1898 — Oct 2, Hurricane, FL (2), GA (247-258), SC (6-9), NC –255-269

-255-269 Blanchard tally based on State and locality breakouts below.
–150-180 Monthly Weather Review, U.S. Weather Bureau, 19-98, 1891-1970…”
–150-180 Rappaport and Partagas. The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1492-1994. 1995.
— 179 Blake, et al. The Deadliest, Costliest, and Most Intense US Cyclones…, April 2007.
— 179 Sandrik. A Reevaluation of the [GA] and [NE FL] Hurricane of 2 [Oct] 1898… 1998.

Florida ( 2)
–2 Fernandina, wharf area. Two children in a home killed when it was swept away.

Georgia (247-258)
–247-258 Blanchard tally based on locality breakouts below:
— 8 Andrew’s Bar, off Brunswick; men from unknown vessels “wrecked” at the bar.
— 7-8 Brunswick
–70-80 Butler’s Island
— 20 Campbell Island
— 33 Darien Island (32 drowned, 1 killed). Ho. Extreme Hurricanes… 1989, p. 62.
— 5 Doboy. Morning News, Savannah. “The Flood Fatalities Increase.” 10-7-1898, 1.
— 1 Egg Island, Altamaha River mouth. Mrs. James Stockley; drowned off roof of home.
— 1 Jessup, about 100 miles inland. Building blown down by the storm; man killed.
— 1 Macon. Trolley conductor H.N. Burke electrocuted during the storm.
— 97 Ogeechee River rice plantations, south of Savannah. Drownings.
— >3 St. Catherine’s Island. Thompson, S.B. Hurricanes in Middle Georgia. 10-6-2016.
— 1 Thunderbolt, about 6 miles from Savannah, on Wilmington River.
— 179 Atlanta Journal-Constitution. “A look at some of Georgia’s worst hurricanes.” 9-10-2018.
— 179 Dunn and Miller. Atlantic Hurricanes (Revised). 1964, p. 312.
— 178 Thompson, Scott B. Pieces of Our Past. Hurricanes in Middle Georgia. 10-6-2016.
— >120 Butler Island, Darien, Brunswick. Ho. Extreme Hurricanes…[19th Cen.]. 1989, p. 60.
— ? Brunswick
— ? Butler Island (in Altamaha River 1 mile south-southeast of Darien, GA)
–33 Darien Island (32 drowned, 1 killed), p. 62.
— 120 “…land and sea around Darien and Brunswick…nine-tenths of whom are colored.”
— 7 Brunswick
— 20 Campbell Island
–70-80 Butler’s Island
— 5 Doboy
— 8 “…unknown vessels wrecked off St. Andrew’s bar.” [Brunswick]
Breakout of fatalities by locality when noted:
— 8 Andrew’s Bar, off Brunswick; men from unknown vessels “wrecked” at the bar.
— 8 Brunswick. Thompson. Pieces of Our Past. Hurricanes in Middle Georgia. 10-6-2016.
— 7 “ Morning News, Savannah. “The Flood Fatalities Increase.” 10-7-1898, p. 1.
— 4 “ Morning News, Savannah. “Loss of Property By The Storm.” 10-5-1898, 1.
— 2 “ (bodies found Oct 6). Morning News, Savannah. “The Flood Fatalities Increase.” 10-7-1898, p1.
–70-80 Butler Island. Morning News, Savannah. “The Flood Fatalities Increase.” 10-7-1898, p1.
— 80 “ Weekly Times-Enterprise, Thomasville GA. “One Hundred Dead.” 10-8-1898, p3.
— ~79? Butler Island. Between Altamaha and Butler Rivers; Rhetts Island and Darien northeast.
— <50 Campbell Island. Barnes, Jay. Florida’s Hurricane History. 1998, p. 80. -- >20 “ Altamaha River. Ho. Extreme Hurricanes in the [19th Cen.].1989, 60.
— ~37 “ Logansport Weekly Reporter, IN. “The List Growing.” 10-11-1898, p.2.
— 20 “ Morning News, Savannah. “The Flood Fatalities Increase.” 10-7-1898, p.1.
–20-50 “ Monthly Weather Review, Oct 1898, Boyer, Savannah Weather Observer.
–20-50 “ The Sun, Baltimore. “Drowned on Islands.” 10-5-1898, p. 2.
— ~50 “ Thompson. Pieces of Our Past. Hurricanes in Middle Georgia. 10-6-2016.
— 33 Darien Island (32 drowned, 1 killed). Ho. Extreme Hurricanes…[19th Cen.]. 1989, p. 62.
— 5 Doboy. Morning News, Savannah. “The Flood Fatalities Increase.” 10-7-1898, p. 1.
— 1 Egg Island, Altamaha River mouth. Mrs. James Stockley; drowned off roof of home.
— 1 Jessup, about 100 miles inland. Building blown down by the storm; man killed.
— 1 Macon. Trolley conductor H.N. Burke electrocuted during the storm.
— 97 Ogeechee River rice plantations, south of Savannah. Drownings; blacks.
— >3 St. Catherine’s Island. Thompson, S.B. Hurricanes in Middle Georgia. 10-6-2016.
— 1 Thunderbolt, about 6 miles from Savannah, on Wilmington River.

South Carolina ( 6-9) (We do not know if Jordan’s 9 deaths included schooner losses.)
–9 Jordan with Dukes, Jr. A History of Storms on the South Carolina Coast. Undated, p. 34.
–6 schooner Sarah E. Palmer sinks during storm off Charleston lightship, 7M off Charleston.
Capt. Whittier
First Mate Briggs
Second Mate M ’Donald
Steward Pat Healey
Seaman Wallace Stanford
Seaman Thomas
Two survivors who made it to shore on a plank.

Narrative Information

The 7th storm of the busy 1898 Atlantic tropical storm/hurricane season (10 storms). Formed on September 25th with speeds reaching 110 mph. On October 2nd the hurricane hit Cumberland Island, Georgia and Northeast Florida with winds of 135 mph, causing heavy damage amounting to around $2.5 million.

Dunn and Miller: “Table 28. Tropical Cyclones in the South Atlantic States – Carolinas and Georgia….1898 Oct 2 Coastal sections Extreme [intensity] 179 killed in Ga.”

Ho: “…Hurricane of October 2, 1898…Introduction

“This storm first appeared to the east of the Leeward Islands on September 25. By the evening of October 1, the storm passed 150 miles to the northeast of Jupiter, FL…During the night the storm was deflected to a more westerly course by an extensive high-pressure ridge located to the north of its position. By the morning of October 2, the storm center was located off the coast of Jacksonville, FL. At Jacksonville, the barometer fell to a minimum of 29.07 in. at 11 a.m. and the maximum wind of 60 mph occurred at 11:10 a.m. The storm center appeared to have passed north and east of Jacksonville, probably 40 to 50 nmi distant.

“The storm center entered the Atlantic coast near Brunswick, GA. The Brunswick area experienced its worse flooding since 1812. The height of the storms tide at Darien was about 13 ft above the men high water mark, inland, and 18 ft at Sapelo Lighthouse. Campbell Island, 12 miles from Darien, on the Altamaha River, was swept by water, and more than 20 of its inhabitants were drowned. At least 120 people were killed around Darien and Brunswick, mainly by drowning on Butler Island (Monthly Weather Review 1898).

“In the Savannah area, Hutchinson Island, opposite Savannah, was submerged to a depth of 4 to 8 ft. At the Isle of Hope the water rose 15 ft. All the lowland to the east of Savannah was inundated. The coastal islands on the Carolina coast escaped severe damage, although the tide was very high and the wind heavy….” (Ho, Francis P. Extreme Hurricanes in the Nineteenth Century. March 1989, pp. 60-65.)

Jordan and Dukes: “1898 Oct. 2 (2) Winds variable 50-70 mph (reported at Savannah): southern lowlands and islands partially submerged by 14-foot storm surge; conditions similar to that after the great tidal storm of 1893 in terms of lost property; farm crops, especially rice grown along the Combahee and Edisto rivers, suffered ‘incalculable loss’; but there were many fewer storm related deaths than in August, 1893 – nine (9).” (Jordan, Laylon Wayne, with Robert Dukes, Jr. A History of Storms on the South Carolina Coast. Undated, p. 34.)

Monthly Weather Review, Vol. 26, No. 10, October 1899, pp. 439-440: “The Weather Bureau West Indian reports of September 28, 1898, indicated the formation of a cyclonic storm in the neighborhood of Puerto Rico, and during September 29 the circulation of the winds, the character and movement of the clouds, and the action of the barometer showed that the central area of the disturbance had moved to a position off the northern coast of Santo Domingo. During September 30 the center moved north of west over the old Bahamas Channel and began to recurve northward. Conforming to one of the laws of cyclonic disturbances the storm-center deepened during the recurve, and by the morning of October 1 its influence had extended to the Florida coast. Advisory messages were sent to south Atlantic ports at 9:50 a.m., giving the position of the storm and stating that high north to northeast winds would prevail along those coasts. Special noon and 3 p.m. observations showed that the center of disturbance was approaching our southeastern coasts. Storm northeast signals were ordered from Key West to Norfolk, and the following warning was communicated to the Bureau of Navigation, Navy Department, Washington, the New York and Philadelphia Maritime Exchanges, and generally to Atlantic coast and east Gulf maritime interests:

Storm approaching the Florida coast near Jupiter. Dangerous shifting gales indicated for Florida coasts, and northeast gales as far north as Norfolk.

“By the evening of October 1 the storm center had moved to a position about 150 miles to the northeastward of Jupiter and was apparently moving in a northwesterly direction. During the night of October 1 the storm was deflected to a more westerly course by an extensive area of high barometer which occupied the Atlantic coast districts to the northward of its position, and, following a law previously referred to, in increased in intensity, until, by the morning of October 2, when it was central off the coast northeast of Jacksonville, Fla., it had acquired hurricane strength. Immediately following the receipt of the morning reports on October 2, the following message was telegraphed to all south Atlantic ports and to the Navy Department, the maritime exchanges, and all interests, both marine and land, which were subject to injury by hurricanes:

Hurricane off the northeast point of Florida will move north and cause northeast hurricane winds on the South Atlantic coast this afternoon, and to-night on the Middle Atlantic coast.

“….The storm center crossed the coast line about midway between Jacksonville and Savannah, in the neighborhood of 11 a.m. of October 2….

“A. J. Mitchell, section director, Weather Bureau, Jacksonville, Fla:

….The coast district from Mayport [FL] to Fernandina [FL] suffered heavily, in fact Fernandina was nearly destroyed. Great damage was caused on the coast near and south of Everet. On the south Georgia coast the wind was from the northeast, and the sea flooded level lands, destroying crops and stock and imperiling lives. From Savannah to St. Augustine all telegraph lines were prostrated and many miles of railroad track washed away. At Fernandina boats at anchor foundered or were blown into the marshes….

“H. B. Boyer, Observer, Weather Bureau, Savannah, Ga.:

….The conditions along the Ogeechee were fully as bad as along the Savannah, Mr. W. G. Morrill, who represents three-fourths of the rice planting interests in this section, stating that his losses from the two storms (August 30-31 and October 1-2) amounted to $350,000, which represents value of life and live stock destroyed. He also states that 97 negroes were drowned upon the plantation which he represents.

Hutchinsons Island, opposite Savannah, was completely overflowed to a depth of 4 to 8 feet, the salt water stretching back over the rice plantations in South Carolina to the pine ridges, about 3 miles to the northeast of Savannah. All the lowland to the eastward of Savannah was submerged.

At Thunderbolt [GA], about 6 miles from Savannah, and on the Wilmington River, one life was lost….At the Isle of Hope the water rose 15 feet, washing away bath-houses and boat-houses. Down the Savannah River wharves and oil houses were washed away. At Quarantine station the wharves were badly damaged, and the British steamer Syanara, and the schooners Fannie L. Childs and Millville, and the Italian bark Franklyn were blown ashore….The Tybee railroad was badly washed. At Warsaw the barracks were washed out, and a depth of 4 feet of water was reported in the magazine….At Beaufort the water came up into the streets….The greatest loss was sustained south of Savannah and nearer the storm center. Great havoc was caused at Brunswick, where a conservative estimate places the losses at $500,000. Nearly every business house and warehouse in the city was flooded….

Campbell Island, 12 miles from Darien, on the Altamaha, was swept by water, and all of its inhabitants, except three, were drowned – not less than 20 and perhaps 50. At Darien there were 31 persons drowned and 1 killed, and the loss to rice, stock, and lumber, vessels, etc., aggregated $350,000. The height of the tidal wave at that place was about 13 feet above mean high water mark, inland, and 18 feet at Sapels Lighthouse….

Sandrik, A Reevaluation: “On 2 October 1898, a significant hurricane impacted the Georgia coast near Cumberland Island. Wind, pressure, damage and storm surge data indicate that this was most likely a major, category three or greater storm at the time of landfall. This event generated the highest storm surge of record for large portions of the northeast Florida and southeast Georgia coasts and resulted in an estimated 179 fatalities.” (Sandrik 1998) This storm dissipated on its way through Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, southern Canada, and part of Maine and Newfoundland where it moved through on October 6th.

Sandrik and Landsea:
“Year: 1898
“Date(s): 2 October
“Principle Affected Area(s): Northeast Florida – hurricane
Upper Georgia – major hurricane
Lower Georgia – major hurricane
Lower Georgia – major hurricane
Upper Georgia coastal waters – major hurricane
Lower Georgia coastal waters – major hurricane
“Landfall Point(s): Cumberland Island
Remarks: Partagas and Diaz Storm 7, 1898, listed by Davis. A major hurricane event with landfall on central Cumberland Island. Moving on a due west course similar to “Dora” in 1964, but intensifying on landfall much like Hugo (1989). Dunn and Miller reported 179 killed in coastal Georgia. Severe impacts in Florida were restricted to the extreme northeast portion of the state. The Fernandina waterfront was heavily damaged with a possible 12′ storm surge. It was reported that 4 feet of water flowed into the office of the local newspaper, The Mirror. “The water invaded every building as high as Third street.”. The Cumberland Island Pilot Boat MAUD HELEN was left 20 feet high on a bluff at High Point, with a 16 foot storm surge in downtown Brunswick. This event caused the storm surge of record for most points in northeast Florida and southeast Georgia. Ho re-evaluated this event as being a 945 mb storm with an RMW of 24 nmi. A subsequent re-evaluation by Sandrik and Jarvinen ( 1999 ) determined a central pressure of 938 mb and a radius of maximum winds of 18 nmi. These values were derived based on multiple SLOSH runs to determine a best fit hurricane from observed storm surge values.”
Summary: This storm will be counted as a major hurricane for the entire Georgia coast as well as all of the coastal waters areas and a hurricane for Northeast Florida (though approaching major hurricane status in Fernandina). Clearly this event compares favorably to Hurricane “Hugo” of 1989.”
Sources
Barnes, Jay. Florida’s Hurricane History. Chapel Hill and London: UNC Press, 1998.

Blake, Eric S., Edward N. Rappaport, and Christopher W. Landsea. The Deadliest, Costliest, and Most Intense United States Cyclones From 1851 to 2006. Miami, FL: National Weather Service, National Hurricane Center, April 15, 2007 update, 45 pages. Accessed at: http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/Deadliest_Costliest.shtml

Daily Times-Enterprise, Thomasville, GA. “Storm Swept. Savannah and Jacksonville Suffered Heavily.” 10-4-1898, p. 1. Accessed 8-27-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/thomasville-daily-times-enterprise-oct-04-1898-p-1/

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

Garriott, R. B. “Forecasts and Warnings. The West Indian Hurricane of September 29-October 2.” Monthly Weather Review, Vol. 26, No. 10, October 1898, p. 440. Accessed 8-26-2022 at: https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/mwr_pdf/1898.pdf

Ho, Francis P. Extreme Hurricanes in the Nineteenth Century (NOAA Technical Memorandum NWS HYDRO-43). Silver Spring, MD: Water Information Division, Office of Hydrology, National Weather Service, NOAA, U.S. Department of Commerce, March 1989, 148 pages. (A study completed under agreement EMW-84-E-1589 for the Federal Emergency Management Agency.) Accessed 8-16-2017 at: https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/7224

Jordan, Laylon Wayne, with Robert Dukes, Jr. A History of Storms on the South Carolina Coast. Charleston, SC: The South Carolina Sea Grant Consortium, undated. Accessed 8-26-2022 at: https://www.scseagrant.org/wp-content/uploads/South-Carolina-Hurricane-History-1980.pdf

Logansport Weekly Reporter, IN. “The List Growing. Loss of Life by the Coast Storm Was Appalling. Probably One Hundred Are Dead.” 10-11-1898, p.2. Accessed 8-27-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/logansport-weekly-reporter-oct-11-1898-p-2/

Monthly Weather Review. “The West Indian Hurricane of September 29-October 2.” Vol. 26, No. 10, October 1899, pp. 439-440. Accessed 8-26-2022 at: https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/mwr_pdf/1898.pdf

Morning News, Savannah, GA. “Loss of Property By The Storm.” 10-5-1898, p. 1. Accessed 8-27-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/savannah-morning-news-oct-05-1898-p-1/

Morning News, Savannah. “The Flood Fatalities Increase.” 10-7-1898, p. 1. Accessed 8-27-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/savannah-morning-news-oct-07-1898-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

Sandrik, Al. A Reevaluation of the Georgia and Northeast Florida Hurricane of 2 October 1898 Using Historical Resources. Jacksonville, FL, National Weather Service Office, NWS, NOAA, DOC, 10-8-1998 last modified. Accessed at: http://www.srh.noaa.gov/jax/research/hurricanes/history/1898/index.html

Sandrick, Al, and Christopher W. Landsea. Chronological Listing of Tropical Cyclones affecting North Florida and Coastal Georgia 1565-1899. NOAA National Weather Service, Southern Region, NWSFO, Jacksonville, FL and NOAA Hurricane Research Division, Miami, FL, May 2003. Accessed 8-26-2022 at: https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/Landsea/history/index.html

Savannah Morning News, GA. “Schooner Lost in Storm. Sarah E. Palmer Goes to Pieces off Charleston Light,” 10-5-1898, p. 9. Accessed 8-27-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/savannah-morning-news-oct-05-1898-p-9/

The Sun, Baltimore. “Drowned on Islands. Colored Families Said to Have Perished on a Small One Near Darien, GA.” 10-5-1898, p. 2. Accessed 8-27-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/baltimore-sun-oct-05-1898-p-2/

The Sun, Baltimore, MC. “Fernandina Flooded.” 10-5-1898, p. 2. Accessed 8-27-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/baltimore-sun-oct-05-1898-p-2/

Thompson, Scott B. Pieces of Our Past. Hurricanes in Middle Georgia. 10-6-2016. Accessed 8-26-2022 at: http://dublinlaurenscountygeorgia.blogspot.com/2016/10/hurricanes-in-middle-georgia.html

Weekly Times-Enterprise, Thomasville GA. “One Hundred Dead.” 10-8-1898, p. 3. Accessed 8-27-2020 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/thomasville-times-enterprise-oct-08-1898-p-3/

Wikipedia. “1898 Atlantic hurricane season.” 8-10-2022 edit. Accessed 8-28-2022 at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1898_Atlantic_hurricane_season