BURIAL OF THE VICTIMS

The Destruction Of Lockport



Lockport La., Sept. 8.-{Special}— Waste, desolation and harrowing sights met your correspondent's gaze as he arrived on the. scene of the disaster occasioned by yesterday's storm. Lockport, as formerly known, no longer exists. The merciless elements have swept the principal buildings into, fragments, scattered over adjoining fields. Everything In the path of the storm is chaos and confusion. Dwellings, stores, hotels, outhouses, fences, crops, have been swept away. Add to this the dead and dying, and those rescued from appalling danger, amidst the debris, and the sights become unbearable. One instance out of many of the heroic deeds accomplished, needs mention, as the hero sacrificed his life in trying to save that of a child. Mr. Levy Rivet, a barber by occupation, seeing a child tossed about in the streets, rushed to its rescue, and ere ho could lay his hand on him, a flying timber struck the hero on the head, killing him instantly. The child was saved unhurt.

Of those seriously wounded, Gustave Abribat, the assessor; Camilla Richard, and Edgard Barrios, arc not expected to survive. About ten others are painfully, although not seriously, injured. Mr. Edgard Barrios still lives, although in a critical condition, to relate the horrors of suffocation. He was thrown In the middle of the street, his face downward, when heavy rafters pinioned him In the slush and mud, where ho was with the greatest difficulty extricated, but with only a spark of life. His Injuries are internal. The principal buildings destroyed were the hotel, stable, barroom, store and residence of D. G. Barrios, whose loss is estimated at $30,000. Also Lockport's convent, Gustavo Abribat's residence and the store of Mr. Leville. The path of the cyclone was In a south- southwesterly direction, and the first indication of the approaching danger was felt when the roar of the wind through the swamp immediately  back of Lockport was heard and cypress tops seen flying in all directions. The ferryman's little home, built on the crest of the levee, was lifted off Us foundation, carried across the bayou and landed In Mr. Bourg's cane field. The ferryman, always hugging the rafters of his shanty, took an aerial ride and escaped with a few bruises. The damage to the cane crop is considered very great, as In some instances, notably at Mr. Bourg's Ravenswood Plantation, the cane leaves were torn into shreds and the stalks uprooted. Further up the bayou the damage was not so great, but nil crops between Lockport and Lafourche Crossing have been blown down. The five victims of yesterday's death- dealing cyclone were buried today in St. Sauveous cemetery. A large throng of sympathizing people followed the remains to their last resting place All the wounded ones are doing well and no further deaths are apprehended. Drs. Gazzo and  Knobloch are still on the scene attending to the wants of the suffering ones. Several plantation gangs since early morning are at work clearing the debris. All business is on a dead still and a gloom hangs over the once flourishing little town like a black pall, which time alone can push aside.



Schriever, La., Sept. 8.—(Special.)—The damage resulting from yesterday's storm was principally at and near the town of Lockport, situated on the east bank of bayou lafourche In Lafourche parish, about six miles from Raceland, this prosperous little town being partially destroyed by the furious winds that have been raging with increasing severity from early Wednesday night untill yesterday at 3 o'clock in the afternoon, and which at times increased to a hurricane. Very slight damage has been done outside the vicinity of Lockport, except on the lower Lafourche and on the coast. It will be several days before the full ex- tent of the dam 11 go done in these out of the way localities is known, as the means of communication Is at the best poor. At Thlbodaux, Houma and Schriever the Wind blew furiously all day, but did little damage, except to small outhouses and fences, which were blown down. Sugar cane and rice was damaged to some extent through out the parishes of Lafourche and Terrebonne. The fury of the storm seems to have been spent upon Lockport and vicinity, wrecking many beautiful  dwellings and business houses in that little town and dealing out death to some of its people. The death list as published in yesterday's picayune is correct as far as known. No deaths are reported among the injured as yet. Miss Mabel Gautreaux , who was killed by the destruction of the Convent of the Immaculate Conception, near Lockport, by the storm where she was attending school, was buried here this evening.

THE SAINTED SISTERS

 

Who Were Sacrificed to the Cyclone at Lockport. Sisters Pulcharie and Lucie, who were killed Thursday in the terrible cyclone at Lockport, were well-known In New Orleans, having both been, formerly stationed at the Convent of Our Lady of Lourdes, Third district. The order is known as the Sisters of the Immaculate Conception, and the branch in this city have charge of the convent and parochial schools attached to St. Vincent de Paul's church. The order was introduced Into New Orleans in 1881 by the late Rev. Father Chapuis, who invited the sisters to come from Labadieville, La where the mother house of the order exists, and take charge of St. Vincent's de Paul's schools for girls and boys. The Rev. Mother Agnes was made superioress of the community that came to the city, bringing with her eight nuns, among whom was Sister Pulcharie. She remained at the New Orleans mission until 1880, a period or eight years, during which she endeared herself, not only to her sister religueses, but to the pupils and parishioners of St. Vincent de Paul's schools and church. She was a tall and graceful lady, very beautiful in person, and of a singularly magnetic character. She was idolized by her pupils, who were at once drawn to the lovely, gentle- nun, who yielded such quick, intuitive sympathy in all their childish troubles or pleasures. For seven years she made it her duty to prepare the children annually for the retreat and first communion at St. Vincent de Paul's church, and many owe the foundation of their piety to her tender, watchful care. She was also a fine teacher of the French und English languages and accomplished In many ways. _ In 1889 she was sent to Lockport, where she became superioress of the order. This position she occupied at the time of the fateful tragedy which closed her pure and useful life. Sister Pulcharie was known to the world as Miss Aurelle Lajaunie, and was born in Chacahoula, La., about thirty-five years ago. She entered the convent in Labadieville in 1880 and was professed In 1881. Immediately after her profession she was sent to New Orleans, where the best years of her life labor was spent, and where the hundreds of pupils she instructed read with sorrow and dismay the news of her untimely and terrible death. Sister Lucie, though not so well known in this city as Sister Pulcharie, nevertheless numbered many friends. She was known in the world as Miss Emma Rodrigue  and was about 26 years of age at the time of her death. She was born in Paincourtvllle, an entered the Convent of the Immaculate Conception in Labadieville, in September, 1883, and was professed in September, 1884. Thence a he was sent to Now Orleans, where she remained several years, teaching music in St. Vincent de Paul's Schools. From New Orleans she was recalled to Labadieville, and sent thence to Lockport. She was a most accomplished musician, and was called, for her great devotion to music, the "St. Cecilia" of the order. She was possessed of a gentle, amiable nature, and made friends wherever she went- The loss of these two useful and accomplished religeuses Is deeply deplored In the order in which they were such earnest and zealous workers. Nowhere did the news of their sudden and awful death produce such profound sorrow as In the Convent of Our Lady of Lourdes, in this city. A visit was paid to the institution on yesterday; a solumn, awful sorrow hung over It; the tear- stained cheeks and quivering lips of the nuns attested their grief at the death of two such noble companions, under such tragic circumstances. Rev. Mother Agnes, superioress of the order in this city, had left for Lockport on the morning train, accompanied by Sister Gabrielle, whose younger sister, Miss Mamie Ayo, was among the pupils of the convent who were seriously injured in the cyclone. The Daily Picayune, (New Orleans, LA) Saturday, September 09, 1893; Issue 228; col B

 

CONTINUED



Back to Lafourche Parish  Home


All data on this website is © Copyright 2009 by Genealogy Trails with full rights reserved for original submitters.