The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-10-01
TELLS OF THE STORM
A. G. AKIN DESCRIBES DISASTER To
MOBILE.
Montromery Man Had Thrilling Escape
from Pullman Car Mt Gulf City
Depot-waded Through
SfrAetR.

Arthur C. Akin. a member of the
business stan of The Advertiser. who
was In Mobile during the terrible storm
returned to Montgomery yesterday and
talked Interestingly Of his thrilling
experience and scenes he witnessed
Il left Montgomery Wednesday night
for Mobile on Louisville and Nashville
train No. 81 said Mr.. Akin. From
II o'clock our trip was made through
terrific rain storm. and we arrived III
Mobile at $3.50 a. m. The Mobile Pull
man car was dropped of. as usual
Notwiths landing the fact that every
passenger on the car realized that there
was something very unusual-some-
thing more than an ordinary rainstorm
going on outside. they remained quiet
and hoped for the best until about g
o clock, when cries for help were heard
from the station Of several ladies and
children. who had come in from Pen
sacola and remained In the waiting
room until the building was partially
unroofed and the strong waves from the
bay had flooded the station. Several
men from the Pullman car went to
their rescue and they were placed Oh
the car in safety.
The wind at this time was blowing
fifty miles an hour. and the water
around the car continued to rise at tn"
rate of two feet an hour. About $50
o'clock 1t was the opinion of all on
board the car that 1t was unsafe TO
remain there longer. With the water
then five feet deep. the bell cord was
cut down and negro man. who had
refugeed to the car during the storm.
was hired to wade to the nearest corner
and tie it to an iron post. Then. leav-
Ing everything in the way Of baggage.
the passengers began to pour out into
the water and fight their way to safety.
This was no easy task. One had to
como in contact with every conceiv
able kind of wreckage. on the waters
as well as flying through the air.
Men tied their belts around their
waists. and. holding on to these, to-
gether with the assistance of the bell
cord. which had been previously
fastened to the post, all the ladies and
children were carried ashore.
After Wading the distance of block.
my attention was directed to a saloon
keeper standing on top Of his counter
dispensing whiskey to the unfortunate
passengers who were wet and suff erin &
considerably with cold. Notwithstand-
Ing the fact that the waters had forced
the keeper of this saloon on top of his
counter, he seemed to be doing good
business.
The ladies and children who were
taken from this Pullman car were car
rleQ TO the nOtelS, where tney were Su0-
piled with coffee.
During the time we were making our
escape from the car. l was most Of the
time by the side of popular New York
travelling salesman. second after ne
made a dash into the water, pun OF
wind lifted his hat and shot 1t into the
air like a kite. The next day / met
this gentleman on the street. he hao
succeeded in securing Il suit OF overalls.
but had not been able to replace tina
hat. asked why he didn't make an ef-
fort to get his hat at the time II was
lifted from his head. He replied that
not being equipped with an air snip o.
hurricane proof sail boat ne ueciosu
to buy a new hat. That he never dlo
like that hat very much. anyway.
ut was my good fortune to find
Montgomery friend who provided me
with dry clothes.
.Durinr Thursday most every conceiv-
ohie kind of merchandise could be seen
floating in the down town stree's'
Those who could supply themselves
with boats. did so. and spent the DAY III
S..a,na ashore any and everything
.hay could get their hands on. bales
20 ot.on could be seen floating on the
principal streets. ,, ,orninr In
= claar sky and found every person
who had suffered from THURSDAY
a well as tDouSaliuS -
ars-at work clearing away the wrecn-
ave Men worth hundreds of thoushhus
Of dollars. were seen in the " hoiesais
district-the section when suiieIeu
most-with their sleeves rolled up run
her boots on and hose In mana, wasn
inc out the mud and debris when inc
waters had left in their easements
and first floors. ,,,,ir,,v
IT visited Monroe Park and vicinity
Saturday afternoon. The famous Sheil
Road and pleasure drive OF the GU,
CITY Is completely destroyed. The ROAD
he'd is today something like four 1eet
lower than heretofore and there re-
mains nothing but sand. mud ana
everything in the shape of debris from
a twig to saw logs. house tops ana
steamships on the beach.
"A majority of the beautiful shade
trees. for half century the pride
of Government street. were uprooted
and twisted into splinters. The streets
traversed by the Monroe Park car line
give the appearance or new cut ROAD
through a dense forest. the wreckage
being cut out by workmen. to allow
the pa usage of street cars"