Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 33, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 September 1893 — WRECKED BY WIND. [ARTICLE]

WRECKED BY WIND.

Life and Property Destroyed at Savannah by a Hurricane. Savannah, Ga., was swept the other night by one of the severest storms it has ever known. Tho storm, which had been predicted by the weather bureau for several days, began early in the afternoon and, according to a dispatch, increased from then on until it reached the climax between 11 and 12 o’clock at night, having lasted for eight hours. The storm and rain ceased for awhile hi the afternoon. It began again with terrific foroo and tho work of destruction reigned supreme and lasted until midnight, when tho storm spent its fury. All tho wharves along the river front and cccan steamship companies and Savannah, Florida und Western Railroad wharves wero under water. The city streets wore impassable on aocount of debris and sullen trees, twisted roofs, masses of brick fences, and broken limbs and branches. It is difficult at tho time this is written to estimate tho damage as tho result of the storm, but it was very general, and it is safe to say it will go up in th# hundreds of thousands and perhaps higher. Nearly if not quite all the property owneife in the city have been damaged to some oxtont and some to the amount of thousands. .Fourteen lives are known to be lost, and this will certainly be augmented when details oome to hand. There are forty or fifty other persons who aio loported missing, and it is supposed, as nothing has been hoard from them, that their bodies will be found later on. Twelve barks and barkentinos which wore anchored off quarantine station were thrown high upon tho island, and some of them were carried by tho storm 801*08.8 tho marshes into an island twenty miles distant from tho quarantine station. Tho ruin at quarantine is immeasurable. Nothing is standing whore one of tho finest stations of tho South Atlantic was twenty-four hours before, except the doctor's house, and how this weathered the fearful gale is miraculous. The wharves are gone, the new fumigating plant, which cost tho city so much monoy, is in the bottom of the sea, and nino vessols which wore waiting there ior release to go to the city arc high and dry in the marsh, and no doubt will bo total wrecks. Tho Cosnlno was tho only vessel which managed to keep alloat. It is reported that eight of tho crow of a terrapin sloop which went ashore on the south end wore drowned. All tho bath houses are gone, tho Knights of Pythias’ club house was washed away, two of tho cottages of tho Cottage Club are also gone. Tho Ranch and Rambler club houses woie wrecked and tho railroad track is cleaned out. Tho water swept with tremendous foroo over tho island, railroad tracks being carried from 300 to S(X) foot. Tho par vilions On the beach are gone. The switch back with an empty train was carried into tho woods. Trains on all reads have stopped to repair washouts. Tho church steeples are demolished, ami at least 500 largo troos are blown down all over the city. The Tybeo Read is under water for tho ontiie distance, and in many placos is entirely washed away. The storm was first felt on Tybeo Island, an hour and a half by boat from tho city proper. Tybeo Is ut tho mouth of the savannah River and tho port of the city. The people of Savannah and at Brunswick had warning of tho coming storm and took to flight. But for this tho loss of life would have boon terrible. Whole rows of houses wore wrecked and everything in the path of tho wind went down. The known property loss is already over $1,000,000.