The San Francisco call., 1909-10-12

LEY WEST. Fla, Oct. 11.-As re-
suit Of the hurricane which struck
L = the southern coast of Florida to-
day, Key West tonight is a mass of
wreckage and the damage to property
is estimated at s2.0OO.oOO. Martial law
was proclaimed and the Key West
guards took charge OF the. city.
The United States government has
been asked to dispatch troops here
without delay. Chaos reigned on every
hand and few people remained in their
homes. Hundreds or houses were
totally wrecked or damaged.
While the hurricane is the worst
hat Key West las ever experienced,
me local weather observer said to-
night that the indications are that the
entire cast coast of Florida would
suffer.
Vessels Driven to Sea
One hundred vessels were in the l1ar-
Dor. but FIVE remained at anchor, the
others having either gone to sea or
being washed upon the beaches. Streets
along the water front are a mass of
buildings throughout the city suffered
from the hurricane and many miracu-
Ious escapes from death have been re-
ported
Several factories were partly de-
stroyed. including the Havana-Ameri-
can. Martinez, Nichols. Ruy Lopez,
Manuel Lopez. Fleitas Toreys. Cortez
and Wolf cigar factories. The top Of
the First National bank was blown of
and the postoffice damaged.
It is known that many have suf-
fered serious injury and unconirmed
reports say that several lives have
been lost
The storm reached its height at 1
o'clock today, when the wind had an
estimated velocity Of 100 miles an hour.
This was a hard. steady blow from s
A. m. to 3 D. M, when the wind be-
gan TO die down. and by 4 o'clock the
center Of the hurricane had passed this
point.
Martial Law Proclaimed
As soon as the wind had subsided
pIundering began. The city Police force
wss unable to cope with the situation
and the mayor decided to take strin-
gent measures TO suppress looting. his
proclamation Of martial law resulting.
Almost every nationality is represent
ed among the city's population of
10000, half of whom are employed in
cigar manufacture. sponge fisheries
and salvage companies.
Cuba Devastated
HAVANA, Oct. 1.-THE most serious
tornado since the big blow of October
Il. 1906. struck Cuba early today, devas-
tating the western portion of the island.
In Havana many minor buildings were
blown down or unroofed, five persons
were killed and about 25 were injured.
The greatest damage done was in the
harbor, where 40 or so lighters,
launches and small tugs were either
sunk or blown ashore
At Casa Blanca great anxiety was felt
throughout the day for the safety of
the Ward liner MORO Castle, from New
York, and the Plant line steamer Miami,
from Key West. Both of these steam
ers. however, arrived safely at $50
this afternoon.
The total damage in Havana and vi
cinity is estimated at $1,00O,OOo.
Communication with the interior has
been interrupted, except with parts of
Havana and Pinar del Rio provinces, in
which orange and other fruit crops
suffered severely. There were heavy
floods at Vuelta Abajo, the tobacco re-
gion, but the tobacco crop has not been
seriously affected beyond the washing
out OF the seed beds. which at this
season of the year may be renewed.
The gale came from south-south-
west. The vortex of the tornado was
a short distance west of Havana. The