The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-10-02
LOOKS P|CTURE OF DESPAIR A Visitor Describes the Havoc
 Wrought by Storm EVERY BUILDING SUFFERS During Storm Waves Washed Entirely Over Santa Rosa Island, Spread
 Ing Destruction In Every
 Direction.
EVERY BUILDING SUFFERS

Mobile, October 1-(SpeciaD From J. P. Lathrop, a telegraph operator. who reached this city last night. further de- tails of the vast extent of the typhoon damage in Pensacola are obtained. Words are inadequate to fully convey a clear idea of the terrible scenes In that city on Wednesday night.
 With wind velocity of SS miles an hour at several different times during the hor- rible twelve hours, and a minimum dur Ing the greater part of the time of 90 miles an hour, with the tin roofs rolling up like paper and falling over into the street. heavy iron as well as wooden avn ings being torn loose from their supports and hurled to the ground, trees blowing over in every direction and blocking prac- tcally every street In the city, with the electric light service entirely out of busi- ness through the inundating of the power houses and with a terrific surf beating actually against the city gates, the din was simply unreliable, and a realization of the vast financial loss was prevented by the awe-inspired in the beholders o. the fury of the elements.
 Waves Roll Over Santa Rosa.
 Santa Rosa island, heretofore the safe- guard of tho city against grave danger from the coast storms, proved intellectual this time, and by midnight on Wednesday it was plain that the seas were rolling entirely over the island. It was plain that unless immediate aid was sent them, the Life Saving Service crew of eighteen men stationed on the island and the fam fly of the proprietor of the bathing pa vilion would certainly be swept away.
 Despite the awtul fury of the storm when this was realized 1t was but aafew moments until still serviceable tug was fully manned by bravo men and started across the six miles of seething water, determined to save them. That they were successful indicated a direct interposi- ton by Divine Providence for mere hu- man power and skill, though of the high est as in this case, would not have availed against tho terrific fury of the storm.
 Within less than thirty minutes after the rescue the island was swept clean of every building on it.
 City Presents Ptiful Sight. All during the night wreck and ruin followed ruin and wreck, and when Thursday morning daWned, the city was a pitif,ll object. From one end to the other the streets were a mass of broken awnings, wadded up tin roofs. sign boards and deb-is of every kind. Hardly a block in the city but what had two to ten large shade trees entirely uprooted and lying across the street.
 Telephone, telegraph, light and street railway systems were absolutely para lyZed, and at this writing hardly a star. has been made toward their re-establiss1- ment. It will be days before any notice able improvement in these necessities will be felt or seen.
 Promptly Thursday morning the mayor ordered every saloon closed and kept so, and swore in fifty additional patrolmen to protect the city against looters during the hours of darkness. To the present writing there has been but very little of this ghoulish work. All day Thursday, though a strong wind still prevailed, the lower harbor section of the city was thronged with awe-stricken gazers unable to find language to fttingly express their feelings.
 Vessels Driven on Piers.
 With the fish Wharves swept away, the fishing smacks capslzed and sunk or driv- en high up on the beach, the other piers almost as heavily damaged in their turn with tugs capsized and sunk on all sides and with great iron steamships driven broadside on to the beach, even though some of them had been hove to under double anchors with millions and millions of feet of lumber and timbers afloat and dashed up into the main business streets. with railroad cars swept off the piers and hurled every which way it Is little wonder that the people gazed silently at the ruin.
 There are doubtless one hundred ships, from fishing smacks up to great iron monsters capsized. beached or sunk in the harbor, and in proportion the total damage in Pensacola exceeds that which Galveston suffered in her memorable deluge.
 ChiIds Body Swept to and Fro.
 One of the most ptiful sights was that of a young child's body being swept to and fro among the wreckage in the surf at the Baylen street wharf. She was about nine or ten years of age, and at last accounts had not been identified.
 Another woman, hystercal in her fright. started to wade from her door to the safety of the higher ground and on arriv- ing safely herself, discovered that sine had dropped her young child from her arm into the water without having missed 1t.
 Among those rescued from the Life Saw inf Service station on Santa Rosa island were the Broadbent sisters, whose skill in the surf, and whose many savings of life have made them famous the world around and brought them medals and decorations from practically every SOW ereign in the world.
 
 This Horse Eats Beefsteak.
 Iana t11r Octnher 1=(Snecial. .l-Mr. Mar