Timely.
Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi Hurricane, Sept 1860 - Mobile & Point Clear
Submitted by Nancy Wright
The Daily Picayune
Tuesday afternoon edition, September 18, 1860
The Late Gale at Mobile
Further Particulars of the Disaster
The Mobile Mercury, of Monday morning, comes to us with still further particulars of the late disastrous storm in that city and vicinity. It says:
We have been placed in possession of the approximate loss of some of the companies, but reserve remark for further inquiry. We have heard the aggregate loss estimated at half a million. We think the true mark somewhere between a quarter and a half million.
Men were at work all day yesterday picking up cotton and taking it out of the water. We saw a hundred bales that had been rafted together yesterday evening, and hauled into the slip at the city warehouse, which men were busy taking out. Some, of course, has been carried entirely away.
A gentleman has just handed us the following statement:
Amount of cotton burned in Goodman’s warehouse, Sept. 15, 1860, less amount saved in damaged state viz:
Planter’s cotton ……………………..3,110
Ship marked ………… .............+.55
3,165
Less amt saved in damaged state…….-.365
Total Loss……………………2,820
The hull of the old Ambassador, used by M. Warring as a salt boat, sunk at the foot of Government street, with 4,000 sacks of salt.
Five steamboats are totally lost, except what may be saved of their machinery and other movable articles of value. Yesterday being Sunday, it was difficult for reporters to find men in their places to get any information, of any sort, concerning the flood, and consequently we know not how far these losses are covered by insurance.
Capt. Geo. Blakesley went down the bay yesterday morning in the Swan, returning yesterday evening. He reports all right down there. The ship Dicksey had come inside Sand Island Friday evening, and not having been seen since, is believed to have put to sea again.
The masts of a small schooner are seen sticking up out of the water a little down the river from Dauphin, as seen by our reporter. Upon inquiry, we were told she belonged to New Orleans, and had nothing aboard of much value. She went down in the height of the gale yesterday. No one lost. We learn at a later hour, that she is the water boat Globe.
The principal wharves all along the front are more or less injured. The upheaving of the waves had raised them in places, and the piles are said to have been drawn up by its force, giving their surface an equal appearance. Their coverings of plank have been displaced in some places, as also the sills upon which they were laid.
Water street, below Government, is completely chocked up with logs, drift wood and the broken up wharves along that part of the front. In one place, an oyster boat was carried and lodged in the centre of that street.
The Gale at Point Clear
By the arrival of the Crescent last evening, we had news from Point Clear. The water rose up to the sills of the main building at Point Clear, and flowed under the house. The whole south wharf was carried away, leaving not a wreck behind. The only place left for landing is at Battle’s wharf.
The second cook of the hotel, with two companions, got a sailboat on Friday night, and just before starting, bought a bottle of whiskey, saying that, as there was a fresh breeze, he was going to see how quick time could be made around the stake and back. Not one of the crew, not any vestige of the boat, has been seen or heard of since.
Continued
An Incident of the Storm
Last Friday evening, several young gentlemen, Messrs. Stanley Bell and Walter Weaver, of Mobile, Gabe Buchanan, of Aberdeen, Miss. and John Richardson of Okolona, started on the yacht Pastime on a pleasure excursion to Point Clear.
They had proceeded about twelve miles when the lively breeze under which they had been sailing stiffened a gale. The two sailors, who made up the crew, prophesied a big blow, and according to their advice, the vessel was turned about to retrace her course. About two and a half miles from Choctaw Point which rushing at the rate of fifteen miles an hour, the yacht struck a beacon light pile and stove in her bow.
She rapidly filled, and in a short time sunk in twenty feet water. The hatches were secured, and each man held them with one hand and with the other clung to the rigging. The storm increased its fury and the foaming billows at every surge swept over the unfortunate excursionist. In a short time Mr. Bell and one of the sailors concluded to try to reach the shore. Taking a hatch lid, three feet by six, they began their perilous voyage, and after two hours hard struggling, accomplished their object. Night dragged its slow length along, but daylight brought no prospect of rescue, and the strength of those remaining with the wreck was well nigh exhausted.
Seven or eight hours spent in clinging to ropes and bits of plank, and being exposed to a fierce storm, raging sea and a cold, beating rain is enough to exhaust the fortitude of the most enduring. After waiting in vain for some sign of relief, Major Richardson and the other sailor also took a hatch lid as a buoy, and started for the lighthouse, distant some one and a half miles. This was deemed a hopeless venture, in the exhausted condition of the parties, but fate and tide were propitious, and they had nearly reached their destination when the propeller Neaffie, Capt. Keys, came along and took them on board. The Neaffie then went for Messrs. Weaver and Buchanan, who had stayed with the wreck.
The young men lost many valuables in the way of watches, money, etc. Capt, Keys, deserves the highest credit for his prompt and vigorous action in rescuing a number of his fellow-beings from a watery grave. We learn it is the intention of the young gentlemen to present to Capt. Keys some suitable testimonial of their gratitude.
We have not heard of a solitary instance of loss of human life about the city. Somebody had a camel which unfortunately got drowned down on Royal, below Madison.
The Storm Up the Country
The Taney arrived last evening, having laid up at Gindrat’s landing Saturday night. She reports rain from Selma down, with considerable wind, but the last nothing like we had here.
The Rescue also arrived yesterday evening, from the Bigbee. She met the storm at Wood’s Bluff, and reports heavy rains, with high winds, calculated to do serious injury to the cotton crops.
The Saturday down train met rain at Scooba, which increased all the way, without noticeable heavy wind. The train laid by at Whistler, and came in yesterday morning.
We have ascertained the exact height of the water here at Mobile, as compared with August ’52, to be 16 ½ inches less.
Thanks for posting. I tried your link but was rudely rejected. I have a twitter follower I have been giving updates on this storm. He is a pharmacist who lives somewhere in central Louisiana. I will direct him back here if he wants to learn more.