The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-10-02
THE WEST INDIAN HURRICANE

Wrought in the Island OF st. Vincent.
This account Of the recent hurricane in the
West indies forms part of q letter written BY 4
woman at Kingston, st. Vincent, to q friend in
New York:
THE hurricane Of Sunday. Sept. IL. was one
the most terrible that this little island Of st.
Vincent or any other OF the West indian islands
has ever witnessed. It only swept over Barba-
dos and st. Vincent. passing the other islands
by. The morning was dark. cloudy and gusty.
but not enough so to alarm any one until about
$50 A NJ, when from our window we could
see the schooner Ocean King and the sloop
Sylvia dragging their anchors and going out to
sea. one with a few men on board. the other
with no one. The sloop Water Witch soon fol-
lowed. and the Captain and Grew were all
drowned. Then the wind rose terribly. We
could see huge trees breaking in pieces. houses
going down like packs Of cards. branches.
states and beams from falling houses flying
about like leaves.
1.-The house shook and trembled as though
there were an earthquake. and the noise of the
wind was 80 terrible that you would see q
house fall next door to you and yet would not
hear a sound when It fell. You would SOC huge
trees uprooted as though they were weeds.
Our house was strong. and stood 1t. but almost
every small house was blown down. It was
terrible to see the poor people from the differ
emit villages flock into town for shelter. All 1.-The
churches except the Presbyterian are dam
aged badly. but the people had to 60 into them
for refuge. The hospital had tho roof OF the
middle wing blown down. endangering the
lives of several people in that ward. who.
through the bravery of our dispenser and an
assistant, were all rescued.
There were two distinct blows. as they are
called here. the first from about 8 A.. M. to IL.
and the second from 1915 P. NJ. to about 8.
Directly the first lull came. my father. who is
in charge OF the hospital. left us to 60 there.
and we did not think he could have arrived
before the second came on. He sheltered him
self in q stone bath on his way. The streets
were so dangerous, with 30 many things flying
about. that many were wounded in them: but
the greater damage was done by the houses
falling on the inmates. Over 240 wounded
were attended to in the hospital. my father
being the aai Snly b doctor sm6 thsF fSsm Gh9 tHd I SeyerSI
The Other doctors, had to 20. to the out dis
Accidents &c are iriShtfiui. One little boy now 20 IN
t boeh hHf eks Broken %as s1%G half fe Of e The eT face s eut ep aaa
One lady was killed by q piece Of galvanized
iron which severed the head from the body at
"Itis calculated thst the ,doveEnment win
s sSsS sS sG see III Hvs she 5o Mills pG snRa bo I'll shf So STSps
fruit tree, the mainstay and pr1ncipal tood OF
live God only knows: and the little children
oh. It is so sad. to see them. Door little ones.
crying for moro food and there is no more to
give them than Just their daily portion. my
s Soor h rsEisf. TO We feG ed ih 3ss,T apsT T'f feo s9 s esSs eu At
the church. gramma school, kirk and Court
House. It In so sad to hear the poor people at
the kirk Ut Is right opposite to uB) singing
hymns In the early dawn and at night.
The hurricane itself was the most terrifying
In a strong little room downstairs. but every
minute | v would run upstairs to the windows.
though that was most dangerous: At times the
rain seemed to come In a circle, from all four
Then It would fall straight, for Q minute. and
OF flying beams and falling houses. half-naEed
people and uprooted trees. Then suddenly O
sort OF wave OF light would come. like the glare
from a fire. and you would move from the win-
was, SO. vivid. Then the dull. dark look would
tains high. Two big ships arc high and dry on
the beach In Kingston and two big American
vessels bringing -four TO Barbados are ashore
But the experience of those whose houses
were ruined. and who were glad to crawl
through the ruins into a cellar to save their
lives. was terrible indeed: One girl l know
saw . wall fall on her mother 80 that only her
efforts 70 move the thinGs she could do nothing
but let her mother die before her eyes. An
other. q man., heard his wife's screams under
the ruins. but could not get at her until tho
next day. when she was quite dead. Many OF
i ihS SsO Ere RRSSS S soa haEs E e FSin %Sd h6 dTS% shs
and how We all are to be kept from starving.
black and white alike, Heaven only knows"