Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-09-22
PROPERTY LOSS MAY TOTAL
MORE THAN TEN MILLIONS
Lower California Also Suffers From
Unleashed Elements.
MANY TOWNS UNDER WATER
Others Wiped Out by Tornado.
Magnificent Government Wagon
Road, Built Thirty Years Ago,
Absolutely Destroyed.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

Special Dispatch to The Star
NEW ORLEANS. September 2a-At
least 300 are said to have been lost along
the southwest coast of Louisiana during
the hurricane OF the last two days, ac-
cording to reports brought in by refugees
from the coast towns who have reached
this city. Most Of the deaths were the
result of the tidal wave, which, piled up
by the wind. swept down the coast from
Grand Island westward to Vermillion
parish. distance Of twenty-five miles.
and reached inland for more than two
miles In many places. AS there were at
least 5000 people living in that section. It
Is thought that the estimate of lives lost
is moderate one.
Most of the people living along that
portion Of the coast are fishermen Their
villages. lightly constructed. stood no
chance of escape from the tidal wave,
which rose with great suddenness and
overwhelmed them almost before the in
habltants had any warning Of their peril
Refugees who have reached this city
and Houma are In a pitiable condition,
having lost practically all Of their few
possessions
Losses Total Millions.
Damage TO property along the Louisi.
ana and Mississippi coasts. 1t is estimated.
Will total more than $1O.OOO.OOO. Houses
and FENCES have been razed and crops
beaten down. Telegraph lines leading
into this city are still down, and mes
sages delivered to the telegraph compa-
nies are being sent out on trains to tho
nearest available station. Some Of the
telephone wires are still intact. and by
this means news Of the widespread dam.
age has been gathered. The railroads
too. have suffered from the wind and
water, tracks being blocked by fallen
trees and telegraph poles and undermined
by washouts
Four hundred passengers. who were
held up on two Louisville and Nashville
brought to this city last night by boat.
Scores Of these had been without food all
the time they were marooned.
In this city the storm did vast damage.
and along the levee the river. backed up
by the hurricane. overfiowed and has In
undated about three hundred city squares.
Towns Suffer Greatly.
Many towns of Louisiana sustained
great property loss. In Baton Rouge and
vicinity the damage will exceed $2.OOO. 900.
The state capitol is unroofed and a con-
siderable part OF the building flooded
Isle. small island on the coast Of Lou
isiana, about sixty miles south of New
Orleans, the mail steamer Grand Isle ar
rived today, bringing the first news from
Grand Isle and Cheniere Caminada. an
other island.
Not a life was lost on either island,
but every head of live stock on both was
swept into the gulf
Fields Of cane were laid fiat. and sew
eral orange groves destroyed, the trees
being nr
left standing stripped of fruit and foliage.
The property damage on these two islands
alone runs into the thousands.
Islands Often Storm-Swept.
In 1893 both islands were swept by one
Of the worst storms in the history of the
gulf. and 1,5OO lives were lost on Cheniere
Caminada.
Anxiety. therefore, was intense today in
New Orleans. and there were glad shouts
when a steamer, chartered here to ascer-
tain the fate of the islands. met the mail
packet freighted with the islanders
Hundreds of small pleasure craft which
were torn from their moorings along the
coast and the river have been swept away
or sunk. The damage to craft and ship
ping alone will amount to a million and
a half dollars.
Reports Of a tidal wave having swept
Terrebonne parish, La, drowning 2oO
people, appear To-Day 10 nave Deen errO-
neous. Indications are, however, that
the hurricane did much damage among
the fishing camps of Terrebonne, and that
the loss Of life will be greater in this
parish than any other in the state. The
death list may reach fifty
The banquet to be held in honor Of
Archbishop Blenk, recently returned from
Rome, was indefinitely postponed at the
request Of the prelate.
Destruction in Mexico.
MEXICO CITY. Mexico. September o.
Floods since the Monterey disaster have
done further damage in the state Of Nue.
vo Leon Advices are also received Of
heavy damage in lower California and in
other sections of Mexico. Near Linares.
Nuevo Leon. where Gen. Bernardo Reyes
was recently exiled. floods washed OUT
the magnificent government wagon road
travelling on horseback. The destructfon
of this road has caused great distress
locally on account Of the fruits which are
raised in Galeana and which have always
been shipped to that city and Monterey In
OK carts and burro trains. The only loss
Of life reported near Limares was the
drowning Of Amado Medina on the
rancho de Pollas and of Trinidad Pequeno
on the hacienda San Francisco.
The hacienda Santa Rosa suffered losses
REPORTS losses OF 800 head of cattle and
more than 5000 loss to property. Juan
de Dios Cara Benitez. reputed to be the
richest man in this section, lost heavily In
and cattle.
Cyclone Adds to Terrors.
San Nicolas, In the mountains be-
tween San Jose and San Carlos, in the