The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-10-01
Tho Great Gale OF 1874
The Charleston Ne,os and Co,urie

OF the 10th ult., says:
The long immunity which Charles.
ton has enjoyed from disastrous gales
was interrupted, yesterday, by q dis
aster which has probuby destroyed
over $3.50, 900 worth of property. In
the early part Of the present mouth
everybody was on the lookout for the
equinoctial storm, because there exists
O kind of tradition that severe and dis.
astrous equino1es occur once in every
twenty years, and it is just twenty years
since the destructive guile of 1854. But
when tho 21st OF tho month had passed
without bringing the disagreeable visi-
tor, people began to think that Charles
ton would after all escape the dreaded
infiiction. For over fortnight tho
wind had been blowing steadily from
the East, and OF times the weather had
assumed threatening aspect. but not
sufficiently 80 to warrant the appre.
hension of gale. On Sunday even
ing. ut late hour, it began to blow
stihly in puffs and to rain. and by day.
lirit the wind had increased oonsidera-
bly,, blowing from tile East and South
east. The steamer Dictator. which
arrived in the morning, reported heavy
weather ut sea, but the captain failed
to observe any Indications of the
coming blow. About hnlf.past 6 or Z
o'clock in the morning the wind, grew
stronger, with heavy squalls and severe
puffs, which created general apprehen-
sions. At o'clock, it was evident that
the gale was upon Us. The sea was
henrlng and tossing in the harbor, and
the rapidly encroaching tide begun to
flood til. wharvcs and streets. The
squalls kept constantly increasing in
strength, and tho masters Of vessels in
port began to lock anxiously to their
moorings At 0 o'clock, the tide had
risen SO high that it covered all the
YhGrvcs on the Eastern front Of the
city and flooded the streets ro the
depth of several feet. Muny of the
wharvcs were washed up, and several
vessels parted from their moorings aud
were driven on shore.
The scene at the wharvcs ut this
time was terrific. In every direction
drift-wOod, bales of cotton, wrecked
bouts and debris wero being tossed
about. The wind, whistling through
the rigging OF The shipping. made me-
lanchoiy music, and the binding rain
fuilluS III torrents rendcned ,lfvrts to
save anything almost useless. The
tide rose to great height, in many
instances lifting the flooring from the
piers and rendering it extremely ha-
zardous for anybody to stand in tho
vicinity. The sea in the harbor rolled
mountain high, and the waves dashed
over the piers in huge rollers. At Ac-
commodation wharf bark was driven
from her moorings high up ON the
lanaing into the wharf Office of Camp.
bell. Wylly Il Co., but was blown of
again when the wind shifted. So
gr' at WAS the force of the wind that
the bowsprit Of the vessel entered the
second story of the building, which
was ui brick. and cut 1t completely in
two. making clean split. At the
wl,"r! cf :hc Snilivun's Island stea mers
the waves washed clear over the wood
woih, and the anxious crowd who had
gntEcr.d there to hear tldlrgs from
tTl'hdo q. The island were iairiy driven
back IS ,bv bln'iing rnil aud rapidly
lisln.; waters. East Bay and Culi.ouI.
streets were Hooded win wairr IL such
depth ns 10 float The cars Of tue En-
tctptisc hallway from the track. All
HE wiinrvts about Market street were
more or less dnmuged, but those below
that point suffered the most. 1T Van.
dethoi't wharf Al large flat loaded with
phosphate rock Intended for the ship
Border Chicf.uin parted the fasteuiugs,
and wha bi'"ii ;::o three s!oc;.a in ,I.a
dock. sinking them almost immcll.
nteiy. Til" iint WAS then lifted! t,y ,!,,.
wave, nLa thrown truEsvcrGtiy across
the deck, uaiing Il complete bridge
between the two piers. The Britisi,
bark BeItis!c. which had lately arrived
from Liverpool and was anchored in
the stream, WINS blown from her moor,
'ngs. de-. pl,c two heavy anchors held
by seventy five and forty five feet of
iron cbn.n md dragged Into the docl,
between Bo!cc md Atlantic wharf
The wh"if oh the extreme Southern
limit of il" Eastern water trnut wa
completelS washed away, aud the piers
immediately adjoining on the North.
at which were moored the steamers
City Point and Dictator. wore also
badly damaged. The work Of destruc.
tion continued without Interruption
until about half past twelve, when the
wind moderated for IA short time, and
then shifted arouud TO tho South and
West, when 1t again blew with full
force for about All hour, tearing the
slate and tin from the roofs of many
buildings and blowing down trees and