9, Delray, FL-18

lornajarrettblanchard September 11, 1903

–21 The Sun, Baltimore. “Summary of the News…Miscellaneous.” 9-16-1903, p. 1, col. 4.
–18 Blanchard estimate based on locality breakouts below.
–18 The Sentinel, South Haven, MI. “A Week’s Record.” 9-19-1903, p. 2.
–14 Barnes, Jay. Florida’s Hurricane History. Chapel Hill and London: UNC Press, 1998, p.85.
–12 Dunn, Gordon E. and Banner I. Miller. Atlantic Hurricanes (Revised Edition)/ 1964, p 316.
–10 The World, NYC. “Heavy Loss of Life in Hurricane.” Sep 15, 1903, p. 3.
— 7 Waterloo Daily Courier, IA. Sep 15, 1903, p. 6.

–1 Arcadia, 40M south of Tampa. Drowning; Hugh Morton at Wilder’s sawmill.
–9 Boynton. Steamer Inchulva. The World. “Heavy Loss of Life in Hurricane.” 9-15-1903, p. 3.
–9 Delray [SE coast north of Boca Raton]. British steamer Inchulva strands. Garriott. MWR, 407.
–9 Delray Beach. Steamer Inchulva strands and breaks-up. Wreck Site. “SS Inchulva…1903.”
–3 Gainesville area. Atlanta Constitution. “Oranges Badly Hurt By Storm.” Sep 16, 1903, p. 4.
–2 Lake Butler area (tornado). Lowell Sun, MA. “Children Killed.” Sep 15, 1903, p. 25.
–1 Tampa (drowning). The World, NYC. “Heavy Loss of Life in Hurricane.” 9-15-1903, p. 3.
–1 “ Electrocution; T.Y Hunnicut, motorman, near Cuesta Rey cigar factory.
–1 “ Falling debris; Louis Baron, cigar maker, struck by failing building cornice.

Narrative Information

Dunn and Miller: “1903 Sept. 11-13 S and NH Fla. Minimal [intensity] 14 killed & heavy shipping losses.” (Atlantic Hurricanes (Revised Edition)/ 1964, p 316.)

Garriott, Monthly Weather Review: “Forecasts and Warnings….The regular morning reports of the 19 indicated the presence of a disturbance over the eastern Bahamas. By the evening of the 10th the center of disturbance had advanced to the vicinity of Nassau, New Providence Island, Bahamas, where a minimum barometer reading of 29.20 inches was reported at 7 p.m. Between 6 and 7 p.m. the wind at Nassau increased from an easterly direction to 60 miles an hour, when the anemometer cups blew away. The wind then went to southerly and reached an estimated velocity of 90 miles an hour…..

“During the 11th the hurricane center approached the southern Florida coast. At Jupiter the barometer fell from 29.88, at 8 a.m., to 29.63, at 6 p.m., and the wind increased from the northeast to a velocity of 78 miles an hour at 6:45 p.m. For one minute the wind blew at a rate of 84 miles an hour. At 11 p.m. the direction of the wind changed to east and the velocity began to decrease. At 1 a.m. of the 12th the wind veered to southeast and increased to 60 miles an hour, and at 7 a.m. the gale ended. The center of the storm passed about 50 miles south of Jupiter, and the greatest amount of damage on the east Florida coast was caused in that region. The northern limit of destructive winds on the east coast was about 30 miles north of Jupiter. In the vicinity of Jupiter the losses were confined principally to pineapple sheds. From West Palm Beach to Miami the property loss amounted to about $100,000. Nine lives were lost in the stranding and breaking up of the British steamer Inchulva at Delray. The vessel and cargo are said to have been valued at $350,000. An oil barge was lost y a tug and blown on the beach at the lower end of Lake Worth; it was afterwards hauled off and the loss was estimated at $5000. The schooner Martha T. Thomas, loaded with lumber, was blown ashore near Jupiter, and if the efforts that were being made to save the cargo were successful the loss did not exceed $15,000.

“During the 12th the storm center moved northeastward over the southern part of the Florida Peninsula and passed into the Gulf of Mexico. At Tampa the barometer fell from 29.68 at 8 a.m. to 29.42 at 1 p.m., and from 10:15 a.m. until after 2 p.m. the average wind velocity was about 40 miles an hour, with squalls at a rate of 50 to 60 miles an hour. In Tampa, buildings were destroyed or damaged to the extent of about $200,000, and in the surrounding country great havoc was caused to orange groves.

“The center of disturbance crossed the extreme northeast part of the Gulf of Mexico during the 13th, and 8 p.m. was located east of Pensacola….During the 15th and 16th this storm practically dissipated over the east Gulf and South Atlantic States…”

Newspapers

Sep 14: “Jacksonville, Fla., September 14 – The fate of middle and southwest Florida is only a matter of conjecture. The storm was destructive enough in these sections to sweep down the wires and stop railroad communication. This of itself is sufficient to justify forebodings of unprecedented calamity. The middle Florida section from which not a word can be heard is the most populous part of the state. To that section every wire is down, every train is stopped and no one can tell what the news of the morrow will tell. Further details of the disaster came by mail and by passengers on incoming trains….

“Two lives were lost in Tampa due to the storm. Louis Baron, the cigar maker who was struck by a part of the cornice of the Diaz building died the day after receiving his injuries. His skull was fractured an eye knocked out and his body badly bruised.

“T. Y. Hunnicut, a motorman, met his death near the Cuesta Rey cigar factory in West Tampa. He attempted to remove a wire which lay across the track, but did not know that it was a live wire. He received a shock which proved fatal. The conductor who came to his assistance was also severely shocked….” (Atlanta Constitution. “Many Vessels Sunk by Florida Storm.” 9-15-1903, p.1.)

Sep 14: “Jacksonville, Fla., Sept. 14. – It is now known that the loss of life occasioned by the hurricane which swept across the southern part of the State on Saturday was heavy. Nine of the crew…of the steamer Inchulva, which went ashore near Boynton, were drowned. One of her boats with five men on board was battered to pieces and all of its occupants were drowned. The ship’s steering gear broke and when she struck the beach she was broken into three parts.

“Five bodies washed ashore near Miami of the east coast. Louis Br. Boron was drowned at Tampa. Above Miami it is reported that seven or eight vessels are ashore. The property loss in the city of Tampa is about one million dollars….” (The World, NYC. “Heavy Loss of Life in Hurricane.” Sep 15, 1903, p. 3.)

Sep 15: “Jacksonville, Fla. September 15 – All communication with the west coast of Florida south of Tampa and Arcadia is still cut off and no report has been received from any of the towns of that section….Three negroes were killed by falling timbers at the camp of the Cummer Lumber Company near Gainesville and another seriously hurt, and he will probably die. A dwelling and several cottages were wrecked….” (Atlanta Constitution. “Oranges Badly Hurt By Storm.” Sep 16, 1903, p. 4.)

Sep 15: “Beginning Friday morning on the east, and Saturday in the west, and lasting twenty-four hours, southern Florida has been swept by the strongest hurricane ever known in that part of the state, says a special, dated Jacksonville. The wires went down at the beginning and railroad service was delayed. On that account no details were had until Sunday. Great damage has been done at many points. Many coasting vessels were wrecked and a number of lives have been lost. At Stuart fifteen acres of pineapple sheds were blown down. Other places on the west coast and in the interior have not been heard from, and it is feared that when reports come in the damage will be vastly increased. The orange und grape fruit crops have been greatly injured.” (Carroll Sentinel, IA. “Hurricane in Florida.” Sep 15, 1903, p. 2.)

Sep 15: “By Associated Press to The Sun.

“Jacksonville, Fla., Sept. 15. – No reports have yet been received from middle Florida where it is now feared that the loss by the recent hurricane will be severe. Near Lake Butler two children were killed by the tornado. At Hale, a small village near Lake Butler, 20 houses were destroyed and crops and fruit trees ruined.” (Lowell Sun, MA. “Children Killed.” Sep 15, 1903, p. 25.)

Sep 15: “A hurricane has swept over Florida doing great damage to all kinds of property. Seven deaths have occurred.” (Waterloo Daily Courier, IA. “New Facts in Outline.” 9-15-1903, p. 6.)

Sep 16: “….Further details of the Florida hurricane increase the death list to 21 and report grave damage to orange groves.” (The Sun, Baltimore. “Summary of the News…Miscellaneous.” 9-16-1903, p. 1, col. 4.)

Sources

Atlanta Constitution. “Many Vessels Sunk by Florida Storm” Sep 15, 1903, p. 1. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=5195919

Atlanta Constitution, GA. “Oranges Badly Hurt By Storm.” Sep 16, 1903, p. 4. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=5196132

Barnes, Jay. Florida’s Hurricane History. Chapel Hill and London: UNC Press, 1998.

Boston Post. “Along The Water Front.” 9-16-1903, p. 6. Accessed 9-5-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/boston-post-sep-16-1903-p-6/

Carroll Sentinel, IA. “Hurricane in Florida.” Sep 15, 1903, p. 2. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=134201275

Dunn, Gordon E. and Banner I. Miller. Atlantic Hurricanes (Revised Edition). Baton Rouge LA: Louisiana State University Press, 1964, 377 pages

Garriott, Prof. E. B. “Forecasts and Warnings.” Monthly Weather Review, Vol. XXXI, No. 9, September 1903. Accessed 9-5-2022 at: file:///C:/Users/Wayne/Downloads/[15200493%20-%20Monthly%20Weather%20Review]%20FORECASTS%20AND%20WARNINGS.pdf

Liberty Vindicator, TX. “Storm on Florida Coast.” 9-18-1903, p. 1. Accessed 9-5-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/liberty-vindicator-sep-18-1903-p-1/

Lowell Sun, MA. “Children Killed.” Sep 15, 1903, p. 25. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com

The Sentinel, South Haven, MI. “A Week’s Record.” 9-19-1903, p. 2. Accessed 9-5-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/south-haven-sentinel-sep-19-1903-p-2/

The Sun, Baltimore. “Loss of Life Increases. Slowly the Florida Hurricane’s Havoc in Revealed.” 9-16-1903, p. 2. Accessed 9-5-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/baltimore-sun-sep-16-1903-p-2/

The Sun, Baltimore. “Summary of the News…Miscellaneous.” 9-16-1903, p. 1, col. 4. Accessed 9-5-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/baltimore-sun-sep-16-1903-p-1/

The World, NYC. “Heavy Loss of Life in Hurricane.” Sep 15, 1903, p. 3. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com/FullPagePdfViewer.aspx?img=160324038

Waterloo Daily Courier, IA. “New Facts in Outline.” 9-15-1903, p. 6. Accessed at: http://www.newspaperarchive.com

Wreck Site. “SS Inchulva (Delray Wreck) (+1903).” Accessed 9-5-2022 at: https://wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?137643