New-York tribune., 1906-09-28
FEAR FOR GULF TOWNS.
PENSACOLA HARD Hit.
Hurricane S7ceeps Through the
South-ImmenS Losses.

iSouth-Immense Losses.
New Orleans, Sept. 27.-All efforts to pene-
trate even the edge of the flood caused by the
hurricane on the Gulf OF Mexico coast 10 the
east and south Of here have been fruitless TO-
night IT has been almost twenty-four hours
since the receipt of the last message from the
exposed towns. Apprehension was increased oy
the fact that these places, beginning at Lake
Catherine, the furthest point east reached thus
far. are much more exposed to the wind and
water than the larger gulf cities which have
harbors-
From Lake Catherine eastward the exposed
towns are Bay ST. Louis Pass Christian MIS-
sissippi City. Biloxi. Ocean Springs. Pascagouia
and Scranton. These places face Mississippi
Sound. across which the wind has a long sweep.
Some of them extend UP to the very brink OF
the sound. and in places are protected by banks
not more than six to ten feet above the normal
son level Many of these banks are OF soft
earth.
STAFF correspondents Of local newspapers VINO
Yesterday afternoon left here and distributed
themselves along the Sound in anticipation of
the storm have not been heard from. Although
their papers have tried to reach them by round
about kilograms northward into the middle of
Mississippi and thence TO the coast. not an In
timatfon of the situation has been received Not
only is all rail. teegraphio and telephone COM
rnunication cut off with the Sound towns but
there IS no immediate prospec. of news by boat
THE wireless station at the mouth of the river
was abandoned early in the Storm the last re-
port being that there was about eight feet OF
water over the floor of the operators room.
DESPITE the anxiety hero tonight. however
there is a general belief that few, If any, lives
have been lost This hopefulness was due to the
fact that the coast Inhabitants had two days
warning of the storm. All reports from these
places last night were that water was rising
and that the inhabitants preparing for
emergencies.
By long distance telephone New Orleans can
reach only Baton Rouge and Houston. Tex,
whils the availabie telegraph wires run to Gal
weston, Houston and to Memphis Railroad ser
vice North and West uninterrupted. No
news was received to-day from the steamer
Camelia, which, at the beginning of the hurri-
cane had crossed Lake Pontchartrain and
about 10 land forty passengers at Milneberg. but
was forced to run back without making her dock
and recross the lake. Nearly all the ports
where the Camela might have stopped for shell
ter have been cut off from communication with
New Orleans to-day.
Although the wireless telegraph station here
managed to speak with steamers three hundred
miles out in the Gulf to-day. and as far east as
Key West no answer returned 70 calls for
the wireless station at Pensacola The steamers
far out in the Gulf reported a calm sea-
Passengers arriving here over the Illinois Gen.
trail tonight said that while the train stop
ping at McComb. Miss. hotel collapsed in the
storm there. killing two persons.
The storm did great damage to the cotton
crop Most of the cotton still in the field
and was ruined by rain and wind.
Pensacola. Fla. Sept 27.-The worst sea and
hurricane that the Gulf coast has experienced
soe the village OF Pensacola on San Rosa
I.,o,d was swept away 1OI years ago. began
,ost night and is still raging tonight. It Is re-
TOD that many lives between the city and
tra navy ward have been lost. but as many
nr,ore OF this character have been current all
80, che report does not obtain credence
=, g., ,,nown, however. that many of the houses
. 10. district are in from five to ten feet Of
49,. ond many women have been taken from
aao,S story windows and carried to safety in
boats so
= house in Pensacola has suffered dam
a,. ans and many roofs are blown off. The water
Us :. etrewn with wreckage for miles on
i,oli' a,aa of the city and vessels are piled on
e'''ie- a.,,as or where the wharves once were
~ ,m ,,ttnr ruin. Big iron steamers and many
ma,tar a. calling ships are lying high and dry up
i' tba cltv where the tide has never before
Neon known to reach Every wharf for miles
aronpd has been swept away or is damaged be-
vond repair The electric power was shut on
at CO" "a communication with the out
car ar,d ar' % practically cut of This dispatch
slu1 80 ,sIeeraphic matter is being hurried
,,r.a ON eighth page.