The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-08-14
HURRICANE
KEEPING To
SOUTH
Shipping Warned to Look Out
for Trouble In Gulf Ports
for tho Present.

Washington, Aug. H.-The weather bu-
reau last night issued the following spe-
cial bulletin:
special report received Thursday af-
ternoon from Progreso. the first from
that section. indicates that the tropical
storm had kept well TO the southwark,
and was apparently central near tfe
northeast point of lucatan. Its future
course is uncertain. but Will probably be
northward over the Gulf of Mexico.
More reports have been requested from
Mexico. and II will be impossible TO give
any definite Information regarding the
storm until barometer readings from Gulf
stations afford some indication OF its APP
TroaCh.
II Is considered unsafe for vessels TO
call from or to Gulf ports. and advices
Were issued accordingly. Due warning
will be given should II become evident
that the storm will approach the Gulf
coast.
Should this forecast Of the hurrican ne s
northward course prove correct IL viii
probably strike the Georgia and South
traveleS with extraordinary rapidity. but
such storms usually move slowly within
the tropics, gaining greater headway only
when reaching the latitude OF our Gulf
coast.
once II starts up the Atlantic coast. the
hurricane will come swiftly. BY noon
today the forecaster should be able to
foretell the probable course of the storm.
Jamaica appears to have been the
worst sufferer from the storm. though
most of the islands Of the West Indies
have felt It's destructive force.
NO DEFINITE NEWS
Boston. Aug. 14.-Connicting reports Of
the hurricane in Jamaica have been re-
ceived at the headquarters of the United
Fruit company In Boston. but the Of
fcials are inclined to look upon the news
paper reports as rather exaggerated. The
reported loss to vegetation or TO houses
was not regarded as anything serious.
President A. w. Preston of the United
Fruit company was seen in his office i'm
the Board OF Trade building yesterday
morning and he said:
I'VE have heard nothing definite from
Jamacia. and probably we shall not hear
anything until the arrival OF the steam
er Admiral Schley which left Kingston
on Wednesday morning, the day after
the hurricane.
''One report told US that every thing
had been destroyed, and the next report
said that tho damage had been overes-
timated, and that the Admiral Schley had
loaded all right and that four more
steamers would he loaded this week
When five steamers in one week can be
loaded there. II doesn't look as II every
thing Was destroyed.
1T is hard. Of course 10 get relis bic
Information. Immediately Imagine a
hurricane sweeping the coast between
here and Portland. and extending inward
for 80 miles. with all means OF commu-
nication over the territory demolished
and the population there made up almost
altogether of coolies. what would YOU
be able 10 learn Of the damage the next
day7
NATURE REPAIRS DAMAGES.
"A generally erroneous impression pre-
walls In regard TO the extent Of dam
age caused by West Indian hurricane
They occur very frequently. and. while
they blow down fruit trees. ~ Is not
necessary there. as II would be here. 20
plow and cultivate and replant Nature
takes care of all that. The plants are
blown over very easily. the same as a
field of corn here would be affected by
p very heavy wind and banana plants
ore not as firmly grounded as corn. The
roots are not I'm the ground very deep.
while the weight of the plant above
ground r. much more. year from tho
time the first shoot. or sucker. as they
call a. comes up from the ground. the
tree bears bananas"
Regarding the reported loss ~ vessels.
Mr. Preston said that n II was true that
they were driven ashore. u would make
little difference They were ali char
tered and the fact that they were
grounded would dissolve the charter, and