The Washington herald., 1911-08-31
TERRIFIC STORM
MOVING ON CUBA
DOWN THE COAST
Steamers Reported in the
Path of Violent Wind.
S50O,O0O DAMAGE DONE

Havana, Aug. 3O.-A terrific storm, be-
lieved by the National Observatory here
to be more severe than the one which
swept Charleston and Savannah last Sun
day. is now moving on Cuba. The steam
ers MORO Castle and Saratoga are both
in the path of the storm, according to
the observatory.
Reports are stIll reaching the Navy
Department giving details OF the damage
done by the storm of Sunday night and
Monday along the Atlantic coast. Act
ing Secretary OF the Navy Winthrop
yesterday received the following dis
patch from Capt. Demey. stationed at
the Port Royal Is. c. Navy Yard:
violent storm Sunday and Monday.
All roofs were more OF less damaged.
Buildings used as company quarters un-
tenantable except part of recruit quarters
until repaired. Officers quarters and
furniture generally badly damaged.
Quartermaster's storehouse and commits
sary lost rOCf and windows; no other
buildings available. Electric light wires
down. Approach to wharf badly washed
and cannot be used for landing. Bound
ary fence destroyed. Power plant and
pumping StduOn lnuandSeO.
No further details of the damage done
to the Charleston Navy Yard were re-
ceived at the departsIent yesterday.
Reports indicate that $4,000 damage has
been done. Fort MOultrie. on Sullivans
Island, Charleston, was almost wrecked
and serious damage also resulted to the
Charleston and Port Royal naval sta
tions. The Navy Department has placed
$4,000 at the command OF the Charleston
ord off rf11- for rnTN ire
A flying squadron Of five revenue cut
ters is cruising along the Atlantic coast
between Key West and Norfolk on the
lookout for ships which may have been
rendered helpless by the terrific hurricane
of last Sunday night. Commandant Bert
holt, Of the Revenue-cutter Service. said
yesterday he was afraid there were small
sailing ships in need of assistance along
tht coast.
The cutters Onondaga from Norfolk,
Seminole from Wilmington. n. c., Yama-
Craw from Savannah, Forward from Key
West, and Seneca from New York, COM
pose the rescue fleet.
The YamaCraw is keeping a particu-
larly sharp lookout for the schooner Bes-
sic Whiting. which is reported as help
less ninety miles due east OF Savannah,
deserted by her crew. but with the cap
tain and his wife and the ships cook on
board.
Thirty Lose Lives.
Charleston, S c., Aug. 3O.-Reports re-
ceived here tonight indicate that at
least thirty persons lost their lives in
the hurricane that swept the Atlantic
Coast Sunday night and Monday. Several
remote sections are stin to be heard
from and much loss of life is believed
to have occurred on the ships which are
still at sea in a disabled condition.
With battered vessels putting in at the
various Atlaptic ports almost hourly, the
property loss cannot be accurately esti-
ma ted. but it is believed the total amount
in this city alone is placed at
ST. 5OO. 600
Battling Against Sea.
Savannah. Aug. 3O-Somewhere on the
coast, Capt E. E Walls, Of Hal
lowell, Me, accounted the bravest skip
per on the seaboard, and his wife are
battling alone against a tempestuous sea
in the hurriCane-wrecked schooner For
tuna. The coast is being secured to-
night by a score of vessels in the hope
that the Fortuna is still holding her
ground and the commander and his wife
can be taken off alive.
The crew Of the Fortuna was taken OF
but as he has done many times
before. Capt. Walls refused to leave
while there was the slightest possibility
If the ship being saved. Members Of ths
FOrtuna's crew begged the captain to
come with them. but he stOutly refused.
Mrs Walls declared she would remain
with him until they were picked up or
went to the bottom.
\ year ago Capt. Walls underwent the
same narrowing experience of his own
choosing, when his crew left the four
nasted schooner HOllinSwoOd, of which
le was captain, after five days buffeting
~ a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico.
Mrs Walls was not with him on that
rip.