Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi Hurricane, Sept 1860 - Biloxi, Balize, the Passes

The Daily Picayune
Monday, September 17, 1860; The same article appeared in the Tuesday afternoon edition.

The Gale Last Saturday
Fearful Effects on Lake and River
Several Lives Lost
The Town of Biloxi a Heap of Ruins
Nearly Every House at the Balize Blown Down
The news that come to us from every quarter represents the effects of the gale of last Saturday as even more terrible than had been surmised. The destruction of property known thus far is even greater than that by the storm of the 11th of August, and although we have not heard of as many lives lost, we fear that we will have to deplore many more when our returns are completed.

The Lake
We gave yesterday a report of the damage done at Milneburg. The Pamilco, due last Saturday, only came in yesterday morning at 10 o’clock. She was at Mandeville on Saturday morning, at 7 o’clock, with her passengers already on board, but Capt. Hoffman foreseeing the terrible storm that was brewing, would not leave, and waited at the wharf in hopes of a favorable change. About 10 o’clock it blew so strong that the passengers were put ashore, and the boat ran back to Lewisburg, where she could get better shelter. She returned to Mandeville yesterday morning early, and arrived safely as stated.

On that part of the lake coast, the storm was strongly felt, but no damage was suffered.

The Oregon, which left for Mobile at 1 o’clock, in the midst of the storm, got into the Rigolets, where she weathered it, and is reported safe.

The Alabama left her wharf on Saturday afternoon, with many passengers; among others, Washington Fire Company No. 20, on a pleasure excursion.

She returned this morning at 4 ½ o’clock. Capt. Boardman’s report is a tale of frightful disasters. He states that on the whole lake coast there is not a wharf or bath house left standing. The villages had not suffered much, but the town of Biloxi is a mass of ruins. “Look at the unseemly pile of ruins left by the late fire in Royal street, from Customhouse to Bienville street,” says an eye-witness, “and you will form an idea of the appearance of Biloxi, as seen from on board the Alabama.”

The long wharf was covered by nine feet of water, and, in fact, the approach to the late beautiful little town was a mass of water, strewn with pieces of timber and furniture. This gale was considered far worse than the fearful storm of 1855.
We only hear of one loss of life at Biloxi, that of a man killed by the falling of Brown’s hotel. We could not learn his name. The Alabama picked up seven men from the schooner Oregon, completely worn out. The schooner is a complete wreck.

The Balize and the Passes
The towboat Junius Beebe, Capt. Andrews, came up yesterday and brings another fearful account from the Balize and the Passes.

The gale was felt there on Friday night. Nearly every house at the Balize was blown down.

Capt Kinney, the well-known pilot of the New York and Havana steam packet ships, together with a Balize pilot whose name we did not learn, were in George Osgood’s coffeehouse, at Pass-a-l’Outre, were washed away and drowned. Mr. Osgood’s coffeehouse and residence were blown and washed away. Mrs. Osgood and her children drifted out on a bed, which got caught in the limbs of a small willow tree; there they remained until Saturday morning, when they were rescued from their perilous situation. A really providential escape.

The only buildings left standing at Pass a l’Outre, are the Pilot Boat Association house, Riley Knight’s house and the telegraph station.

Continued