The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1896-10-01
IN THE HURRICANES PATH
DEATH And DESTRUCTION MARK
TIE COURSE or THE STORM.

Considerable Damage in Washington
Georgia and Pennsylvania Fared the
Worst-Complete Details Lacking Owing
to the Condition of Telegraph Wires
Long List of Fatalities.
Atlanta, Ca, Oct IA special to the
Constitution from Jacksonville says:
The West India hurricane which en-
tered Florida at Cedar Keys yesterday
morning and swept through the south
ern part of Florida in a northeaSterly
direction left death and destruction in
its path.
Owing to the prostration of telegraph
wires and delay of trains due to wash
outs, only meagre reports have been
received and yet these reports show
that over twenty towns and villages
have been wrecked, and forty or fifty
persons have been killed, while proba-
bly, thrice as many more received
wounds more or less serious.
About O'Clock in the morning the
hurricane, which had been churning
the Gulf, left the water and swooped
down upon Cedar Keys, a town of 1,500
1IlIlaUltdllS, dUOul IUV 1llllCS oOulliWCSt
of Jacksonville.
Thirty-six hours have elapsed since
the storm struck Cedar Keys, but not
one word has been received directly
from that place as to the damage done
or the number of lives lost.
No trains have been able to reach
there.
The only report from Cedar Keys
comes by way of Gainesville, fifty
miles northeast of the Gulf town, and is
to the effect that Cedar Keys has been
swept away and many persons killed
and wounded This report reached
Gainesville by courier from Williston,
which is twenty miles north of Cedar
Keys. The report is hardly exagger-
ated as Cedar Keys was directly in the
path Of the hurricane and received it's
full force.
After demolishing Cedar Keys the
storm moving in a northeasterly direc-
ton struck Williston, a village of four
hundred inhabitants At that place
eleven houses were wrecked, one per-
son was killed and fifteen wounded,
some fatally.
Washington, Sept. 30-During last
dows of stores in Pennsylvania ave-
nue. were blown in. The roof of the
northwest corner of the patent office
was wrenched off by the wind and sent
with crash to the street.
The Elkton hotel, across the street
! from the Pennsylvania depot, was un-
rooted, and the windows were blown
in. The st. James hotel also suffered
in the same way the roof going over
into the street and the windows yield
ing to the fierce impact of wind and
rain.
The beauty of the spacious executive
mansion grounds greatly suffered.
Magnificent elnls and oaks were pros
trated, and only few of the old trees
escaped. The building itself was prac-
tically uninjured, but it's picturesque
surroundings We're almost entirely
swept away Fully half of the trees
of all nations, grouped around and in
Lafayette park, opposite the white
house, were destroyed or badly injured.
One of the worst wrecks in the resi-
dence section is Stewart Castle, on Du-
pont Circle, the home of the silver SEN
ator, and for many years notable as
the legation of China. Most of it's tow
er. it's roof and its windows are gone,
while it's interior is damaged to the ex-
tent Of nearly $4,000.
A special warning of the storm was
telegraphed the president early in the
evening. The signal officer here in
quired at the white house as to where
a message would find the chief execu-
tive Immediately. AS soon as the
information was furnished a special
dispatch forecasting the hurricane was
rushed to Gray Gables.
The storm swept the water front with
violence that has never been exceed
ed Not only will nearly every steam
boat company have to pay hundreds of
dollars in repairs to it's vessels, but
some Of the steamers will not be able
to run for considerable time to come.
The Flagstaff of the White house was
detached by the hurricane and has not
yet been located The White house, in
addition to the loss of the Flagstaff, is
minus several chimney tops. The roof
of Admiral Porter's former residence,
occupied by the French legation, was
carried away, and the southeast corner
tower of the state department was un-
rooted but no damage was done to
records. The new naval observatory
was injured to the extent of 81, zoe. Part
of the copper roof was torn off, but the
big telescope and other instruments
were unhurt. A big building opposite
the house wing of the capitol, contain
ing over 5000 valuable government pub
locations belonging to the senate and
house was almost demolished Appli-
cation was made to the navy depart
ment for tarpaulin and canvass to COW
er the books until they could be remov
ed to safe place.
Part of the big ship house at the navy
yard was wrecked and one end of the
gun-carriage factory was unroofed, the
damage amounting to several thousand
dollars. About one-third of the roof on
the east end of the department of the
interior was carried away, falling on
the lawn of the Seventh street side of
the building. The storm played havoc
with the new copper roof or the PEN
sion office building, nearly half of it be-
ing torn away. Both roofs will be re-
placed Immediately.
Attorney General Harmon had mar
row escape from serious injury. He
was driving by the New York avenue
Presbyterian church in the worst of the
storm and instructed the coachman to
go into an alley across the street from