The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1896-10-07
Tussaay's Storm.

One Hundred Lives Lost-The Thou
sand People Homeless and Desti-
tute-Work of Wind and Wave.
Never Before has such a Storm
Visited Fair Florida-L;st OF Dead
Will be Greatly Increased when
Full Reports are Received.
September 29.-Tbe West India
hurricane struck Florida Tuesday,
and, though it lasted but three
hours at each point visited, was the
most disastrous storm ever expert
erced in this country. The damage
to property in Florida alone will foot
up 100000. Fully a hunIredli liv
were lost and perhaps $4,000 people
were render>d d homeless.
The course of the storm was H. m
Cedar Keys on the gulf coast, north
by northeast through the thriving
town of Lake City. In path fifty
miles wide, few houses are left stand
ing, the wind at times blowing at The
rate OF one hundred miles an hour,
averaging eighty. In Jacksonville,
from the storm centre fully fifty
miles, the wind for a minute blew
one hundred miles an hour enl for
five minutes seventy miles an hour.
The storm had the characteristics Ct
a tornado. 1t skipped some places
in its path, bounding over othels
where ruin was wrought.
Cedar Keys was exposed to the full
force of its fury. There a score tf
fishermen on the sponge banks were
drowned and their schoore;s were
wrecked. A tidal wave visited the
town and Inundated it. During the
tidal wave fire broke out and an
unusual spectacle was Witnessed OF
fremen fighting flames almost
shoulder deep in water.
lake City had almost every tree in
town blown down and for two days
the streets were impossible. Two
people were killed-a prominent lady,
and a negro boy.
In Baker county, which adjoins
Columbia, not score of houses out
of 1000 were left standing.
SandersoD, a few miles distant,
was almost wiped out. All of the
men employed in the turpentine
farms and lumber mills ale not only
but without food and
famine is pending there.
billiards, in Duvall county, was
also devastated and people killed and
by falling Of houses upon
them.
The storm did not touch the orange
belt OF Florida, but confined itself to
the middle section. Coming as the
storm did, just after harvesting time,
the people, rendered homeless and
without food, will be charge upon
charity for fully six months.
The fatalities, up to the fastest re-
ports, in Savannah foot up to III, but
are likely to be much greater. The
damage to the shipping is heavy, up
wards of ~ vessels are reported
ashore in the marshes, creeks and
beach at the mouth Of the river.
The center of the storm passed
east of Savannah and struck an is
and north Of that city, only the tail
end entering this State. The dam,
age on the South Carolina coast, and
some inland points, is said to have
been heavy to property. A few per
sons is reported to have been killed
1t points along the sea coast.
At Brunswick, Ga, the property |
oss is estimated at S5OO,O00, with a
heath roll of four.
The storm at Timmonsville, in this
State, was the severcst ever expert
enced, doing much danage to prop |
erty. No lives were lost.
At Good VIII, Sumter county, trees
we're uprooted and several houses
blown down.
At Richmond, Va, the stolm
was the most vi lent ever known,
md burst upon that city with terrific
Jury about 8 o'clock and ragged for
;wo hours, damaging properly to a
great extent. The same story comes
from all over the State cast of the
Blue Ridge.
At Alexandria, Va, the storm was
of unprecedented fury, wreackipg
property to the amount of 100000.
Chicago, Sept. 30.---Onc of the
most severe wind storms known for
years ragged over the lake region last
night and part of today. The loss Of
life s. far reported is small. Much
minor damage was done shipping in
Milwaukee, Gr, nj Haver, Chicago
and other harbors and the masters
If such steamers as were out in the
axes durinr the night report one of