The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-04-28
THE STORM YESTERDAY.
iefribie Disasters ond loss OF Life--Ths
Steamer Ericsson Sunk Ia the North River,

ed over city yesterday afternoon Within the last
fortnight we have experienced the extremes of weather
having in that time had snow storm, attended with
chilling winds and all the other appurtenarces Of winter
and yesterday heavy thunder storm, preceded by
hot suitry atmosphere and attended by vivid lightning
urenchng rains, furious whrwinds and all the other
p.sraphernaha of real, genuine midsummer shower,
VIII en the very earth rembes the era s of ehe
rial var For want of reasonable hypothesis to
accou uf for the storm q few days ago we
ventur,% TO adopt the theory Of certain geoiogiss
that the earth was gradually losing its equilibrium
and had keeled little towards the North
Pole, bringing into the latitude of Iabraaor.
or the Canatas This suppostion no one win DENY was
justified by the occasion which that very nds
dual the oldest nhabtant" said had 70 precedent in
his memory at least driving seet glstenng cicles AMI
cold bowling wintry winds in the middle of April, war
suggestive of relationship with the polar zone
than is generally supposed Whether we were entirely
correct in adopting this theory not necessary to
argue now Yesterday satisfied we are all right
now and little while ago tipped over to the
north we congratulate ourselves that we ha . fallen
back to old position.
The prevailing wind yesterday the southeast
and it was st blowing freshly that quarter when
about five O'Clock in the afternoon a dense mass of
clouds began to coil up in the the short space
of half hour they had overshadowed the sky sheir
general direction being in the very teeth of tho at
mospheric current, which up to this time had con-
tinued. During the day the weather was very warm
the unobstructed rays of the falling upon ms
heavily charged with heat. The storm In the after
noon was, sudden and unlocked for, owing to which
hundreds received shower BATH gratis some of the
latest fashions, for the first time making their appear
ance Broadway, drench cd with floods the
skies. The storm was accompanied by perfect tor
nado, ripping awnings into strips, tumbling chimney
fnn N fho0 nund and <oars
our shipping into shreds. Vivid flashes of lightning
CLEANED in the heavens and heavy crashing thunders
shook the earth, jarrng houses to their foundations
The rain fell in torrents, and the streets overAowed
with swelling floods. As might have been expected,
such storm brought disasters especially to the ship
ping, which collect, follows
LOSS THE ERICSSON. "
The caioric steamer Ericsson returning from her
trial trip down the bay, and opposite to pier No
North river when the storm on, struck and sent
her to the bottom. AS soon as we heard of this
catastrophe endeavored to learn the full particulars
Of the loss and found that various conflicting
aaoat in regard it, It generally believed the
vessel was struck by lightning but this report upon in
quiring, we found to be false. The truth s she
was capsized by the squal, filed with water, and
gradually sunk As the storm struck her
few minutes after 8 o'cock-she careened on
her beam ends and water passed her through the
'dead lights which open. She after righted
and commenced sinking. The small boats of the ASIA
lying at the Cunard dock Immediately dispatched
the aid Of those board Small boats also from
neghboring vessels and steam tugs also her
lief One Of the Jersey City ferry boats the Jersey
City, Capt Price, also went off to her. but there
only few persons boardit being trial trip-they
got off in and before the ferry boat arrived
The ated Ericsson after sunk and lies with
the top OF her 7lssi.e@ses and her aowspsiiss b'
view above the water She has gone down in about s
| fathoms water. With the company board there
several ladies' who much frightened by the
accident well they might have been for it dis
aster which would doubt have resulted in great los
Of e had she been further from the shore and the
sisance she received Some dreadful fatality
attend this vessel 1t is two years since she
built her progress has been continual
accumulation Of difficulties and disasters We learn
that her trip yesterday much satisfaction to those
on board until the dreadful tornado struck her and
sadly terminated the excursion and which operate
very much against the invention which the vessel illus
| tratcs.
| OTHER DIsAsTERs-sUPPOsED LOSS OF LIFE
BY the violence Of the storm a number OF sloops OF
the Battery driven ashore the rocks piled up
the Battery extension When the storm abated they
were got of, without much damage having been don.
| them.
! A small saboat with two men on board, is said tc
have been capsized in the East river, opposite Crane
street No reliable information could be obtained.
The ship Britton, lying at pier No. g. North river
| turned on her beam ends and somewhat damaged
lighter, loaded with railroad iron, unloading a
the Paterson Railroad pier O'Clock yesterday after
noon when she capszed in consequence of the loadn.
being taken from side of her deck and not from thu
other As she careened, of the iron slipped
board carrying Of the hands along lie drowned
and his body had not been recovered at late hour last
| night
In addition to the disasters and loss of life recorded
above doubt there others which will hear from
having taken place beyond the city.
A sLooP RUN INTO BY sTEAMTuG.
Yesterday afternoon, during the prevalence of the
storm, the sloop Oregon, Of Mddetown Point, Conncc
tcut Captain H. Taber, which lying at the end Of
pier No "A East river into by the seamtug lie
vathan with such force split her stem carry away
her bowsprt and cut loose her fastenngs The Captain
and below, but succeeded in getting the
pier The two vessels dred out in the together
when the mast was blown down by squal Of wind
| The Leviathan, which also much damaged by thu
collision succeeded in crossing the river and the slool
detached and made fast to the dock at the foot
South Sixth street, in Williamsburg. She had on boart
about 3o0o bushels Of corr for Fountain Hermer Co
The vessel had filed with water, and is total wreck
| Loss about 81 ,000 on the vessel and cargo
THE STORM IN BROOKLYN.
/ During the thunder storm the lighter Ohio, Will
making for the dock the foot Of Montague street,
capszed and the captain drowned. The hands OF
board, three in number saved themselves The vesse
belonged to Mr. Ford, and was loaded with molasses.
the storm coming up they attempted to reach th
dock without taking in sail, when gust Of wind sud
denly overturned her.
The Church of the Restoration, the Of Nun
place and Clarke street struck by lightning, an
the steeple was somewhat shattered.
JERSEY CITY.
The large new Custom House on the Cunard dock wa
entirely unroofed by the whrlwind The building is
brick about hundred feet by forty6ve in extent
three stories high, and substantially built The roof wa
all taken otin boards and part Of the raters 1t
torn rolled up and town the side of the building
leaving the goods inside exposed to the Storm Tn
damage to the building will be about $500.
The unfinished machine shop of the New York sn'