New Britain herald., 1926-07-30
BAHAMAS STILL
 ISOLATED ISLES
i5O Missing and Damage Of SS,0OO,OO0 in Hurricane

wind and wave with more than 150 persons missing, the Bahama Islands remained virtually isolated from communication with the outside world today while anxious residents took further count of the toll of de- struction from the worst hurricane in the recorded history of the is- lands
 Sponge Fleet Missing
 The majorit.- of those missing are believed to have been drowned with the sponge fishing fleet which has not been seen since it set sail three days before the West Indian hurri- cane struck the islands Monday night. Several weeks must elapse before the official toll of death and shipping and property damage is known. While conservative esti- mates place the damage at sS,000,- 900 reports have not been received from several islands of the group and communication with them may not be established for days.
 City Is Wrecked
 Nassau, the beautiful capital of the Bahamas group with a popula- ton of more than 12,000 presented picture of desolation. Debris from uprooted trees, wrecked houses and splintered boats washed up by the waves, cluttered the stately drive ways of the ancient city where vir- tually all business has been suspend ed. Abandoning efforts to repair her ruin, Nassau turned first to search for the missing sponge fleet and to ascertain the conditions of other islands under her administra- ton. The outer islands of the group are known to have suffered greatly but inside the far flung line of is- lands, and banks and toward the coast of Florida, the chief damage was at Nassau. Only three fishing smacks were left in Nassau harbor from so craft which were moored there Sunday. Between 150 and 200 sloops are missing with the sponge fleet.
 s5 Vessels Destroyed
 Harbor officials estimate that at least 75 vessels were destroyed at Nassau and other islands not count ing the sponge boats, some of which possibly found shelter on isolated banks or near uninhabited islands.
 Nassau had meager warning Of the advance of the hurricane. The Tropical Radio station near Miami radioed weather reports Sunday when brisk winds and rapidly fall ing barometer indicated the coming of storm. The wind steadily increas- ed in velocity throughout the day and at midnight gale lashed the island, tearing houses from their foundations and uprooting trees. Wires were blown down and the public utility plants damaged to such an extent that the city was plunged into darkness. The government re- cord showed the wind reached It's velocity peak at 1So at 6 o'clock Monday morning.
 Soothing Mass of Waves.
 Churning the harbor into a seeth- ing mass of waves, the hurricane piled waters high over the wharves into Bay street, a block into the city. Soon gale swept down from the northwest, meeting the onrush from the Caribbean, and ships were lifted high from their moorings and sent on to the wharves. Several were blown to sea.
 Among the vessels known to have sunk In the harbor here was the 80 ton yacht Isosceles. formerly the Shamrock ", Sir Thomas Lipton's famous American cup challenger. It lies under 40 feet of water beside numerous small craft varying from small sailboats to small yachts.
 Rum Fleet Wrecked
 At the island of Gun Key. eight large rum running boats, heavily laden with liquor, were dashed to pieces by the waves. The crews es- capped, rowing ashore In small boats at the first approach of the hurri- cane.
 Nothing was known of the fate of the government Anil boat, Bron- tes. which proceeded for San Sal vador shortly before the onrush of of the storm. The Albertine Adou with 40 persons aboard, sailed for the island of Inaugua, few hours before the hurricane struck. It was also claimed among the missing craft. The mail boat carried 20 persons.
 Crew of the Munson steamship Munamar from New York and the Canadian fisher from Kingston, Ja- maica, which arrived at Nassau shortly after the storm abated, told of battling terrific winds and waves.
 Airplane Arrives
 Isolated from the world for three days with a crippled government wireless station, Nassau received her first word of outside damage from newspaper men arriving in an air plane from Miami late Wednesday, and In turn supplied first informa- tion of her own pitiful condition.
 The liquor trade, one of the chief sources Of income of the islands, has been dealt crushing blow and the probable loss of the sponge fleet will curtail for some time the groups ol0eSL ana Cnlet industry ol spolSe fishing for some time. Attempts were being continued today to com municate with Miami radio stations, some repair having been done to the government wireless towers whose thick steel ribs were snapped by the hurricane.
 Strewn into bits like shattered playthings by the temperamental hurricane. mass of broken wreck age clutters the waterfront from the eastern parade, far 10 the western edge of the island. Hal I. Leyshon,of the Miami Daily News. and R. P. Mitchell, Miami correspondent of the Associated Press were the newspapermen who