When we commemorate these dates locally, we usually concentrate on the 1893 "Sea Island hurricane." This year, for a change of pace, we share a letter written after that other Aug. 27 -Aug. 28 storm - a hurricane in 1911. (I'd scan the County Democrat newspaper article but the quality of the image is quite poor.) It appears that there was a misunderstanding about how much damage had occurred and how much assistance was welcome.
ECHOES OF THE STORM
Mr. Waterhouse Writes Reason why Beaufort Appal [sic] was Made.
Mr. A. C. Kaufman, in charge of the Red Cross work in this State has received the following letter and requests its publication in The News and Courier:
"Mr. A. C. Kaufman, Charleston, S. C. -- Dear Sir: I wired you this morning that the damage did not appear to warrant the appeal to the Red Cross for assistance. This was done in accordance with your telegram of Saturday asking me to investigate and report.
You will recollect that the letter of inquiry sent you was written directly after the storm and before we yet knew the extent of the havoc to the islands, And [sic] that I merely inquired whether or not assistance might be obtained, if on proper representation it was shown to be necessary. As you know, I did not again communicate with you until your wire of Saturday, asking me to act as the representative of the Red Cross.
I am sure that your kindly consideration of this section will be appreciated, though the help is not needed.
For myself, I thank you very much for your courtesy and only regret that the appeal was made before the proper representation of loss was submitted.
Kindly give this letter the same publicity which was allowed my former communication of a week ago.
Yours very truly, George Waterhouse.
Beaufort, SC., September 4"
George Waterhouse was a local businessman, an active deacon of the Baptist Church of Beaufort, and resided in the Lewis Reeve Sams house on Bay Street.
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