Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 October 1909 — THIRTY DEAD IN FLORIDA STORM [ARTICLE]

THIRTY DEAD IN FLORIDA STORM

Key West Turned Into Mass of Wreckage; $2,000,000 Loss. MARTIAL LAW IS PROCLAIMED Federal Government Asked to Send Troops to Police the Devastated Section—Choas Reigns on Every Hand and Few Remain in Their Homes, Hundreds of Which Have Either Been Wrecked Totally or Rendered Uninhabitable. Key West, Fla., Oct 12.—As a result of the hurricane which struck the southern coast of Florida, Key West is a mass of wreckage. It is reported that thirty have been killed and the damage to property is estimated at $2,000,000. Martial law Was proclaimed by the mayor and the Key West guards are patroling the city. < The United States government has been asked to send troops here without delay to assist in policing the stormswept area. Chaos reigns on every hand and few remain in their homes, hundreds of which either have been totally wrecked or made uninhabitable. The maximum wind velocity was seventy-six miles an hour and thirteen inches of rain fell within a few hours. The wireless station was among the buildings blown down. As soon as the wind had subsided plundering began. Almost every nationally is represented among the city’s population of more than 20,000, about one-third of this number being employed in the cigar factories. Nine cigar factories were partly destroyed, including the Havana,American, Martinez, Nichols, Ruy Lopez, Manuel Lopez, Flieltas Toreys, Cortez and W’olf plants. Sky Sulphurous at Miami. Miami, Fla., Oct. 12.—The sky was overcast with a sulphurous yellow, houses were unroofed and limbs blown from trees by the storm whose full force was felt at Key West