The Cairo bulletin., 1913-01-05
Terrible Destruction Left in the
Wake of South West Gale
Yesterday.
BIG DAMAGE TO SHIPPING
Storm Now Central Over Lower St.
Lawrence Valley-Was Re-
malk1ble for Rapidity.

Washington, Jan. 4.-Tcrrible de-
struction has been left in the wake
Ici a southwest gale which swept
the Atlantic Coast States with great
fury today
Tonight the snorter had spent
most of It's force in that section of
the country.
Enormous damage has been done
to shipping and property, and wirc
communication is badly crippled
Up to late hour tonight no lass or
life had been reported.
The storm which struck Virginia
with especial fury later passed up
the Atlantic coast and tonight was
central over the lower st. Lawrence
valley, The storm Is remarkable,
according 10 Weather Bureau Of
tieials ior both rapidity of it's devel-
orment and for its abnormally low
barometer readings. 1t had moved
SLOWLY across the country in the
form OF y narrow north and south
Though with only moderate intensity
Qrtll today when II developed into a
t1glillc gale. central over Virginia.
Richmond Heaviest Sufferer.
Late advices indicate that Newport
News, Norfolk and Richmond suf-
fered the heaviest damage. At
Newport News shipping was con-
siderably damaged. roofs OF dwell
ings wera lifted, houses destroyed,
and the city cut off from commune
cation with he outside world part of
the day.
Several small oyster schooners
were unaccounted for tonight and it
Is feared they and their crews have
gone down.
Norfolk suffered some property
damage and demorilization of wires
and much damage was done to
property in Richmond.
Reports that the gale was so great
at. Newport News that the water
from the James river surged up into
the lower streets of the city, with
the violence of tidal wave, caused
many inquiries to be made, but the
report proved to be unfounded.
Life Boats Smashed.
The battle ships Minnesota,
Georgia, Utah, Ohio. Virginia, Me-
braska and Idaho. to escape the fury
of the hurricane, managed to make
their way into Hampton Roads. The
big ships had rough experience
with the storm, and when they
passed Cape Henry high seas were
breaking over them. Several of the
| big ships lifeboats were smashed by
big waves breaking over them, and
two OF their launches were swept to
| sea-
Anxiety for the safety of four tor
pedo boats, which. when last heard
from, were en- route to Norfolk, be-
came so marked when no word was
received from them today that 1t
was feared that they might have
been blown far out to sea or found
cred during the gale.
1t is reported, unofficially, to-
night that several battle ships have
been ordered to proceed TO sea to
search for the missing boats.
when the battle ships came to
anchor in Hampton Roads the force
Of the wind was so great that sew
eral of the big ships dragged their
wind hooks and additional weights
had to be added to hold them against
the wind The dreadnaught Wyo-
ming, the biggest and newest ship
in the navy, came near losing one OF
her launches and several officers had
marrow escapes from drowning
saved by lug,
The launch was trying TO get
laway from the Wyoming to bring the
Iofficers to Old Point when 1t was
hurled with terrific force against the
side OF the ship. 1t bounced away
like piece of rubber and the wind
blew The tiny craft far. out toward
the sea. A tug went after the
launch ant managed to tow It safe
ily to Old Point.
The waves were so high at Old
Point that they beat over the Gov.
ernmentf pier and washed consider.
lEnRcludrd ON Para Sill