Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1910-10-18
DESTRUCTIVE HURRICANE.

For hours curing ounuay nlRnI anu
all through yesterday morning Cuba
was in the grip OF a storm, which blew
up with great violence from the south
west and attained its greatest force
shortly before noon. Then the wind
shifted TO the west and the sea began
TO rise, the waves sweeping in upon
Havana. Within an hour the pound
ing of the waters had broken breach
through the Malecon sea wall. The
waves quickly increased to mountain
heights, engulfng the Malecon drive
way and flooding the handsome resi-
dences facing thereon for a distance OF
mile.
The waters, still rising, invaded all
the seward part Of the city until 3
O'Clock in the afternoon, when the
section bounded by the Malecou, the
Prado and the boulevards Calzada, de
Galiano and Animas were several feet
under water. The residents Of the
lower floors were driven to seek refuge
on higher levels. while attachments Of
soldiers, rural guards, police and fire
men. assisted by members of the Red
Cross and fishermen, with boats. which
we're dragged from the harbor hasten
ed to the submerged district and res
cued hundreds from buildings that
threatened to collapse at any moment.
Vedado, a residential suburb, was ex-
posed to the full fury of the storm.
The sea advanced some hundred yards
inland demolshing many small struc-
lures, and probably causing loss Of
life.
The Jail, at the foot OF the Prado was
completely surrounded by water and the
prisoners, mad with fear, chung TO the
barred windows GENEROUSLY demand
| ing to be removed to a place OF safety.
It was feared for n time that the
prisoners would break loose, but
armed guards held them in check
with rifles until the water began to
recede,
At the height OF the storm the great
waves preached clean over the ramparts
OF Moro Castle. They rolled with ter
rife speed up the harbor, tumbllng
over the sea walls. inundating the
streets in the lower part OF the city,
carrying away many OF the small craft
along the shores and swapping many
lighters which escaped the blow during
the earlier hours. All the steamers
in the harbor remained at anchor, the
engines working and holding their
ground.
At $50 O'Clock the rain ceased, but
the wind remained strong from the
northwest. The barometer stood ut
80. 90, having risen $40 ofan inch in
two hours, giving rise to the hope that
the worst was over.
Instructions to change the north
east storm warnings to hurricane warn
ings were received at Savannah at 10
O'Clock last night. The tropical storm
was reported central in the east Gulf
between Key West and Tampa.
A wireless message received at
Tampa at O'Clock yesterday even
ing stated that the hurricane is sweep
ing over Key West at rate Of so miles
an hour. The barometer there reads
%. so.
A, dispatch received at Brownsville,
Texas. from Point Isabel reports the
water in the Gulf Of Mexico at that
point extremely high and that Padre
Island is entirely inundated.
AT 9 O'Clock last night waves were
dashing over the sea wall mt St. Angus
tine. Fla, flooding the streets on the
water front and inundating the marshes
and lowlands. At that hour a heavy
sea was running in the lower bay,
swapping small craft.