Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1906-10-06
Hurricane Destroys Bust
ness Section of City.
FIFTY LIVES, S4,OO0,OOO LOST
MARI Public Buildings and Churches
Are In Ruins.
MILITIA CUaRD S..c0T 10 KILL.

wcSa gndia Cyclone THAT swept rive
EtE2e~ Deals Death and Destruction
as a1obama's CapitnI-Water Front
azea shipping suffer From Floods
GasA 8IGurricane--Two Revenue CUT
ea~a and Many Steamers CO Down
Hsfh GresYs. II /. Feared-Every
GEnrch Danaged--wires Down All
over Country stop Direct Reports
LOUISVILLE, Ky, Sept. 29.-rhe gen
&x2l managers office Of the Louisville
anI Nashville railroad has received a
dispatch from Flomaton, Ala, confirm
2ng the loss Of life and devastation of
property in the city Of Mobile, Ala.
The editor of the Mobile Register
and the Louisville and Nashville tele-
graph operator have made their way
- BAY Minette from Mobile, making
che trip by boat and on foot.
They report that at least fifty lives
were lost and 100000 damage has
a,ssuited from the tornado that struck
Mobile and devastated its business
section Five river boats are sunk at
the wharfs. The business section. a
guarter of a mile wide through the
whole length of the city, Is inundated,
and the city is in darkness. Militia
guard the streets with orders to shoot
to Kill.
fPinagers are reported in the business
Sectfan. and one negro was caught and
saeargF beaten to death, Buildings
have been RACED river steamer
turned turtle, but her crew escaped. A
revenue cutter is lost. Many surround
inz towns have been devastated. The
city Is practically under control of the
militia, and no one is on the streets ex-
eept newspaper men and those wear
-zsag hlalges.
a large number of houses were de-
sEruyed, and many people We're injured
IN the collapse of buildings. Bienville
square has been destroyed Christ
Church cathedral was blown down
The water is five feet deep in the bust
sEsszss section of the city, and bales of
eHlIran, trunks, household goods and
orIsEr debris is floating about the city.
The wind reached a velocity of nine
ny 'E1Iles an hour. Fort Morgan Mt the
, sIHrauce Of Mobile bay and suburban
ssswnS in the vicinity of Mobile are he
aered 10 have been swept away The
asEfnaTe OF the damage is placed nj
&4.uD0 600 in the city of Mobile alone
There is no way of reaching the out
side world except by boat ana on foot.
All wires are gone and washouts are
vxuIHer0us in every direction. Four or
Eve blocks of the best business section
of the city have been swept away
a number of ships were wrecked,
RuG all the wharyes were destroyed.
THE revenue cutter Alert was sunk
In the Mobile river after being rammed
EF an unknown vessel during the hur-
ESc2ne. She was a propeller, built in
asS95 81 Middletown, Conn, and was
commanded by First Assistant Engi-
mar s. N. Rock and carried four en-
lEsted men and pilot
Water from Mobile bay was blown
Fu1S the city for many hours by the
gale, and for time the sea stood sew
gsn feet deep in the wholesale quarter
vt Usbile, which includes that part of
the ciry from Royal street to the Ala
bama river.
The loss of life is believed to be
mainly negroes, although conditions
sxEo 10 chaotic that information is in
.aefiuite Shipping suffered severely.
Among the steamers sunk We're the
J. y. Schulz the Mary f. Staples, the
May 5. Blees. Cana, Overton, Hattie
h Moore, City of Camden and many
-uthex smaller craft 1t is feared that
the crews OF these boats We're lost.
alnch apprehension is felt for the
suburban towns, as it is feared that
ESnsy have been obIterated. The
chances are that the loss of life on
ISanphin island is heavy.
Tie suffering in Mobile is severe.
The annihlation Of transportation IA
G5Ines has shut off all supplies. and
unless help reaches Mobile from the
ezHsside world soon great distress viii
-reslic
Every church in Mobile was dam
asHesf, though Christ Church cathedral
and 81 Francis Street Baptist church
Suffered more than others. The dam
aGe 10 Christ Church cathedral is esti-
mated at $4,000 and st. Francis
Street Baptist church at $4,000.
Mobiles shipping suffered more than
xaTthlng else. Many OF the river boats
are nov beached or sunken and are
41SaulIolete wrecks
Electric light companies, street rail
arays and, in fact, all business has
&SeeE suspended
Numerous saw mills in the northern
EI1 narshy regions have been either
washed away by the terrific waves or
s4Tu 70 splinters by the wind. Their
tszzzl1er and timbers are to be seen
s~-arrered over the city and floating
cg8Wn tie slowly falling river. The
3nrlror steamer Camp Carney. plying
s1Ttwenn 'Flc ana tile eastern shore.