The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1906-12-05
HUNDREDS ENGULFED
BY BIG TIDAL WAVE
Whole Population of EIIiotts Key
Swept to Instant Death.
DESTRUCTIVE TORNADO IN CUBA
Storm Kills Many on Vessels Off Flor
ida-Great Havoc in Havana
Salvador is Observation-Disclosures
IncaIcuIabIe-LoSS Of Life Great.

Miami, Fla.-Three terrible disas-
tiers occurred in the hurricane that
for more than two days ragged along
the Florida coast. The steamer st.
Lucie foundered with a loss. of twen-
ty-fve lives, fifty passengers have
been lost from a barge, and it is re-
ported by Captain Bravo, Of the st.
Lucie, that he saw a tidal wave sweep
over the island of Elliott's Key, ten
miles long and about one mile wide,
with the almost certain death OF the
ESQ inhabitants. Besides this list 1t
is feared part of the fleet Of the Flor
ida Fish and Produce Company has
been lost.
Captain Bravo said that his ship
was wrecked by the same wave that
swept over Elliott's Key. He an
chored on the lee side Of the island,
which runs north and south along
the coast, and about an hour later
the wave almost swamped the ship.
twenty-five Of the 100 persons on
board were killed by being borne
against the deck and fittings, while
sixty seriously injured were brought
here on an extension steamer.
The entire GREY and all the pas
sengers were on deck watching the
storm when suddenly the wave rolled
up and broke in hundreds Of tons on
the ship. The st. Lucie was crushed
by the force of the blow and left a
total wreck. The captain says that
all lives must have persisted were 1t
not that the wave carried the ship so
far shoreward that when the waters
receded the vessel was only in one
foot Of water.
Bravo said that he saw the wave
carry away houses on the island, and
he asserts that there is hardly a sign
of vegetation remaining. Relief tugs
have been despatched to Elliott's
Key.
The barge from which fifty. are
said to have been lost was moored
near Elliott's Key. There were 100
on board, almost all being engaged
in the fishing business in these wat
ers. The barge was almost swamped.
It is said the waves covered the craft
completely, but her buoyancy was so
great she continued to float. The
barge drifted toward the Bahama ISL
ands, and the fifty survivors were
taken off by a steamer.
The steamer st. Lucie belonged to
the fleet of the Florida East Coast
Railway, and was employed in carry
ing workmen to and from the extern
sion work on the keys. Despite the
storm warning Captain Bravo sailed
for Key Sarge with a large number
of workmen. 80.
The st. Lucie's home port was
Tampa. She was built in Whining
ton, Del, in. 1888, was of los net
tonnage and 1872 feet long. She was
usually manned by a crew OF thlr-
teen. The st. Lucie had formerly
been in service at New Haven. De-
tails were lacking.
In Havana about fifty houses were
injured, but, owing to the massive
construction of roofs and walls, the
damages are serious only In a few
instances. The buildings Of the uni
versity of Havana -ustained injuries
amounting to many thousands of dol
lars. . A partition wall in the Ameri-
can legation was blown down. The
Office furniture was ruined and the
books and records Of the legation
were wet Trough. ~