begun.
The storm arrived in Jacksonville yes
terday morning with a suddenness and
fury that surpassed all previous records,
and, for time, threatened to devastate
everything that lay in its path. The storm
consisted mainly of wind blowing with
the velocity of a hurricane, although a
small amount of rain fell slantingly to-
ward the earth during the two hours when
the storm was at its hight.
THE force of the wind expended itself
in no one locality. Reports of damage
poured in from every direction. In the
center of the city signs were blown from
store and office fronts, and the sound of
breaking and falling glass came from
many buildings. Trees were blown down
in all parts of the city, and many narrow
escapes were reported from serious acct
dents from falling limbs and trunks of
trees.
MANY persons were cut by falling
glass, but none of these accidents are
known to have been serious. One man
was said to have been killed by a fall
ing tree, but this report was not sub
Stimulated. young woman was blown
from her bicycle while riding on Bridge
street.
"The damage to the electric wires in
the city was probably the greatest that
was done to any one interest. Some of
the wires of the Jacksonville Street Rail-
way Company stood the strain exceeding
ly well. For a short time the cars were
stopped in order to prevent possible dam
age by the electric current. The city
electric wires were damaged to a certain
extent, but they were repaired so that
the lights were burned on all circuits last
night. Two street arc lights were blown
from their fastenlngs, and had to be re-
placed, and some small damage was re-
ported to a few street lamps
Conductor Sullivan Of the Plant sys-
tenn, who arrived in the city about 1:30
yesterday afternoon, an hour late from
Savannah, reported severe damage
along the line of the road. At Hilliard,
a sawmill was blown down, and at Up
tonville, Ca, the railway station was
leveled to the ground. Along the hne OF
the road, the telegraph poles were blown
down, particularly between Hilliard
and Uptonvile, where the storm seemed
to have been the most severe. Many
poles were broken by trees falling against
UhGIn ana IN CuleI pldCeS bncy seemed
TO have been broken by the force of the
wind alone"
AT Newberry, the damage consisted of
the destruction of nearly one-half of the
property. The wholesale and retail store
of Williams Bros, containing a stock of
goods valued at $4,000, was blown down
and most Of the goods ruined. phos-
phate plant was demolished and some
horses were killed.
AT Crazy the sawnill plant of Gracy &
Macdonald, the largest in this part of
the state, is a complete wreck and thou
sands of acres of timber lands are de-
stroyed
The heaviest losers are the turpentine
manufacturers. Those heard from re-
port a total loss, and say that they will
be compelled to go out of the business.
An OF the trees are down and 1t is Inn
possible in many places TO ride through
the woods even on horseback. The loss
to timber interests will reach $4,000.
The GUNNER Wood and Timber Com
pany will be the heaviest losers. It will
cost the county several hundred dollars