The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-09-16
Ten HOURS
The Hurricane Blew In the
West Indies.
Thousands Of Houses Crash TO
the Ground.
HUNDREDS KILLED.
Later Reports of the Hurricane
Bad as Expected.
Washington Weather Bureau
FOretOId the Disaster
And Warned WatsOn's Fleet at
Caimanera, Cuba.
Later Reports of the Hurricane
Bad as Expected.
Washington Weather Bureau
FOretOId the Disaster
And Warned WatsOn's Fleet at
Caimanera, Cuba.


ceived at the colonial Office from the
British authorities in the West Indies
indicate, as a whole, that the earlier
reports OF the havoc wrought by the
hurricane were not exaggerated. They
show widespread devastation.
Owing to the breakdown of the te1e-
graph and telephone systems, the real
extent of the disaster is still unknown,
but financial aid is required to meet the
distress.
People are focBing into Kingston and
St Vincent from all the country round
for shelter and food. Everywhere it
appears that all the small buildings
and many large ones were destroyed,
and there is no doubt that the fatali-
ties were numerous.
Sir Cornelius AoIony, governor of the
Windward Islands, cables that two YES
sells were sunk and that the fate of
many others is unknown.
The governor of Barbados, Sir J. s
Hay, reports that the hurricane was Of
ten hours duration Already he has
been officially notified of 81 deaths and
of 81 persons seriously wounded. The
reports from the country districts dis
tant are incOmlete, but there has been
heavy loss of government and pri-
required.
St. Vincent, Sept. 16.-The ship I.o-
were cast ashore here and wrecked.
The Killed at Barbados.
Trinidad, British West Indies. Sept.
ia steamer which has arrived here
from Barbados reports that fearful
havoc was caused there by the hurri-
cane on Sunday night. The destruc-
ton OF property was immense. II is
believed over $50 pesonS We're killed
throughout the island, and numbers
We're rendered homeless and destitute.
The shipping suffered seriously. The
ship Leonado,a barque, and two barlxen-
tines, broke from their anchorages and
were driven to sea. They had not re-
turned when the steamer left Barba-
does. Many local vessels were wrecked
or blown out to sea.
BrldgetoWn, the capital of the island
of Barbados, is a scene of desolation
and ruin Demolished or roof1ess houses
are to be seen on every side, and hardly
country are still wanting.
St. Vincent Suffers.
Kingston, Jamaica. Sept. 16.-The is
land of st. Vincent has been swept by
a terrific hurricane and an immense
amount of damage has been caused by
Hoods and landslideS, as well as by the
wind There has also been great loss
of life. The governor of st. Vincent has
cabled to the governor of Jamaica i'm
plOring the latter to sent prompt assist
ance to the sufferers.
The island of St. Lucia has also suf-
fered slightly.
The American weather bureau here
locates the storm as passing st. Kits
and going northward.
Course of the Hurricane.
Washington, Sept. 16.-The weather
bureau furnishes the following state
ment:
The hurricane which created such de-
StructfOn in the West Indies on Sun
day night was detected at its inception
Saturday by the West India hurricane
service of the weather bureau of the
department of agriculture At 8 a. m.
on saturday morning observations on
the islands of Martinique and Trinidad
gave slight indications of a disturbance
southeast of the Windward islands At
1910 p. m a special observation taken
at Barbadoes indicated a fall of nearly
one-tenth in the barometer during the
preceding two hours. This movement
OF the barometer at Barbados, taken
IN connection with the whole atmos-
pherlc survey made four hours pre-
Vious, satisfied the forecast Office that
the hurricane would soon develop over
the Windward islands
hurricane warnings were Immediate
" dispatched to all ports in the islands
of Barbadoes, Martinique St kits and
St Thomas, and they were advised to
prepare for destructive storm. Cable
communication was perfect and the
warnings were promptly received 7vba11
were informed that the hurricare a ,,-o1,I;7
move from point south Of ParbaG0ee
and that it would travel slowly north
westerly with wind increasiner - q - - -
ricane velocity. Messages We're So g II
Colon, Curacao, San Domingo, Trinidad
and Santiago. A message was also Sa13t
to Admiral Watson's fleet lying in fbe
harbor OF Caimenera, Cuba
How completely these warnings U,ara
verified by the coming of the storm "a
hours later is shown by the press dis
patches. While the destruction of lie
and property has been great there is
no question that hundreds, if not thou
sands of lives and millions of properly
were protected by the complete warn
ings given by the United States These
warnings were of profit to the COM
merce of all nations Without consider
ing the saving in human life they have
from a commercial standpoint, fully JUS
titled the president in asking for the
necessary appropriation and in person
ally directing the Inauguration of a
complete and efficient meteorological
service.
Secretary Wilson said that many do
not realize that the area embraced in
this daily atmospheric survey is fully
as great as that covered by the cOnti-
mental area of the United States. Ten
years ago a prominent scientist and
resident of the island of Jamaica made
a trip to England and put forth great
effort for the purpose of inducing the
English government to take the initia-
tive in inaugurating that which the
president has lately put into effect
The chief of the weather bureau to-