The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-30
cAYMAN ISLANDS SWEPT BARE?
,eo UOySES ~ GEORGETOWN DE-
STROYED-,jO MEN DROWNED.
On vessels wrecked ON Grand Cayman
Little Cayman and Cayman Tsrac
Ont On--Terrible Loss Of Life Feared
storm Worse Than That or 1870.

aut On--Terrible Loss Of Life Feared
storm Worse Than That OF 1880.
new ORLEANS, Aug. 29.-Passengers
from Jamaica report that the recent storm
swcpt Grand Cayman, off the Jamaica
,,a.t almost clear. One hundred and
s,tv houses in Georgetown were broken
down and destroyed, and all the trees
,e,elled Twenty-three vessels i'll all were
wrecked in and about Grand Cayman and
fifty or more scamen drowned. The peo-
rle on shore are in great distress and APP
,eol FOR relief They we're in hope OF sue
cor from Jamaica until they heard OF the
d,soster there The storm is said to have
heen more violent than that OF October,
1919 Trees that withstood the earlier hur-
rcanc went down like ninepins. Nothing
had been heard from Little Cayman and
Cayman Brac, and it is believed both
islands have been swept clean.
MOBILE, Ala, Aug. 20.-All the informa-
nm reaching his city of the results Of the
hurricane which visited the Cayman ISL
auos on Aug. II confirms the first fears
that disaster has overtaken the inhabitants
Of the islands The correspondence which
has reached here by way of Cienfuegos,
Clha. saws that the hurricane attained
velocity Of 100 miles an hour; that there
Is not a tree left standing on any OF the
islands, that hundreds of houses were
DESTROYED, and that famine threatens the
people.
Tie los, of life is a matter of speculat ion
in he absence of definite news and NAV he
100 or 900 The islands consist Of Grand
Cavnan, about seventeen miles long ara
from four to seven wide, Little taymai'
and Cavman Brac They are iii latitude
~ degrees north, off the south coast OF
Cuba and bet wecn that island and Jamaica
being part Of { he Brit ish West Indies. The
British Commissioner there is S. Sanguinetti.
and the liberal policy of the Government
is displayed in the education of the people
and the fact that there was absolutely no
poverty among the 800 inhabitants who
peopled the three islands. Mos OF the
people owned their own homes.
population was; Grand Cayman, G COO.
5000 of them being residents of George
town; Cayinan Brac. 1000; Little Cayman
500. The islands did IN extensive trade
with Mobile in bananas. lines. coconruts,
oranges and other tropical fruits. and
purchased from here in return s2on,@0
worth OF foodstuffs al nualY, besides large
Quantities of lumber and building MAJ erial
From Capt Henry {. Eodden, formerly
Of Cavman. but now master OF the schooner
Break of Day. owned by 3, Hnckley OF
Mobile, running to south Cuba and the
islands, it Was learned that the Presby-
Merriam Church is the only one represented
n, the islands, and hat this denomination
has a fire stone strllct ure III (feorgetown
and other structures on the smaller islands,
The Government Luiiding is the only other
stone structure. 4 large schoolhouse and
hospit al, constructed of wood, are believed
TO have been destroyed.
The islands were visited by a hurricane
in 1875, which did frighlful damage, 1t
has been lea rned that immense trees which
escaped the fury OF the wind in that ycaI
were uprooi ed during the last visitation
and this evidence of the greater force oil
tho wind creates the belief that only the
One letter received here describes the des'
truction Of 40 houses, but does not make
known tie fate of the Inhabitants.
The Rev J. +. Martin. from Scotland, If
the pastor OF the Georgetown church. SO
far. at,emDts to communicate with hin
have failed II is thi5 lack Of coMInuri-
cation aad consequent absence Of details
that have lnagnifed the disaster IN the
minds of Mobile people Interested IN the
fate OF the islands through trad" relation
Or having friends there. Cayman Brar
Is $50 feet above the sea level ard would
NOT be affected by the rise in water which
alwars accompanies heavy tropical
storm, but Grand Cayman and the other
islands are low-lyinR and have been del
uged before by hurricane waves. The
experience of 1876 taught the people on the
larger island the danger of residence in
its centre, which is only few feet above
the sea and this part was very thinIy pop
ulated
pcfltc information 80 far shows that ten
sc!.ooners and other large craft anchored
In Georgetown harbor on Aug. ii were
swept ont TO sea and that only one, the
Goy. Blake, managed 10 reach another
loit I, is also known that the entire
feet O, fishing vessels and small craft
numbering more than 100 were destroyed
IN the same harbor. and that small boats
huown 20 br at sea from ether parts OF
t..e islancis have not been heard OF since.
The surviving vessel reached Cienfucgos
AFTER a hard battle with the elements, and
was the frs, TO bring news Of the disaster
to the outside world This is accounted
for by the entire destruction OF the small
coastlng schooners which carry the mail
from The CavmaIs 20 Jamaica, whence II
Il forwarded by steamer, The Gov.
Blake saved tho mate OF the schooner
George +. Bentley and three Of the crew
of the schooner Chamberlain while her
self battling for life. She had as passenger
Lloyd A Scott, well known in this city
who said In sending the first intelligence
of the disaster,
Words are Inadequate 20 express Low
terrible Georgetown looks. II appeared
a. fair as the Garden of tho Gods before
the catastrophe and in six hours was =
desolated ruin "
The crews Of eight schooners and Larks
arc unaCcounted for and The loss Of life
among the smaller craft must have beer
large, as fishermen and other natives OF
the islands following ,hc sea for calling
have the Oriental style Of living in their
boats Mt this season. There il a posi-.
n . ns n