McNairy County independent. (Selmer, McNairy County, Tenn.) 1902-1969, 1915-10-08
400 DEAD IS TOLL
OF GULF STORM
TERRITORY BETWEEN NEW OR.
3 LEANS AND MOBILE REPORTS
MANY CASUALTIES.
LOSS EXCEEDS S25,OOo,oOo
Relief Vessels Hurried to Succor Thou
sands Rendered Homeless-Ship.
ping and Railroad Companies
Are Big Property Losers.

New Orleans.-Four hundred dead
and property loss variously estimated
at over $25,000,000, sums up the re-
suit of the storm that swept big
part of Louisiana and Mississippi.
Wires have been down ever since the
first billow of the storm, railroads have
been tied up and the news has been
trickling in slowly because the points
which suffered the most have been in
accessible by boats.
The death toll in New Orleans and
immediate vicinity was 81. Most Of
the others who persisted were In the
unprotected fishing villages in the Bar
ataria section and in the waters lying
between the Mississippi and Louisiana
state lines.
Thousands of persons have been left
homeless by the hurricane, but New
Orleans and the states of Louisiana
and Mississippi are fully able to af-
ford all the relief needed. More than
rs boats, loaded with food, medicines,
bedding and physicians, have been dis
patched patched &c various points.
The telephone and telegraph wires
leading to the places which suffered
greatest are being gradually restored
and every hour or so messages are re-
ceiyed telling of additions to the death
list. The estimate of 400 dead is con-
sentative.
Scores of houses were wrecked and
hundreds damaged at Gulfport, Pass
Christian, Bay St. Louis, Waveland,
Mississippi City, Ocean Springs, Biloxi
and other resorts along the Missis.
sippi coast. Twelve persons were
drowned in the section just behind
these summer colony settlements.
The Peerless shrimp canning fac
tory at Bay st. Louis was destroyed,
entailing loss of 100000.
Messengers arriving here in motor
boats declare that at least $50 bodies
were floating in the salt marshes con-
tiguous to the various bodies of water
which extend from Chef Menteu to
RiSoiCto. MOSt Vi tHc NiCliulS are
shrimp and oyster men and their fam
lilies.
Word was received here from De la
Croix, % miles from New Orleans,
that five prominent planters who had
engaged a small boat to carry them
to safety were helpless witnesses to
the drowning of their wives and IL
children. Three Of the boats crew
also persisted.
The loss of the Illinois Central Rail-
road in and around New Orleans is es-
timated by officials to be $4,000, 900.
The Louisville & Nashville is another
heavy loser. Four of its long bridges
in the Mississippi Sound, one of three
miles in length, have been wiped away.
Large forces Of workmen are at work
restoring the structures.
More than $50 vessels were destroy,
ed. OF this number nine sunk in the
New Orleans harbor. Several large
ships were blown from their moorings,
but were saved. Two large dry docks,
each containing large boats, were
blown from one side OF the Mississippi.
River to the other.
Two members OF the crew of the
liner City of Tampico, which arrived
here from Vera Cruz. three days late,
after battling with the hurricane thirty
six hours, were washed overheard.
The ships crew and passengers
donned life preservers and awaited
death in the main salon, where there
were prayers. Although the ship was
practically wrecked and scarcely re-
sembled steamer when she reacehd
port there were only two on board who
persisted.
The greatest loss of life in any sim
gle place was at Quong's platform, In
the Barataria section, 60 miles from
New Orleans, where over so were
drowned when a storm house caved
in. The shelter had been built by
Quong, wealthy Ghinaman, who had
built the shelter for just such an emer-
gency. He tied $4,000 in gold around
his belt and when the blow splintered
the haven 1t is believed the metal
caused his body to sink, as it has not
been found.
At Fernier lao persons were In a
barn which fioated IS miles. All were
cavad