1899 San Ciriaco hurricane
1899 San Ciriaco hurricane, also known as the 1899 Puerto Rico Hurricane or The Great Bahamas Hurricane of 1899, was the longest-lived Atlantic hurricane on record, and the second-longest-lived tropical cyclone globally on record (in terms of tropical duration) after Hurricane John in the Pacific. The third tropical cyclone and first major hurricane of the season, this storm was first observed southwest of Cape Verde on August 3. It slowly strengthened while heading steadily west-northwestward across the Atlantic Ocean and reached hurricane status by late on August 5. During the following 48 hours, it deepened further, reaching Category 4 on the modern day Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS) before crossing the Leeward Islands on August 7. Later that day, the storm peaked winds of 150 mph (240 km/h). The storm weakened slightly before making landfall in Guayama, Puerto Rico with winds of 140 mph (220 km/h) on August 8. Several hours later, it emerged into the southwestern Atlantic as a Category 3 hurricane. The system paralleled the north coast of Dominican Republic and then crossed the Bahamas, striking several islands. Thereafter, it began heading northward on August 14, while centered east of Florida. Early on the following day, the storm re-curved northeastward and appeared to be heading out to sea. However, by August 17, it turned back to the northwest and made landfall near Hatteras, North Carolina early on the following day. No stronger hurricane has made landfall on the Outer Banks since the San Ciriaco hurricane.
1909 Velasco hurricane
At its landfall in Velasco, the hurricane caused a wide swath of damage along the Texas coast and areas further inland. Despite previously issued warnings, rough seas produced by the hurricane still caused several ship accidents. Strong waves forced several ships near Galveston to either become grounded or sunk. The derrick barge "Miller" and other craft were grounded along Galveston's West Bay. A large dredge was swept into the Galveston Causeway, snapping telegraph cables that ran along the length of the causeway. The "Miriam" was sunken by a submerged log, while the schooner "Ed Gibbs" was broken into pieces near La Porte. The steamboat "El Siglo" (The Century) remained stranded offshore for twelve hours in winds estimated at . Off of Mobile, Alabama, the high waves prevented ships from entering the Port of Mobile. Closer to the coast, the hurricane produced a storm surge of in Galveston and Velasco. However, due to the Galveston Seawall, much of the potential storm surge-related damage in Galveston was mitigated, though the seawall forced spray to rise in the air. Areas outside the seawall on the Galveston beach, including two fishing piers and pavilions were destroyed. On Galveston's Tarpon Pier, ten members of a fishing party perished after the pier collapsed, though six were rescued by the yacht "Mayflower". In western areas of Galveston, where there was no seawall, inland areas were inundated under of water. However, Galveston's primary streets were submerged to a lesser extent, under of water. In Velasco, the tide was reported to have been higher than during the 1900 Galveston hurricane, which inundated the city under of water. Areas of Sabine Pass were also inundated by the high waves, and the Southern Pacific Railroad was submerged in water.
In Velasco, where the hurricane made landfall, only eight buildings remained intact after the storm's passage. Quintana, Columbus, and Columbia were also heavily affected, with all houses experiencing some form of severe damage. In Austin, homes were unroofed, and the storm was considered as the worst hurricane to affect Austin at the time. Heavy rains caused large amounts of driftwood to float down the Colorado River. In Austin, the driftwood struck the newly constructed Congress Avenue Bridge, carrying away of trestle and resulting in $10,000 in damages. Other cities also reported severely damaged homes and businesses. Galveston suffered minor damage, with reports of chimney damage and broken windows. Three sections of the Galveston Causeway were blown down by the strong winds. As a result, tug boats were forced to carry people and cargo to and from Galveston along West Bay. The Western Union Telegraph Company reportedly lost all direct communication with Galveston for a temporary period of time. Other telegraph companies in Dallas and Chicago also lost communications with the city. Property damage in Galveston was estimated at $100,000. Strong winds and gusts from the storm were reported as far inland as Eagle Pass. The winds uprooted trees and extensively damaged various crops, as well as downed power lines. In the Galveston Jetty, Rosenburg, and Brazoria, strong winds blew trains off of their tracks. Train stations and train depots along the coast also experienced considerable damage, with some depots being completely leveled. Maize fields which had been previously burned by wildfires caused by an ongoing drought in Kingsville were swept down, while cotton crops withstood the hurricane well. Oil dericks near Markham were blown down, and water wells were stripped of their machinery. In Alvin, barns and windmills were destroyed. Richmond also reported destroyed barns, as well as downed chimneys. Six prisoners escaped from the city's local jail after windows were blown in. Rice mills were downed in Eagle Pass.