, 1916-10-14
THE HURRICANE.
Town and Country Ravaged.

HC0u0 uuNluS OOOu ouUCO0O III iu6 ISlHuu y
history (referring to the mass meeting) we
little thought that we would only twenty
four hours after, have passed through anoth-
err, one however of so sad and terrible a
nature-a devastating hurricane, a scene
that has filed us ell with sorrow and no
little despair. Fifty years without n hurri-
cane made it no doubt seem Incredible that
the island would ever suffer again as it did
in 1867, but alas that idea has proved mis-.
taken. '67 has not only been repeated but
surpassed, and those of middle age among
us who never knew OF could never imagine
what d real hurricane can do, has now had
the awful, never to be forgotten experience.
Amid the utter confusion following the
disaster it is not possible to adequately
describe the destruction or to estimate the
losses caused by the disaster, Briefly put,
q calamity has fallen upon the island, the
like Of which is unknown here. WITH .
mighty hand the storm king has with ut
most fury struck an island wide blow that
has swept it from end TO end, leaving in it's
path a trail Of desolation and misery from
which it will be slow, and in o sense impos-
sible, to recover if outside help-prompt aud
emple-be not obtained.
ST. Thomas-the pretty little town which
we knew and on which strangers gazed with
Delights at least for the present and pro
badly for long time 10 come, q changed
place. The sun is shining as brightly rs ever
again today but over q scene Of much ruin
and many broken hearts.
To best convey an idea of the damage it
should rather be mentioned that hardly a
house has escaped untouched. A few got
slight damages, but the greater part have
been more or less seriously damaged. o num-
Der being totally destroyed, in many cases
thos4 left standing being beyond repair or
beyond the means of their owners to have
them repaired,
The storm ragged for hours and with an
intensity which may be Judged by renders
abroad from the fearfully low barometer,
which fell to 28, 10. some say even as low as
28O2. The tremendous gusts OF wind,
striking like battering rams upon the houses,
and which during the lull seemed by its re-
newed fury to have increased it's driving
force, left no doubt among the helpless
mortals shut in in their homes of what havoc
the angry elements were working. But
none ever expected to behold what met
his eyes when morDieg dawned. Devasta-
ton and 1esolation all around an aspect
such rs one may picture somewhat as
nom d bombardment. Damaged or fallen
houses everywhere, debris scattered breed
east. Almost every tree blown away, The
few left standing being broken down or
Stt4ppG%s IA AdlliASpiES L lt4S kIHBiS are
uenrly M standing but terribly musloted.
The hoaty beauties Of Tie parks are mostly
memories now, The uptown one being a wreck
and the Emancipation Garden not much
better. Those along tie pieg promenade are
either dead or disfgured. Skipping from
here to the cemeteries we find o tangl4 of
big blohen trees which in falling damaged
tombs. The great tamarind aud kenep trees
that adorned the market square and vicinity
are most of them lying uprooted across the
street ,hpadled together With bent and broken
iron and wood, electric telegraph and tele-
phone posts and wires, which have been
laid low all about.
A survey Of the town from some height
and a walk through all its streets and by
ways tell the same sad tale and reveal the
same picture on oil sides-houses u~nroofed,
roof covering gone. interiors damaged by