1911 — Aug 27-29, Hurricane, FL (1), GA, SC (28) — 29

–29 Blanchard tally from State and locality breakouts below.
–25 Atlanta Georgian. “$5,000,000 Damage Done By Hurricane.” 8-30-1911, p. 1.
–25 Rappaport & Partagas. The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1492-1994. 1995, p. 25.

Florida ( 1)
–1 Aug 28. Between Miami and Jacksonville. Steamer Dover Capt. swept overboard; “heavy gale.”

Georgia ( 0)
–0 Have searched through a number of GA newspapers printed after the storm; see no deaths reported.

South Carolina (28)
–28 Blanchard estimate of South Carolina death-toll.
— 1 Cape Romain. Schooner Malcolm B. Seavey founders.
–17 Charleston. (We accept Aug 1911 MWR, though it is possible that upwards of 25 were lost.)
–10 Kiawah Island. Schooner Margaret A. May founders and all ten aboard lost.
— 1 Cape Romain, Aug 28. Schooner Malcolm B. Seavey founders; nine crew rescued.
–20 Charleston. Brunswick News, GA. “Twenty Lives Lost in Storm Which Swept Charleston.” 8-30-2022, 1.
–17 Charleston. Brunswick News, GA. “Mayor at Work in Storm-Wrecked Charleston.” 9-1-1911, 3.
–17 Charleston area. Dunn and Miller. Atlantic Hurricanes (Revised). 1964, p. 313.
–17 Jordan, Dukes, Rosengarten. A History of Storms on the South Carolina Coast. P. 40/
–17 Charleston. Reed. “The Hurricane of August 27-29, 1911. MWR, Aug 1911, p. 1150.
–13 drowned
— 4 killed by falling walls
–15 Charleston area. Herald and News, Newberry, SC. “Charleston Gets To Work.” 9-1-1911, p. 2.
–10 Kiawah Island, Aug 26. Schooner Margaret A. May founders; all ten aboard lost.

Narrative Information

Dunn and Miller: “1911 Aug 27-28 Ga., S.C. Minimal [intensity] 17 killed near Charleston.

Jordan: “1911 Aug 27-28 (3) Extreme storm; originated ‘far to the north of the region common to such storms…and moved in from the uncharted ocean, no indication of its approach being given by the weather service until Charleston…came within its sphere of influence on the morning of August 27. As it moved more within the range of observation and its character became apparent, advisory, storm, and hurricane warnings were issued by the Central Office of the Weather Bureau in rapid succession, the last at 3:30 p.m., though its transmission was somewhat delayed by deranged telegraphic service. The wind attained destructive violence at about 6 p.m. and the highest recorded velocity was 94 miles per hour at 11:20 p.m., after which the recording apparatus was damaged…It is estimated that the highest velocity reached was 106 miles per hour…’ (City of Charleston Yearbook: 1911). The storm center passed between Charleston and Beaufort as it came ashore, producing a storm surge of 12 feet; dealt death blow to rice agriculture, other property loss in excess of $1 million, took 17 lives; but the Isle of Palms reportedly ‘improved’ by leveling of sand dunes (News and Courier).” (Jordan, Laylon Wayne, with Robert Dukes, Jr. and Ted Rosengarten. A History of Storms on the South Carolina Coast. Charleston, SC: The South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium. Undated, p. 40.)

Reed: “The Charleston-Savannah hurricane of August 27-29, 1911, was characterized by its relatively small diameter but intense energy, its unusual path directly from east to west, and its rapid loss of power after entering the coast line. Advancing from the ocean where no meteorological observations are possible the only indication given of its approach was the low and decreasing atmospheric pressure at Charleston and Savannah on the morning of August 27, and the rapidly increasing winds; nevertheless storm warnings were displayed in both cities by about noon on the 27th, and hurricane warnings at 4:12 p.m. at Charleston and at 5 p.m. at Savannah. As the day was Sunday both offices were greatly hampered in the work of disseminating the warnings, although all means at hand – the telephone, the telegraph, signal flags, and rocket – were utilized as far as possible. The descriptions of the storm prepared by Mr. H. B. Boyer, of the Weather Bureau at Savannah, and Mr. H. S. Cole, at Charleston, indicate the tremendous force capable of being exerted by air in motion and the destruction wrought by the warring elements.

“Remembering that the trend of the Atlantic coast line between Charleston and Savannah is exactly northeast to southwest, and that Charleston is thus 65 miles east of Savannah as well as 50 miles north the data available enable a fairly accurate computation of the rate of movement of the entire storm, which, of course, is quite a distinct matter from the velocity of the winds blowing into it, and of the diameter of a chosen isobar. At Charleston the lowest pressure, 29.30 inches, occurred at 11:50 p.m., August 27, wind southeast; at Savannah it was 29.02 inches at 8 a.m., August 28, wind northwest. Assuming that the storm traveled in a straight line from east to west, the trough of low pressure required 9 hours to traverse 65 miles, indicating a velocity of translation of only 7.2 miles an hour. The diameter of the isobar of 29.30 inches surrounding the storm was approximately 100 miles. The center or eye of the storm passed a few miles north of Savannah, where for two hours, from 8:10 a.m. to 10:10 a.m., the 28th, the pressure remained lowest and the wind decreased to only 20 miles an hour. The eye of the storm was about 14 or 15 miles in diameter. At Savannah the wind backed from northwest to south about 10 a.m., the 28th, and the wind again increased suddenly in velocity, heavy rain began, and the pressure rose rapidly. At Charleston the wind veered from northeast to east and southeast, and the destruction of property was much greater than at Savannah because the winds were onshore. At Charleston the damage to property is estimated to have exceeded $1,000,000 and 17 lives were lost. The damage at Savannah was of a minor nature though large in the aggregate.

“The storm drifted slowly to southeastern Georgia on the 29th, with the pressure below 29.70 inches, and was accompanied by exceptionally heavy rains near the coast of Georgia, where much damage was done to crops and livestock and numerous washouts occurred on the railroads. County roads suffered and many bridges were washed away….” (Reed, W. F. Jr. “The Hurricane of August 27-29, 1911. Monthly Weather Review, Aug 1911, pp. 1150-1151.)

Newspapers

Aug 28, NYT: “….The rain to-day should be out share of the storm which struck the South Atlantic Coast yesterday morning with real violence, and which was central last night between Charleston and Savannah, when hurricane signals were displayed at those two cities. The storm came in from the South Atlantic and is moving northward. New England should hear something of it to-morrow.” (New York Times. “Rainfall Helpful and More Coming.” 8-28-1911, p. 2.)

Aug 30, Atlanta Georgian: “Charleston, S.C., Aug. 30. – Fully a month will elapse before the full havoc wrought by the hurricane along the South Carolina and Georgia coasts is completely known. The seashore is strewn with wreckage and it is believed beneath the debris are more bodies not reckoned now in the death list that has reached 25. Communication with isolated points inland was still cripped today and it was with the greatest difficulty that this city kept in touch with the balance of the world. Some sections in the ravaged area were still cut off and it will be at least a week before conditions are back to normal….” (Atlanta Georgian. “$5,000,000 Damage Done By Hurricane.” 8-30-1911, p. 1.)

Aug 30, Brunswick News, GA: “News was received here yesterday of the drowning of Captain Colson of the steamer Dover, who was washed overboard while his ship was enroute to Miami, Fla., from Jacksonville. She was struck by the heavy gale Monday [Aug 28] and the captain was on the deck of the vessel when he was washed overboard and drowned before he could be rescued. The Dover formerly made regular trips to this port [Brunswick], being owned by C. L. Dimond, but was recently sold to a Jacksonville company. Captain Colson was well known among many friends here who will regret to learn of his untimely death.” (Brunswick News, GA. “Captain of Steamer Dover Was Washed Overboard.” 8-30-1911, p. 31.)

Aug 30, Georgetown Daily Item, SC: “(News and Courier [Charleston, SC])

“At an early hour this morning the death list of the terrific hurricane which swept in from the sea and struck Charleston on Sunday evening included not less than fifteen names. Additional reports from sections surrounding the city yesterday and last night swelled the list from six, at which it stood yesterday morning. The dead:

Alonzo J. Coburn, Southern Railway engineer, Charleston; hit by wind-blown debris.
Ida Morgan, white.
Rosa Robinson, white.
[Ida Robinson of Cedar street, crushed by roof fall.]
E.V. Cutter, motorman, Charleston. [Killed at Isle of Palms, bridge collapse at wharf.]
Robert E. Smith, Columbia.
Mrs. M. Goodson, ~36 of Waycross, Ga. [Drowned at Wappoo Cut, driven from cottage by surge.]
Charles Goodson, 2 years, Waycross, Ga. [ “ “ storm surge.]
Mrs. G. Richter, Charleston. [Drowned at Wappoo Cut, when driven from cottage by surge.]
Mary Richter, Charleston. 3 mo. [Drowned at Wappoo Cut, when driven from cottage by surge.]
Lillian Stender, ~2, Charleston. [Drowned at Wappoo Cut, when driven from cottage by surge.]
Two unknown negro men, of James Island. [Charleston County, across from Charleston.]
Two unknown negro men, of John’s Island. [Charleston County.]
One unknown negress, of Sullivan’s Island. [Charleston, County.]
[Cassidy family, caretakers at Wappoo phosphate works, all missing.]
[Eva Myers, Charleston. Not noted in Georgetown Daily Item article of Aug 30.]
[Tom Dooley, Charleston. Not noted in Georgetown Daily Item article of Aug 30.]

“It is regarded as almost certain that when the more remote sea islands can be heard from the list of dead will be still further increased.” (Georgetown Daily Item, SC. “Known Death Toll Is Now Fifteen.” 8-30-1911, p. 1.)

Aug 31, Georgetown Daily Item: “A four mast Schooner, named the Malcolm B. Seavy, wrecked and water logged was sighted yesterday about 10 miles Southeast of Pawley’s Island. The crew with the exception of one man had been rescued by the Mohawk and carried to Charleston. It is also reported that much wreckage from other wrecked vessels has gloated up on the beach at Pawley’s Island since the storm of Sunday night last.. No information so far to tell what vessel or vessels have met a watery grave, or of the poor fellows who went down with their ships.” (Georgetown Daily Item, SC. “Storm Warning Received.” 8-31-1911, p. 3, col. 2.)

Sep 4, Georgetown Daily Item: “A portion of the stern of a vessel bearing the name Margaret A. May, was picked up after the storm by Capt. Hernandez on the beach of Cole’s Island. It is feared this is all that is left to tell the tale of the Philadelphia schooner which sailed from Charleston on the 23d of August, homeward bound, with a cargo of lumber from the Burton Lumber Company. Capt. Geo. L. Jarvis, master of the Margaret May, and his crew of eight men, are thought to have been drowned.

“Capt. Jarvis was well known in Charleston having traded at this port a number of years, and being a member of The Carolina Yacht Club and the Commercial Club. His friends there expressed grave fears for the safety of his ship, and after the storm reports from her were anxiously awaited. It is now certain that the vessel was destroyed, and it is most likely that the captain and his crew were drowned. It is probable that the lumber which Capt. Hernandez reports scattered over the beach of Cole’s Island is a part of the cargo of the Margaret A. May. To find its way to Cole’s Island the stern of the ill-fated vessel had to drift across the Stono Bar.” (Georgetown Daily Item, SC. “Schooner Lost Off Charleston. Fragment of The Margaret A. May Washed Ashore.” 9-4-1911, p.4.)
Sources

Atlanta Georgian. “$5,000,000 Damage Done By Hurricane.” 8-30-1911, p. 1. Accessed 8-31-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/atlanta-georgian-and-news-aug-30-1911-p-1/

Brunswick News, GA. “Captain of Steamer Dover Was Washed Overboard.” 8-30-1911, p. 31. Accessed 8-31-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/brunswick-news-aug-30-1911-p-2/

Brunswick News, GA. “Mayor at Work in Storm-Wrecked Charleston.” 9-1-1911, 3. Accessed 8-31-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/brunswick-news-sep-01-1911-p-3/

Brunswick News, GA. “Twenty Lives Lost In Storm Which Swept Charleston.” 8-30-2022, p. 1. Accessed 8-31-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/brunswick-news-aug-30-1911-p-2/

Bureau of Navigation, Department of Commerce and Labor. Forty-Fourth Annual List of Merchant Vessels of the United States For the Year Ended June 30 1912. “Loss of American Vessels Reported During Fiscal Year 1912 – Sailing Vessels – Continued.” Washington: Government Printing Office, 1912. Accessed 8-31-2022 at: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.b3330075&view=1up&seq=8&size=125

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

Georgetown Daily Item, SC. “Crew Landed in New York. Picked Up By Mohawk, Their Vessel Going to Bottom Off Georgetown.” 9-11-1911, p. 1. Accessed 8-31-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/georgetown-daily-item-sep-01-1911-p-1/

Georgetown Daily Item, SC. “Known Death Toll Is Now Fifteen.” 8-30-1911, p. 1. Accessed 8-30-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/georgetown-daily-item-aug-30-1911-p-1/

Georgetown Daily Item, SC. “Schooner Lost Off Charleston. Fragment of The Margaret A. May Washed Ashore.” 9-4-1911, p. 4. Accessed 8-31-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/georgetown-daily-item-sep-04-1911-p-4/

Georgetown Daily Item, SC. “Storm Warning Received.” 8-31-1911, p. 3, col. 2. Accessed 8-31-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/georgetown-daily-item-aug-31-1911-p-3/

Herald and News, Newberry, SC. “Charleston Gets To Work After Disastrous Storm. Fifteen Deaths Have Benne So Far Reported [Aug 31].” 9-1-1911, p. 2 of 1-2. Accessed 8-31-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/the-herald-and-news-sep-01-1911-p-2/

Herald and News, Newberry, SC. “How Engineer Was Killed.” 9-1-1911, p. 2 of 1-2. Accessed 8-31-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/the-herald-and-news-sep-01-1911-p-2/

Jordan, Laylon Wayne, with Robert Dukes, Jr. and Ted Rosengarten. A History of Storms on the South Carolina Coast. Charleston, SC: The South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium. Undated. Accessed 8-16-2022 at: https://www.scseagrant.org/wp-content/uploads/South-Carolina-Hurricane-History-1980.pdf

New York Times. “Rainfall Helpful and More Coming.” 8-28-1911, p. 2. Accessed 8-30-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/new-york-times-aug-28-1911-p-2/

Rappaport, Edward N. and Jose Fernandez-Partagas. The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1492-1994 (NOAA Technical Memorandum NWS NHC-47). Coral Gables, FL: National Hurricane Center, National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce, January 1995, 42 pages. Accessed 8-20-2017 at: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/NWS-NHC-1995-47.pdf

Sparta Ishmaelite, GA. “Charleston, S.C. Wrecked By Storm.” 9-1-1911, p. 1. Accessed 8-31-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/sparta-ishmaelite-sep-01-1911-p-1/