The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-10-02
MAYOR BLISS
ON PRESS
REPORTS
Says That Conditions In
Pensacola Have Been
Very Greatly Exag-
gerated.

Mayor Bliss believes that the re-
ports regarding the damage to prop
erty and the conditions in general in
Pensacola have been greatly exag-
gerated by the newspapers in the
country in publishing accounts OF the
hurricane. Yesterday he gave the
Associated Press the following state
ment, which was sent out early last
night:
The reports that have been pub
lished regarding the disaster at Pen
sacola have been greatly eXaggera-
ted. The widest stories of exaggera-
ton have been published over the
United States and it is desirable that
a calm statement Of facts be made
to the public that they may be cor
rectly informed and that those who
have friends and interests In Pensa-
cola may know the true state of at
fairs.
The hurricane was very bad, the
worst in one hundred and seventy
five years. but the stories regarding
steam ships being driven ashore and
lodged in the center of the city, and
the destruction of ali houses for ten
miles and of parties being rescued
from second-story windows, are not
true. The water rose eight and one
half feet above normal. The quaran-
tine station and life saving station
on Santa Rosa Island, which were
washed away by the sea breaking
over the island, which is composed
of law sand dunes. The frame hous-
es at Ft. Pickens suffered and all OF
the frame houses at FIT. McRae which
were only a few feet above the sea
level were washed away.
Not a steam ship in the bay was
lost, but each was saved by steaming
to anchor. All of the sailing vessels
were beached and many of them are
being floated at the present time.
The small craft such as fishing
smacks and pleasure craft were near
ly all driven ashore and many Of
them wrecked. but many of them are
on the shore uniHjured. More than
half Of che naptha launches are
scarcely damaged
The great elevator of the L. & N.
which was reported RACED to the
earth Is still standing and the water
tank on the top Of it it Is not even
blown off, and the damage to the
same is very slight with the excep-
ton Of the, long conveyor to the
ships, which was blown down The
, great Tarragona street wharf and
Commemorate street wharf of the L.
& N. Railroad Co., which ;wharves
contain about thirteen miles of rail.
road track, are only slightly injur-
ed. Muscogee wharf was damaged
| in the old portion. The other small.
er wharves in the city have suffered
more or less, but the damages which
wer reported at $5;000,000 can prob
ably be repaired for about $1,000,
900. About one-half Of the steam
tugs in the harbor are saved and very
few badly wrecked; Some are on the
beach so that it will be considerable
trouble to float them but do not
seem to be otherwise seriously in
| jured.
The very large number OF small
houses that stood along the water
| front are totally destroyed render
| ing a great many families homeless
but the report that nearly every
house in the city was either unroof
ed or blown down. is untrue. The
very large majority of all the build
ings in the city escaped with scarce
ly any damage except the blowing
down of the beautiful shade tree:
and sheds and galleries. The report
published this morning in the great
dailies that Pensacola is now under
martial law is absolutely untrue. The
saloons and places where liquor