Thereafter, the system weakened quickly while crossing the northwestern Bahamas and the western Atlantic Ocean, falling to tropical storm intensity late on October 12.

The cities of Cayuco and La Fe in Pinar del Río Province were completely destroyed, while Guane experienced considerable devastation.

[nb 1] The large waves reached the coast of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula, causing many fishermen and their families to drown.

Farther north, the storm destroyed workers camps for construction of the Florida East Coast Railway and drowned 12 people after a tugboat wrecked at Bahia Honda Key.

[2] The system was classified as a tropical depression on this day beginning at 12:00 UTC, while it was located about 35 mi (55 km) northwest of Cartagena, Colombia.

It became the season's fourth major hurricane, Early on October 10, the storm peaked with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 km/h), before turning northward later that day.

[3] Shortly after 00:00 UTC on October 11, the hurricane made landfall in the Sandino municipality of Pinar del Río Province, Cuba, at the same intensity.

Re-curving and accelerating to the northeast, the storm weakened slightly before making landfall near Marathon, Florida, with winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) around 18:00 UTC on October 11.

[2][nb 2] Although it was expected to probably turn northward over the Florida peninsula and impact much of the southern portions of the East Coast of the United States,[1] the storm continued on its northeastward trajectory.

Around 00:00 UTC on October 12, the system weakened to a Category 2 hurricane and soon struck Grand Bahama and the Abaco Islands with winds of 105 mph (165 km/h).

The cities of Cayuco and La Fe in Pinar del Río Province were completely destroyed, while Guane experienced considerable devastation.

Little damage occurred to tobacco crops, though oranges and other fruits experienced significant losses in portions of La Habana and Pinar del Río provinces.

[7] Additionally, on the following day, Willis L. Moore, Chief of the United States Weather Bureau, telegraphed the signal office observers in Jacksonville, Jupiter, and Tampa, as well as in Thomasville, Georgia.

The storm demolished two engine houses at the fire department, causing the deaths of several horses and nearly killing firemen in the collapse.

[11] After the storm, Key West mayor Joseph N. Fogarty declared martial law, while guards were ordered to patrol the streets.

Waves inundated the entire island with at least 4 ft (1.2 m) of water, washing away the outhouses and eventually the Weather Bureau building.

[1] At Boca Chica and Sugarloaf keys, the camps for workers constructing the Florida East Coast Railway (FEC) were destroyed.