Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-09-01
STORM AT SAVANNAH.
Damage toPropeTty' Half a Nil
lion Of Dollars,
WIND VELOCITY 30 MILES AN HOUR,
One Hundred Buildings in The City
Wholly or Partially Unrooied.
DAMAGE TO SHIPPING HEAVY.
A Number of Narrow Escapes from
Death-North Carolina Troops mt
Tybee Have Terrible Night
Railroads Suffer Severely.
DAMAGE TO SHIPPING HEAVY.
A Number of Narrow Escapes from
Railroads Suffer Severely.

SAVANNAH. GA, August a-Whlle
there was no loss of life from last nights
storm. which swept Savannah, the dam
age TO property will foot up close to half
a million dollars.
The storm began early Tuesday nisnt,
and ragged with increasing violence until .
o'clock this morning. 1t was at its height
between 4 and o'clock. when the Wlnd
reached a velocity of eighty miles an hour
Il was then that the heaviest damage
was done. When daylight came the
streets were impossible from debris.
Probably one hundred buildings were
wholly or partially unroofed, and as many
more were damaged in other ways. the
roof was torn from half Of the savannah
Theatre. and the auditorium Of that build
ing was transformed into a lake. The
First Baptist church is among the most
beavily-damaged buildings. The entire
western half Of the roof was lifted from
the walls. and carried into the street be-
low. The handsome organ was filled with
water. and the rich frescoing was ruined.
ST. johns Episcopal and the First and the
Independent Presbyterian churches and
the Lutheran Church of the ASCENSION
were also damaged. In the business part
of the city dozens Of stores were unroof-
ed and windows were broken in.
There was no telegraphic communication
during the day until late in the evening"
when the Western Union and Postal Tel
egraph companies were in partial work
ing order.
Street-car travel is blocked, and to-
night the city is in darkness. The streets
are a network Of tangled wires.
DAMAGE TO SHIPPING.
In the harbor and at quarantine at
Tybee the damage TO shipping IS heavy
The British bark Dreamer, from Deme-
rara. was blown on a jetty during the
night and is heavily damaged Inc
Italian bark Maria RATIO broke loose
from her anchorage and drifted into the
marsh, where she is lying. The Norwe-
gian bark Noe broke loose from her
moorng at Quarantine and went ashore
on Daufuskie Island at the mouth OF me
Savannah river. Her crew OF twelve men
was rescued by the tug McCauley. She
is a total wreck. Between hlteen anu
twenty naptha launches in the river ana
at the Savannah Yacht Club anchorage,
at Thunderbolt, and as many more small
sloops and schooners doing a coasting
trade with the islands, were sunk or lost.
The steamers Alpha and Doretta drifted
their anchors and went ashore, ana are
heavily damaged.
The steamer Eulala broke from her
moorings at Wilmington Island, about ten
miles from Savannah, and sank. Mrs. j..
e. Lucas. wife of the owner, was on
board, and was rescued with difficulty y
the captain and a deck hand. She vas
taken TO the top of the wheelhouse nd
thrown lnshore, was caught as she stu k
the water. and was carried safely to idnd.
The revenue steamer Tybee went to the
assistance of the stranded vessels in the
harbor before daylight and rendered v1l l.
able AID in saving life and property. The
cutter Boutwell, was in Wilmington river,
and is safely anchored.
At TYBEE.
At Tybee Island the hotels and cottages
were heavily damaged. The North Caro-
lima troops passed a terrible night there,
but were all brought safely to the city
| to-day.
All Of the railroads suffered severely
by washouts and trains have run with
| difficulty all day.
The rice and cotton crops have been
heavily damaged.
1t will be impossible. however, to esti-
mate the total damage for several days.
The storm covered a comparatively
small territory. 1t extended into the in
terror not more than thirty miles and
hardly that distance north and south. IL
is believed TO have been severe at eea,
and fears are felt for vessels off the
coast.