The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1906-09-29
WRECKED MOBILE
Hurricane Destroys Bust.
ness Section of City.
FIFTY LIVES. $4,OOO.OOO LOST
Many Public Buildings and Churches
Are In Ruins.
MILITIA GUARD SHOOT to KILL.

West India Cyclone That swept Five
States Deals Death and Destruction
at AIabama's Capitai-water Front
aud shipping suncr From Floods
and Hurricanc-Two Revenue Cut
tiers aud Many Steamers GO Down
with Crews, 10 IL Feared-Every
Church DamAEed-Wires Down All
over Country stop Direct Reports.
LOUISVILLE. KY. Sept. 29.-The gen.
oral managers office OF the Louisville
and Nashville railroad has received a
dispatch from Fiomaton, Ala, confirm
Ing the loss OF life and devastation OF
property In the city OF Mobile, Ala.
The editor Of the Mobile Register
and the Louisville and Nashville tele-
graph operator have made their way
20 Bay Mlnette from Mobile. making
the trip 10y boat and on foot.
They report that at least iifty lives
were lost aud SI.OOOO00 damage has
resulted from the tornado that struck
Mobile and devastated It's business
section. Five river boats are sunk at
the wharfs. The business section. a
quarter OF a mile wide through the
whole length OF the city, Is inundated.
and the city is In darkness. Militia
guard the streets with orders TO shoot
10 kill
Pillagers are reported IN the business
section. aud one negro was caught and
nearly beaten 20 death. Buildings
have been RACED. a river steamer
turned turtle, but her crew escaped. \
revenue cutter is lost. Many surround
ing towns have been devastated. The
city is practically under control Of the
militia. and no one Is on the streets ex-
cept newspaper men and those wear
ing badges
A large number Of houses were de-
stroyed, and many people were injured
In the collapse OF buildings Bicnville
square has been destroyed. Christ
Church cathedral was blown down
The water is five feet deep in the bust
ness section OF the city. and bales Of
cotton, trunks, household goods and
other debris is floating about the city.
The wind reached a velocity of nine
ty miles an hour. Fort Morgan. at the
entrance OF Mobile bay. and suburban
towns in the vicinity OF Mobile are be-
lleved TO have been swept away. The
estimate Of the damage is placed at
100000 in the city Of Mobile alone.
There is no way Of reaching the out
side world except by boat and on foot.
All wires are gone, and washouts are
numerous In every direction -Four or
five blocks OF the best business section
of the city have been swept away.
A number Of ships were wrecked,
and all the wharves were destroyed.
The revenue cutter Alert was sunk
In the Mobile river after being rammed
by an unknown vessel during the hur-
ricane. She was a propeller, built in
1896 at Middletown, Conn, and was
commanded by First Assistant Engi-
neer s. NJ. Rock and carried four en-
listed men and a pilot.
Water from Mobile bay was blown
into the city for many hours by the
gale, and for time the soa stood sew
en- feet deep In the wholesale quarter
of Mobile, which includes that part Of
hn off 10 fhn In.
bama river
The loss Of life is believed to be
mainly negroes although conditions
ore so chaotic that information is in
definite. Shipping suffered severely.
Among the steamers sunk were the
j. P. Schulz, the Mary Il. Staples, the
Mary 8. Blees, Cana, Overton, Hattie
b. Moore. City Of Camden and many
other smaller craft. It Is feared that
the crews of these boats were lost.
Much apprehension is felt for the
suburban towns, as It is feared that
they have been obliterated. The
chances are that the loss of life on
Dauphin island is heavy.
The suffering In Mobile is severe
The humiliation Of transportation fla
cillties has shut Off all supplies, and
unless help reaches Mobile from the
outside world soon great distress will
result
Every church in Mobile was dam
aged, though Christ Church cathedral
and st. Francis Street Baptist church
suffered more than others. The dam
age to Christ Church cathedral is esti-
mated at $4,000 and ST. Francis
Street Baptist church at $4,000.
Mobiles shipping suffered more than
anything else. Many Of the river boats
are now beached or sunken and are
complete wrecks.
Electric light companies, street rail-
ways and, In fact, all business has
been suspended.