Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1874-10-02
NO. 40.
THE STORM KING,

Yesterdays EqufnoctIal Gale
ShOrt.Lived but Rough and Sc
vere-The Cape Fear and Bruns-
wick Rivers Forced Up-Rice
Crops Almost Totally Ruined
Telegraph Wires all PrOstrated-
Trees and Fences Blown Down
i'm the City, &C., &c.
just about the rudest equinoctual
gale that we have ever known in this
The first intimation had of the storm
was on Sunday night about 9 o'clock.
when it was first indicated by the fall
tory in this city. At about IL o'clock
P. M. there was a still more positive
and marked decline in that instru-
ment. It continued to fall during the
night and at 10 o'clock yesterday
morning the storm commenced. The
wind blew pretty lively and there was
heavy fall of rain. The wind rose
rapidly to velocity of about twenty
five or thirty miles an hour, and dur
ing the afternoon as high as forty-five
miles an hour was attained. At p.
M. it was oscilating between the East
and West points, via the South, and
at P. M. the centre of the storm
passed over this city, at which time
the wind was almost uniformly from
the Southwest, blowing in heavy gusts
some of which attained a velocity of
forty eight and fifty miles an hour
At P. M. it began to gradually de-
crease and at P. M. it had fallen to
a uniform velocity of thirty-six miles
an hour.
We are glad to be able to say that
we have heard, thus far, of no loss of
life or injury to persons by this storm,
although there has been more
or less damage to property. Chief
among the last We regret to
record that the reports from the rice
fields on the Cape Fear and Brunswick
rivers, point to heavy loss in the
rice crop, which has been recently cut.
A gentleman who passed Col. John D.
Taylors plantation, in Brunswick
county, short distance below the
city, says that the water had overflow
ed the rice field banks and that he
saw whole stacks of rice swept away
and ruined, and the same, we fear,
may also be true about other planta-
tions. Col. Taylor himself started
over to his place, but was compelled
to return, as the water was on the
causeway and there was a number of
large trees blown across the road.
Every telegraph wire, leading IN
various directions from the city, was
prostrated, and business in this line
was completely interrupted. There
was nothing left last night, over which
to send the press dispatches, and con-
sequently there are none to issue this
morning W0rkmen were sent out
from this city last night, however,
and it is calculated that the wires will
be again in operation to-day. Reports
from the various lines of railway are
also to the effect that the storm was
one of the most severe ever known,
and it is feared that a great deal of
loss has been sustained by the crops
now in the fields.
In the city the blow was, as we have
stated, very severe. Fences were
blown down and huge trees were
either torn up by the roots or snapped
off from their trunks. A number OF
valuable shade trees in various parts
of the city have been lost and numer-
GUS fences and oathouses were pros
trated. The "top-knot'' on the top
front Of the new Postofice building,
corner Second and Chestnut streets,
was blown down, ca1fying with it a
number of the bricks by which it was
supported but, fortunately, no one
was injured thereby, although it was
near the hour for the opening of the
mails. A fine large glass in the show
window of Messrs. Boskowitz & Lieber,
on Market street, was broken, as was
also one in the window of Mr.. Mayors
confectionery establishment on Market
street, and various sign-boards, avn
ings, &C., we're made to succumb to
the fury of the blast.
In the river, the tide was attempt
ing to run down while the wind was
blowing up the stream, end the conse-
quence was that there was terrible
commotion of the waters. At the hou"
at which it should have been low tide,
the water was as high as is usually
known here in Spring freshets, and
the waves were dashing upon the
| dock. During the height of the storm
it became impossible to work the ferry
boats, and the steam-tug N.yce was put
into requisition to bring over to the
| city the employees at the shops of the
vii, Col. & Aug. R. r.
The gale must necessarily have been
| very severe at the mouth of the river,
but we have, as yet, no reports from
below. 1t is feared that there have
been some distressing marine disas.
ters, out it is hoped that, if there were
any vessels near the coast, they man
aged to get a good offing before the
storm burst upon them. AS we write
at nearly midnight, the winds have
subsidized very much, but the clouds
are still overcast and it may be tina
to-day is to be but repetition of yes
terday.