Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1906-10-04

AWFUL HAVOC TO
PROPERTY AND
LIFE BY STORM
LOSS OF LIFE MAY REACH HUN
pREos PROPERTY LOSS
MANY k,iLLloNs.
MANY CITIES ARE LAID WASTE
MOBILE AND PENSACOLA REPORT
GREATEST DAMAGE-PANlc
PREVAILS.

PREVAILS.
Louisville, KY, Sept. 29.-The trop
ical hurricane, which for the past
twenty-four hours has been churning
the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and
doing much damage on the coast and
far inland, is whipping through North
ern Alabama in northeasterly direc-
ton at a velocity but slightly less
than that recorded at New Orleans
during the day.
Railroads Suffer Greatly.
A gale is blowing at Birmingham
after a day of steady rain. and at
Memphis the rain has been continu-
GUS for thirty-six hours.
The damage to railroads is very
heavy. Reports to the Louisville &
Nashville road indicate that the losses
approximate s1,COO,0O0. The tracks
between Wheaton, Ala, and Pensa-
cola, Fla. are INSTRUCTED in many
points and badly torn up by falling
trees.
At Pensacola the Louisville & Nash
vile grain elevator has been destroy
ed and the entire trackage to Escam-
ba bay is ruined. The railroad wharf
at Pensacola is reported to be total
loss, and thirty-nine cars of coal were
washed into the bay.
The Louisville & Nashville also suf.
fered several washouts near New Or
leans, and no trains are run over GER
tain sections of that trackage.
Two Killed.
Passengers arriving here over the
Illinois Central last night said that
while the train was stopping at Nc
Comb, Miss, hotel had collapsed in a
wind storm there, killing two persons.
They said that heavy wind was en-
countered at McComb. They had no
further details.
Many Lives Lost
Mobile, Ala, Sept. 30-Between rs
and 100 lives lost. fully two score yes
sells driven ashore or wrecked in vari-
Gus parts of the Gulf Of Mexico, dam
age amounting to $4,5OO,OOO in the city
of Mobile and to the extent of millions
or more at outside points is the record
of the storm which swept over Mobile
on Wednesday and Wednesday night.
No accurate estimate of the number
of casualties can be made, and it is
doubtful if it will be known for week
or more.
Great apprehension exists regarding
the situation at Gulfport and Biloxi,
where it is believed that many lives
have been lost.
Great Waves Sweep City.
While the stor-l was at it's height
in Mobile, the water from the bay was
driven in in great force toward the
city, the water coming in great waves
six feet deep. Two blocks up, in the
heart Of the city, the flood was driven,
filling every basement and store At
Commerce street, the first thorough
fare away from the docks, the water in
the stores was five and one-half feet
deep. The damage in the city of Mo
bile proper has been enormous. 1t has
been contended by some that there is
not building in the city which has
not been damaged
Under Martial Law.
The city has been placed under the
control of the militia. Nobody is per-
mitted on the streets except news
paper men anG persons wearing
badges. Much apprehension is felt for
the suburban towns, as it is feared
they have been obliterated. The
chances are that the loss Of life on
Dauphin island is great. Many fisher
men liveeon Dauphin island and other
er outlying marshy districts from
which no tidings have been received.
The suffering in. Mobile is severe.
The interruption of transportation ia,
cilities has shut off supplies, and I'M
less help arrives from the outside
world soon great distress will result.
Every church in Mobile is damaged.
Shipping Suffers Most.
Mobiles shipping suffered more
than anything else. Many Of the river
boats are now beached or sunken, all
complete wrecks The docks and those
of private corporations are fearfully
wrecked. The revenue cutter Alert
has gone down In Mobile river She
was rammed by some unknown yes
sci and sank Immediately Her crew
is believed to have escaped, but moth
Ing has been seen Of them.
EARL PRAISES ROOSEVELT.