Historical Notes
The 1898 Hurricane – “The Island Devastated – Appalling Loss of Life and Property – Three Hundred Perished- Three Fourth of the Population Homelessâ (The Sentry, September 23, 1898)
“On Sunday morning the 11th instant the most terrible hurricane that has perhaps ever occurred in the West Indies wrought full destruction on the island of St.Vincent and reduced the colony to an almost indescribable state of pauperism. The hurricane lasted six hours with an interval of fifty five minutes during which the barometer remained steady at 28.509,{{more}} keeping the awe stricken population in a suspense as frightful as the fury of the storm and whilst the trembling bewildered populace who had escaped death or serious injury during the first attack of the angry winds wandered to and fro seeking what they deemed the safest shelter, the seas arose still more dreadfully and the storm-clouds burst with a vehemence that gave to each individual one common thought; that this was the last of St.Vincent and its 40,000 inhabitants. The hurricane is passed, but today, 12 days after it occurred, the affrighted people have not yet recovered from the shock of the dreadful catastrophe and the colony is stunned from the terrible blow.