35a["The Broome Cyclone", The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA), Thursday 24 November 1910, page 9]

THE BROOME CYCLONE.

HEAVY LOSS OF LIFE.

MANY VESSELS WRECKED.

Perth. November 23.

The Premier this morning received the following telegram from the resident magistrate at Broome:--

A disastrous cyclonic gale struck Broome on Saturday, November 19. The glass began to fall on Friday [ab: 18th] morning, and 100 luggers made port before nightfall. The wind blew strongly about midnight, and increased in force, with heavy squalls. It reached its highest velocity about 2 p.m. on Saturday. By that time 9 in. of rain had fallen. Many of the luggers in port had now dragged their anchors, and were piled up on shore between the jetty and the entrance. Verandahs, roofs, and whole houses had been blown in all directions, and a large portion of the population were obliged to seek shelter in the houses remaining. By 5 o'clock the wind lulled, but recommenced with terrific violence from the north-west. Trees, fences and telephone posts were levelled, and the utmost desolation prevailed. The wind and rain continued throughout the night, and abated in the morning, by which time 67 luggers were piled up on the beach. Seventeen were afloat, and it is estimated that between 30 and 40 had sunk at their moorings.

Several luggers are known to have been wrecked along the coast, and between 70 and 8O are still unaccounted for, though it is thought many of these may have taken refuge in various creeks along the coast. Rescue parties have been sent out, and luggers are patrolling the coast to render assistance.

So far two white men, Farrell and Street, employed by Everett, are known to be lost, and 10 colored men belonging to crews. I fear the number will be greatly augmented, but full particulars will not be in hand for some days. There are no casualties on shore, but there were many narrow escapes from flying roof iron. The estimated damage ashore is between £10,000 and £20,000. It is impossible to estimate the damage to the shipping.

Labor and roof iron are very scarce, and in great demand.

The Premier sent the following reply:

"Regret very much to receive the news contained in your telegram, more especially as to the sad loss of life. You are authorised to take any steps to relieve suffering and provide temporary shelter, &c. Please keep me fully advised. I am endeavoring to arrange for the Honorary Minister to proceed to Broome by Saturday's steamer."

The Commissioner of Police this morning received the following telegram lodged at Broome on Friday:--

"Terrific storm is raging here. The schooner Dickie, recently purchased by the Drysdale Mission, is ashore on the rocks. Two luggers, belonging to Captain Williams, sank near the jetty. Three others are ashore. About half the pearling fleet are absent from Broome, and the gravest fears are entertained for their safety. The gale is increasing."

A second telegram stated:--

"The hurricane increased in violence, with blinding rain, on Saturday, doing extensive damage to buildings and the pearling fleet:--67 luggers and 3 schooners were blown ashore, and damaged beyond repair. It is estimated that between 20 and 30 luggers sank off the jetty. A schooner and five luggers, belonging to Captain Talboys, are totally wrecked. Pigott, Hawkes, Arons, Challinor, and Streeter lost one lugger each, and Everett two. Boats belonging to Hunter, Burn, Gregory, J. H. Watson and Hatfield are still missing. Some may turn up later. A schooner belonging to the Drysdale Mission is ashore badly damaged. The schooner Ena rode out the gale, but suffered severely. A huge number of other boats are badly damaged. Forty luggers are safe in the creek. It is impossible at this stage to estimate the number of lives lost. Six bodies have been recovered. The schooner's men managed to reach the shore with life belts. Many buildings, including the post-office, Pearlers' Rest Hotel, and the Western Australian Bank, are badly damaged. The telephones are all down, and iron posts are twisted like ropes. Captain Talboys, who has been 40 years on the coast, states that it is the worst storm he has ever experienced."

When the last disastrous storm occurred at Broome the pearlers declined offers of assistance, and it was not long before those who had lost their vessels were fully equipped again.

During the last great hurricane at Broome, in December, 1908, about 50 luggers and two schooners went down, and 50 men, including five whites, were drowned. On that occasion the receipt of news was delayed several days owing to the telegraph line having been blown down.

35b["Broome Cyclone", The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA), Friday 25 November 1910, page 9]

BROOME CYCLONE.

THE TOWN WRECKED.

GREAT LOSS OF LIFE.

SHIPPING DESTROYED.

Perth, November 24.

Further telegrams from Broome refer to the recent cyclone as the most disastrous on land and water that has ever occurred in the north-west. Torrents of rain fell throughout Friday, and a gusty wind, which started at 10 p.m., increased to a hurricane, on Saturday. Throughout the morning the storm kept increasing in fury, and at noon the more flimsy structures started to give way. The wind continued to increase in force, and by 1 o'clock it had become so serious that people were fleeing in all directions from falling roofs and buildings. Sheets of iron were driven before the furious wind like sheets of paper, and, blinded by the drifting sand from the surrounding hills, women and children passing from one building to an other were in a precarious position. By 2 o'clock the storm was at its height, and the destruction of the town started with a vengeance. Roofs were lifted and carried bodily hundreds of yards away. Buildings fell in or were blown down, trees were uprooted or broken off, telephone poles were snapped off, bent, or blown over, and fences, stables, outhouses, and signboards went before the wind. Trees were divested of their foliage, gardens were uprooted and laid bare, and the once pretty Broome now presents a scene of desolation.

The telegraph line failed at 11 a.m. on the 19th, practically the whole telephone system was wrecked, and the telephone instruments were more or less damaged. A peculiar feature of the sunsets on Friday and Saturday was a yellow glare, giving a limelight effect. Shed on the ruins it lent them a weird aspect. The housing of the homeless is a difficult matter. People fortunate enough to escape have given every aid in this respect, in some instances three families have been accommodated under one roof. During the height of the storm the hotels, so far as meals were concerned, were closed, meat and bread being scarce, and it was not until night fell that anything could be obtained except sandwiches.

Many Shipping Disasters.

The effect on the water was even more disastrous. The extent of the damage done to shipping it is impossible to estimate at present. At the time of the hurricane hundreds of luggers and other boats were making for Broome, and had got as far as Entrance Point, about 1 1/2 miles from the jetty. About 70 sought shelter in a bay this side of the point, and anchored dismasted. Others ran ashore on the rocks and the beach, while about 26 luggers sank off the point and along the shore, in from six to ten fathoms. Captain Talboys, of Karrakatta fame, is a heavy loser. His fine schooner Eclipse and three luggers are smashed up on Cable Beach, about five miles out, and it is feared that about 27 colored men have been lost. Streeter and Co's fleet with a schooner sought shelter in Barred Creek, and are safe, as well as about 30 other luggers. There are still other luggers to be accounted for, I and it is feared that many lives have been lost. Other havens along the coast have been availed of, such as Port Smith, Bossut, Willie Creek, and Beagle Bay, but as yet nothing definite can be gleaned.

Word was received from Bossut late last night that some luggers were safe in the creek. After the storm had subsided the boats that were able to sail came up the bay to the creek in a pitiable plight. Their masts were gone, and some were in a sinking condition. Richards and McKay's schooner Bedout looked more like a whaleboat than a large schooner. Robison & Norman's fleet has greatly suffered, and Blackman Bros, are also heavy losers. Until Mr. Chambertin comes back from down the coast nothing will be known of his fleet. Nothing definite has been heard of Harper Bros.' fleet. One boat was seen to sink off Barred Creek, and it is supposed that five of the colored crew went down. There are numerous other casualties, but it is almost impossible at present to get a correct list. Six bodies have already been found, and it is feared that unless many of the missing boats turn up the death-roll will be large. At the present time it is safe to estimate that 40 lives bave been lost.

Lost Almost His Whole Fleet.

Captain Talboys said during his 40 years' experience he had never seen anything to equal the hurricane at sea. He was making for Broome at the time, having just missed the tide at Barred Creek by two hours. This bad luck cost him almost his whole fleet. He then made for Broome, and when endeavoring to gain shelter he was blown near Cable Beach, about six miles from the Ganthaume Point lighthouse. On his schooner Eclipse were his son and Walter Wallace. Mountainous seas were breaking over the boats, and they were being gradually washed ashore. Wallace and some of the crew long before it was necessary jumped overboard, with the result that they had a severe tussle. Captain Talboys and the rest awaited events, and the seas beating the boat ashore they were enabled to walk to safety through less than 3 ft. of water. The luggers Doris and Douglas were driven ashore, and were high and dry at low tide. The lugger Gracie and the schooner Eclipse were smashed and now lie on the beach in halves. The Doris is a total wreck, but the Douglas is intact, battened down, and practically in order. Another of Captain Talboys' boats, the Olneiys, has been brought in from this side of Barred Creek dismasted, but otherwise unharmed.

Looters at Work.

Salving operations have carried on at Cable Beach, and the whole of the wreckage belonging to Captain Talboys' five dinghys has has been recovered, as well as a quantity of shell from the schooner. As cases of shell are washed up they are placed in safety. It seems almost incredible, but it is a fact, that looters are already at work. Two cases have been chopped open and shell taken. One case was discovered being brought in by night in a butcher's cart, and the supposed culprit is to be prosecuted at the instance of the Customs authorities. Other instances of looting have been reported. Special constables have been sworn in and a patrol of the coast may check thefts.

No Lives Lost on Land.

Up to the present the biggest loser on land is Mr. R. M. Rubin, wrose fine store has been absolutely wrecked and stock worth £500 lost. The heaviest loser on water is Captain Talboys. Fortunately no lives were lost on land, but several narrow escapes are reported. One colored man was struck with a sheet of iron and had his arm severely cut. He will lose the use of it. It is marvellous that with the falling buildings and flying iron more casualties did not occur. Horses were turned adrift, and went scampering away half-mad with terror. In all directions birds are to be seen dead and maimed, their wings having been broken in the endeavor to battle against the fury of the wind. From the town to Entrance Point, by road about four miles, the bush is strewn with lifebelts, evidence of the struggle many a man had to make in order to reach the shore. A report gained currency that a man was seen past the lighthouse clutching a ship's hatch, but the lighthouse keeper stated that when he saw the hatch no-one was clinging to it.

Country Fares Badly.

In the country numerous houses and buildings were demolished, windmills blown down, and trees uprooted. The Japanese and Chinese gardens, about three miles out, have been laid bare, the windmills blown over, and the gardens practically ruined. Streeter's station, about 18 miles out, is reported to have been much damaged in many ways. Along the beaches the number of dead birds shows how severe was the hurricane.

The schooner Ena, belonging to Robison & Norman, weathered the storm in a remarkable manner, and gained port after having lost all her anchors. In the town itself all vegetation has been destroyed. The pretty ponceania trees, with their beautiful fanlike foliage and deep red flowers, now resemble dead bush trees. There is not a vestige of foliage left, and with innumerable street trees blown down the aspect of Broome has been entirely altered. Gangs of prisoners are now clearing the streets of fallen trees, sand, iron, and other debris. Telephone men are hard at work extricating wires from the tops of buildings and removing useless telephone poles, but it will be some time before the telephone service is again in working order. The telegraph linemen have done good work in restoring communication. Streeter's fleet are searching the coast from Beagle Bay to Broome, and also from Broome to Bossut. Captain Owen is also sending out search boats, and Mr. A. Chamberlain has gone out to Bossut Creek and elsewhere. The Pearlers' Association has received an offer from Mr. 0. W. Blackman of the services of the schooner Ena for the purpose of raising sunken or wrecked boats. Robison and Norman and Streeters have generously backed up the offer, and the schooners Ena, Mina, and S.P.S. will work in conjunction. Streeters have also offered to supply any gear or heavy tackle that may be required to assist.

Eight boats are piled up on the bank near Roe's station. Robison & Norman are heavy losers. At present eight or nine boats are missing, with approximately 24 hands. The whites drowned are Patrick O'Farrell, W. Street, and Alfred Mulliner.

The steamer Gorgon on arrival reported that the sea at Port Hedland was smooth, with a slight blow. When passing Wallal she picked up the dead body of a Malay. In the bay a great number of luggers and schooners were loaded with shell, and probably pearls, and the loss is very heavy. Mr. E. P. Badger lost one boat with 2 1/2 tons of shell, and many others are in a similar position. From 8 p.m. on November l8 till November 22 1095 points of rain fell.

Submarine Disturbance.

In last Saturday's issue of the Broome "Chronicle," news was published that various Australian observatories had reported that a tremendous submarine disturbance had apparently occurred within 2,000 miles of the Australian coast. The master of the schooner Ena reported having passed through millions of dead schnapper and other fish, and a great quantity of coral is strewn along the beaches. It is the opinion here that this is the effect of the disturbance.