, 1896-12-23

I. Village" is carried away and 81 lives lost.
The gnt spread behind tie Police Station
:and Lavender Hall and knocked down the
/. East wall Of the foimcr, rushing through the
station y feet deep, The Bridse is covered
up with gravel etc. but l think it is SO far
gone TINT il will have TO be rebuilt. Tie cur
Is about six mes it's usual width. 1t carried
away a great part of Jack Whites house besides
Phillip Alien house be.ow. The same story
applies TO all t. e Island, 'Crusoe cottage, at
the "south" was neai Is curIed away. The
road from Cages is like the dry led of a
river, and beyond lat The road is scarcely re.
cGyGnizAhle Wi lie Wilkiu las lost heavily
in cocoa and coffee. Even up to the 'Nea-
do"s there is no IoHd IL It. Yesterday
l29tk. l'had to come through Mrs. John.
sons shortcut and come 10 town by the boat.
You cannot imagine the, wpolesa = destruc.
; tion which has occurred. The island is u
wreck Besides the 81 lives lost in town
Is were reported lost IN tie couutrv pnlts
spd added to these arr 20 If i crew of soon
a la@ge Big wrecked on he North side of the
-slalid. Both Webbes bridges have been
sWe" LAY.
E. Another letter dated 30th Nov. gives sub
stantLaily tne same account aud Is as follows:
'Slnce.the 10th up to 29th we have had 10
inches of rain. On Saturday night we had
w W" AAN'Nr 'Uh Sh ~ NhNt HONl UIChB
llotel We're swept away; the new part Of
Jnck's is entirely gone. lh,rty-fve lives in
rcwn and 10 III The country have been lost.
There are no roads left ut all; no pen can d"s-
crlbe how they uro wash d away. Only
walking csn beslone. All bridges swept away
We had two shocks Of olrthq take. The da-
mage will amount to many thousands"
These letters We're written in great harts 10
be despatched by the sIoop Speed 5 regular
trader betwelf the two islands winch had had.
OH account CT bad weather to put back to
Moutserrat several times during those tlving
days. The Commissioner will no. doubt have
seat in an official repor, which We hope The
Governor will anthorise to be published, as
there are NOT a few III Antigua whose interest
are bound up with Hose Of Moutserrat, and
who would like to know all from such a re-
liable source.
Not within the memory of the Oldest in
hibltant Of this ISLAND hass there been u
catastrophe $ inmentan.e and shocking, us
was exporje4G-d on 5 %,turdny HE 2sth ultlmo.
At about |. O'Clock midni!h the inhabi
tarrs of the Iown Of Plymouth were Suddenly
alarmed by the loat Of tho m ghty waters Of
the "tort Gut" whose awful sound sent a
thrill within the heart of every one, and the
bearers thought hat danger was ahead. but
alas! hot even iurmising IN the rcmotest
degree that such a final event as the sequel
there of, would have resulted.
Men rushed TO the spot, but amidst the
cries. of the siiferels, who we've inundated by
the'mighty torrents, but little help could be
rendered.
After the waters hid .subsided Cherry
Village. the chief scene of the catastrophe
lresento a lamentabie and miserable aspect;
for evry house was washed into the sen with
its contents, or was dashed to pieces. Such
a scene then took place that, almost heggars
description.
Mothers, and fathers who had lost their
children; Husbands who had lost their wives:
and brothers who had lost their sisters aud
brothers sent mp such mo ming and lamenta-
tious hat even the hardest heart had 10 shed
9 tear over TIE fate Of the sufferers, cveryone
ardently looked FOR the dawn of day: Tho
: hEidgs connecting WapFing n suburb Of tho
town. TO PIXmaAth was taken away as if it
were a shi,g!e, and fragments of houses.
. trees &c. from Various pats Of the island
aoated jim tage quantities.
Morning game Mt last, when it twas fohnd
tha-31pelsons as far as can Be ascertained
. lost their lives apd over 81 persons, who
We're injured had a narrow escape. Over so
families were rendered pennilcss and home
less. AS every one thought that the unprecci
depted down-pour of rain was universal in
~ Nm