Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-10-20
REASSUR|NG ADV|CES
War Department Reports Re-
garding the Hurricane.
GEN. BELLS DISPATCHES
No Damage Sustained by the Naval
Vessels.
CAMP COLUMBIA FoREwARNED
Troops Had Plenty of Time to Seek
Shelter-Nearly All Trans
ports Accounted For.

The following dispatch was received this
| morning by the War Department from
Brig. Gen. ]. Franklin Bell. commanding
the American army In Cuba. The telegram
| was dated Havana. Cuba, October 20. but
1t is supposed at the War Department that
| this is erroneous. and that the dispatch was
actually sent yesterday. October 10. 1t fol-
lows:
Terrific hurricane swept over Havana
and vicinity about midnight. lasting several
, hours. Wind officially reported eighty
miles an hour. So far as heard from no
| lives lost or individuals injured. Among the
troops. stables and two quartermaster' s
stables completely destroyed at Camp CO.
lumbia; no animals injured. Roofs Of a
number of other buildings damaged more
or less: nothing serious Quartermaster and
commissary storehouses stood storm: con-
tens slightly damaged, more or less; moth
slightly damaged by water collecting on
| floors of houses generally: two sanitary
carts damaged in destroyed stables; all
tents blown down and some articles blown
away. and rations slightly injured by water.
Camp entirely restored. Wires all down.
Some bridges washed out: difficulty of COM
munication great. All trees In park In
| front of palace blown down. Trees through
out city and In MarlnO generally destroyed
| Baker does not think any Of his vessels in
| path of storm, unless 1t was very wide.
Warning was received from observatory OF
coming of storm an hour before It's arrival:
all commanding officers at Camp Columbia
promptly notified and took precautions
which minimized damage. All outside sta
ton commanders were notified. but nothing
heard from the n as to result of storm
Headquarters building slightly damaged:
| believed serious damage has been done
| 20 government property. VIII wire again
| if anything new develops from further in
veStiga tiOn."
The Experience of the Cubans.
Several other kilograms Were received at
the War Department this morning from
Gen. Bell, from which the following ex-
tracts are taken:
Further reference to damage by cyclone
in addition to the damages about city and
on land, destruction of trees and buildings
hitherto reported, light shipping in the har
Dor was considerably damaged: about
twenty-five lighters sunk at their wharveS
and in the harbor Some were employed In
our service, but very few stores on board
Nearly all lighters loaded with army sup
plies safely brought to shore and since dis
charged, with exception of few cases that
are SO far missing, though loss in this re-
spect very slight The Guiana, which ar
rived this morning at o'clock, came in.o
port in very sorry plight; her foremost of
steel was snapped off close to the main
deck, and went overheard in the cyclone.
fortuna tely without doing great damage to
body of vessel. In falling it carried away
a part of the structure on the main deck
which carried animals, resulting in killing
or carrying overheard a number of anil
mails Many other animals were killed on
account of extremely rough weather. In
all 1873 animals were killed or so badly
MANNED that 1t was absolutely necessary to
kill them to prevent suffering. Live ami
mails are now being unloaded, and as soon
as accomplished Guiana will put to sea to
throw overheard dead animals. Officers not
accountable for property. and detailed to
superintend the disposition of dead and
mortally wounded animals. In addition to
the foremost the tOpmast of the mainmast
of the Guiana was also blown overheard.
The master of the vessel states that this
was the most severe storm he has ever en-
countered, and proceeded entirely through
the path of the cyclone. and considers it
fortunate that the vessel survived at all.
Damage in Havana Harbor
Condition of shipping in harbor satisfac-
tory. so far as pertains to ocean-going yes
sells; many lighters engaged in quarter
masters service broke adrft: two beached
and several sunk: several lighters loaded
from Ward liner MORO Castle sunk; not
known whether any United States property
was sunk; Harry Fosdick. teamster, 2sth
Infantry, eye destroyed shoulder
broken. internal injuries. not expected to
recover. Frederick Sutcliffe. wagon mas
ter, 18th Infantry, head badly cut, will re-
cover.
tween military headquarters at Camp CO.
lumbia and Havana. washed away by storm.
Necessary detour on only other bridge in
creases distance from Havana to about
twelve miles. Means of communication
slow and insufficient. Engineer pontoon
train was left behind on assurance of Of
ficers from personal knowledge that no
rivers in Cuba were large enough to re-
too, trnt fe
cessary now at crossing of Almandares;
request it be sent as practicable;
this experience illustrates the inadvisability
of being unprepared in any way in military
matters.
Persons Injured.
Following information based on further
investigation since last message: Frederick
S. Sutcliffe. civilian wagon master, extern
sive lacerated wound of scalp eye confused,
slight paralysis of arms and hand, not very
serious: Harry Fosdick, civilian teamster,
loss of left eye. scalp wound, left clavicle
broken, confusion of chest, very serious;
Private William A. Harner, 18th Battery
back hurt by falling tree, unconscious for
some time. injuries not serious. These men
now in Mercedes Hospital Havana doing
well. All were sleeping in shed at arsenal
in Havana: trees blew down. carrying down
tile roof on them; reports are now coming
in from provinces: thus far no loss of life
reported, but general slight damage to ra-
lions and clothing
Commissary General Sharpe this morning
received a telegram from Major Wilkens,
chief commissary at Havana, saying:
| 'Commissary department all right. Few
stores slightly damaged. No casualties
Naval Ships Not Damaged.
The Navy Department received a cable
this morning from Capt. Arthur P. Nazro
commanding the U. S. s. Brooklyn. as fol-
| lows.
Vessels of squadron maintained no ma
| terial damage from hurricane of last night"
All the army transports sent to Cuba
| with troops and supplies have been heard
| from excepting the Robert Wright and the
Laupar. which sailed from Newport News
| on October Is with 600 horses for the 18th
| Cavalry. These transports were not bound
for Havana, but are under orders to go to