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News and Miscellany

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Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 5, 1871

FromReview and Herald, Vol. 38, No. 12.

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News and Miscellany.

“Can ye not discern the signs of the times?”

Terrible Hurricane at St. Thomas.

St. Thomas, W. I., Aug. 22, via Halifax, N. S., Aug. 31.—Another hurricane has swept over this unfortunate island, overturning every house and laying the place in ruins. Yesterday, at about 1 o'clock A. M., a gale broke from the east, shortly afterward shifting to the north-east, from which point it blew more fiercely until noon, when the wind veered round St. Thomas to the north and fell upon the island in a terrific hurricane. It then shifted to the north-west and blew with great violence until 5 o'clock P. M., when there came a lull, which lasted until 6 P. M. At this hour the hurricane again swept over the island from the south, but its duration was not so long as on the previous visit, nor was its violence so great. Its term of greatest fury lasted only two hours. Closely following in the wake of the hurricane came an awful gale from the south and south-east, which raged for several hours. During the hurricane in the afternoon several shocks of earthquake rendered more dreadful the situation of the people, who were hearing overhead the crash of roofs torn by the hurricane and obliged to feel, at the same time, under foot, the foundations of their shelters shaken by an earthquake. Hundreds of dwellings have been swept away, and not a house has been left standing undamaged on this distressed island. Some 6,000 people had been left homeless and destitute, and nearly 150 persons were killed and mangled, or disabled by houses blown down, or bricks and tiles flying thickly all around during the hurricane. Already some 30 corpses have been dragged from under the ruins, which, in the shape of trees and fences shattered, and houses and heaps of bricks and tiles strewn throughout the streets, offer a sight of perfect desolation. The island of St. Kitts is said to be in ruins, as it was caught by the first hurricane which has just passed over here.