The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-09-29
NEW ORLEANS DAMAGE
IS NOT SO SERIOUS
Outlying Portions of the City Have
Some Buildings Damaged, But
the Loss Is Not Great.

New Orleans. September 2s.-tvia Merid-
ian Miss, September 2S)-The Picayune
today says;
The tropical hurricane which struck the
gulf coast Wednesday night with a veloe-
ity of wind reaching so miles an hour.
spent itself early yesterday morning and
last night was blowing its way UP through
central Alabama towards the inland.
This city was practically isolated from
the outside world. All wires were down.
The Associated Press lost all OF its wires
and was unable to furnish the evening
papers a line of news.
Both the Postal and Western Union
Telegraph companies lost all eastern and
northern connections, and retained only
single wire to Texas, via Houston, over
which all outward business was crowded
The Cumberland Telephone company
lost all its wires leading into the storm
center. The New Orleans cotton exchange
yesterday was thrown upon its own re-
sources for telegraph service.
No Communication With Gulf Towns.
Mobile could not be, raised. Pensacola
was beyond connection. Not a single town
on the gulf coast could be reached. The
lines up the Northeastern railroad were
in the same condition. The last train out
on the Louisville and Nashville road was
Wednesday night at S:15. The early train
yesterday morning left the depot at 6:25,
but only reached Lake Catherine, where a
big washout was encountered. That tied
up the system.
Construction and relief trains were sent
out to Lake Catherine but no informa-
ton could be had of the situation beyond
The fact that the coast train did not
reach Lake Catherine indicated that there
was trouble east of there. Superintendent
Marshall who had spent the night at
his home In Bay st. Louis, did not get
as far west as Lake Catherine.
Up to the hour of closing this report,
everything is In absolute doubt and I'M
certainty as to the gulf coast.
The louisville and Nashville was un-
able to hear anything beyond Lake Cath
crime.
The New Orleans and Northeastern was
also out of business until o'clock last
night when temporary repairs had been
completed at Littlewoods. and the regu-
lar train was sent out. Two trains that
had been held up reached the city at
II o'clock last night.
Passengers Bring Details.
Passengers on trains brought the first
authentic news from the Pearl river coun-
try. Hattiesburg and Hillsdale have suf-
fered greatly from the gale.
Ten per cent of the pine timber in the
path of the hurricane is down.
A track walker was run over and Killed
near Hattiesburg during the storm.
The greatest apprehension is felt by res
idents of this city who have relatives and
friends on the gulf coast. They besieged
the newspaper offices and kept the tele-
phones going until midnight last night in
an effort to get news. But none was TO
be had.
An effort was made to get Pensacola by
wireless telegraph. but that station was
supposed to be under water IL could nos
be reached. Atlanta was raised but moth
ing was known there of either Pensacola
or Mobile.
Lake Ponchartrain resorts suffered
heavily Milneburg felt the force of the
storm and there was great loss and much
suffering during the early hours of
thursday morning. The water was rum
ming several feet deep through the
streets. Several families took refuge in
railroad cars on the sidngs. Mlneburg
damage was roughly estimated at $4,000.
Other places Suffer.
West End suffered severely. A portion
of the big wharf gave way under the Pen
ny wonderland. 1t was badly damaged.
All approaches to the Southern Yacht club
were swept away. Buektown suffered the
most. A school house was completely
turned around by the wind Estimated
losses aggregate $4,000.
The lower coast points were as COM
pletely cut off as the Mississippi coast. All
wires to Port Eads and Quarantine station
were down. The Grand Isle train arriving
from Buras last night reported only slight
damage along that route.
Here in the city the storm reached Its
heights about a. m, and before noon
the gale began to subsde. The greatest
damage has been from the blowing down
of fences, valuable tropical plants and
shade trees, and the unrooflng of a num-
Der of buildings.
The barometer began to slowly rise al
o'clock yesterday afternoon, and by night
the weather bureau reported the storm
over, so far as New Orleans was cons
cerned.