The Jersey City news., 1906-09-29
CYCLONE 5 ruin
ON LAND AND SEA
Devastation at Mobile and
Pensacola.
WRECKS ALL ALONG COAST
Public Buildings and Many
Churches Suffer.
SCORES DEAD AND ss,eee,ese LOSS.
WRECKS ALL ALONG COAST
SCORES DEAD AND ss,e0e,eee LOSS.

Hurricane From West Indies Drives
Sea Into Coast Towns, Carrying
Death and Destruction With Rising
Floods - AIabama's Capital Is Laid
Waste-Piers, Shipping and Buildings
Damaged to Value of Miilions-Pen-
sacoIa Fears For Four United States
/ Warships Off Her Harbor-Twenty-
five Ships Wrecked There = Many
Sailors Lost.
New Orleans, Sept 29.-The tropical
hurricane which struck the gulf coast.
with velocity of wind reaching ninety
miles an hour causing immense dam
age in five states, has at last spent its
force.
Reports show that fully seventy=fve
lives were lost and $5,000,O00 damage
has resulted from the tornado that struck
Mobile and devastated its business sec
tion. Five river boats are sunk at the
wharfs. The business section, quar-
ter of 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
Pillagers are reported in the business
section, and one negro was caught and
nearly beaten to death. Buildings
have been razed A river steamer
turned turtle but her crew escaped. A
revenue cutter is lost Many surround
Ing towns have been devastated. The
city is practically under control of the
militia, and 10 one is on the streets ex-
cept newspaper men and those wear
Ing badges.
Cathedral Blown Down.
A large number of houses were de-
stroyed, and many people We're injured
in the collapse of buildings. BienvilIe
square has been destroyed. Christ
church cathedral was blown down.
The water is five feet deep in the busi-
ness section of the city, and bales of
cotton, trunks, household goods and
other debris is floating about the city.
The wind reached velocity of nine
ty miles an hour Fort Morgan, at the
entrance of Mobile bay, and suburban
towns in the vicinity of Mobile are be
lieved to have been swept away. The
estimate Of the damage is placed at
$4.000,000 In the city of Mobile alone.
There is no way of reaching the out
side world except by boat and on foot
All wires are gone, and washouts are
numerous in every direction Four or
FIVE blocks of the best business section
of the city have been swept away.
Piers and Ships Wrecked.
A number of ships were wrecked,
and all the wharfs were destroyed
The revenue cutter Alert was sunk
In the Mobile river after being rammed
by an unknown vessel during the hur-
ricane. She was a propeller, built in
1896 at Middletown, Conn.,, and was
commanded by First Assistant Engi-
neer s. NJ Rock and carried four en-
listed men and pilot.
Water from Mobile bay was blown
into the city for many hours by the
gale, and for time the sea stood sew
en- feet deep in the wholesale quarter
of Mobile, which includes that part of
the city from Royal street to the Ala
bama river
The loss of life is believed to be main
" negroes, although conditions are 50
chaotic that Information is indefinite.
Shipping suffered severely.
Among the steamers sunk were the
j. p. Schuh, the Mary e. Staples, the
Mary S. Blees, Cana, overton, Hattie
B. Moore, City of Camden and many
other smaller craft. 1t is feared thar
the crews Of these boats were lost.
Much apprehension is felt for the
suburban towns, as it is feared that
they have been obliterated. The
chances are that the loss Of life on
Dauphin island is heavy.
All Business Suspended.
Electric light companies, street rail-
ways and, in fact all business has
been suspended.
Numerous sawmills in the northern
and marshy regions have been either
washed away BY the terrific waves or
torn to splinters by the wind. Their
lumber and timbers are to be seen
scattered over the city and floating
down the slowly falling river The
harbor steamer Camp Carney, plying
between Mobile and the eastern shore,
lies beached just across the river and
opposite st. Francis street. Her sides
are jammed in and its upper structure
blown away.
Much fear is entertained for Fort
Morgan, where the government quar-
antine station is situated and many
| soldiers live.
Many trees We're felled by the Wind,
and roofs were crushed In By hundreds.
Through the streets, carried by the ter
| rife wind were hurled thousands Of
| pieces OF slate, strips OF tin roofing,
cornices shingles and, In fact. all kinds
~<-& 1<<t,r