The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-08

ABOUT times as large as the sweet pota-
TO cellar at home. 1t was across the
road from the line of horses and street
car track ran between When the waves
commenced to roll up among them the
horses were frightened nearly to death.
We all dashed out into the rain, which
come down in torrents and brought
them into the sugar house, There were
about so head of horses all together and
if we didn't have fun there 1 don't know.
There were five or six ships in the har-
Dor, two of which were steamers of no
mean size. One was American and one
was Norwegian, the rest were sail boa Is.
As the wind grew stronger we saw that
the smaller boats were bound TO be lost
and perhaps the steamers also.
The houses around began to go to pieces
and the building we were in trembIed. and
cracked and as the wind rose still high
er the roof began 10 go. The roof was Of
galvanized iron and it just peeled off and
went down the street in a whirl. Many of
the buildings were from rooted and be-
cause of this it was very dangerous TO be
exposed.
A native had his head split clear in two
by piece of roofing. BY this time the
water was roaring and laundering down
the mountains and all trash and even
smaller buildings were floating. one
house with 10 or y people in it which
stood alone in a kind Of swamp was car
ried away in the flood toward the ocean.
lifeboat with a small crew was sent to
their rescue but boat house and all were
lost. We could hardly see the ships for
the storm and finally they were entirely
lost to view. But about a half hour later
when the storm was fiercer still 1 looked
for them and what sight was thati The
American steamer and two large saiIboats
were being driven toward shore. They
had shipped anchor and were making for
point down the beach about a mile dis
tant from our quarters. This was too
much to look upon calmly and despite the
storm which it seemed impossible for any
living creatures to endure my chum and 1
started down to meet the ships at the
point where they would strike shore We
were almost carried away by wind and
water The latter was waist deep in
some places. We were carried off our feet
and thrown headlong on the beach sever
al times but finally reached the place
where the ships struck. 1t was a sight
The natives were crying and praying and
some Of them getting drunk on jugs Of
rum which came in on the wrecks.
The American steamer ran aground and
did not go to pieces but the other ships
were completely destroyed Only few
lives were lost but 1t was a terrible sight.
Well 1 will close my story of what I saw
Of the storm except that the wind con-
tinued all night and I was on mounted
patrol in the city and there the sights
were dreadful too. The streets were
flooded with water and filled with wreck
age Of the storm. In several places had
to swim my horse in the main streets of
the town. All kinds Of people were hud-
died together in sheltered spots. Men,
women and children; some wounded.
some so old and feeble they had to be
carried. We helped all of them that we
could and took them to the quarters on
our horses until the quarters were filled
with refugees. But at best it was only a
few we could assist.
The government is keeping all the poor
and issuing them rations at the present
time. I cannot tell you the hundreth part
of what see here. One of the boys was
stabbed to death by a native the other
night. Goodbye for this time. Love to
all, ROSCOE.