Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-03-02


turning by the beach. The contractor and a
number of men were cutting and grading one
Of the principal roads at it's junction with this
turnpike. As it crosses the North end of Lake
Lily here, it looks if they would have to eth
er bridge over or fill up this extreme north
end.
The new PAVILION hotel has heavy stone
foundation finished for its high tower, and many
rustic cedar posts already set for the roof and a
force Of workmen busy on it. One of Mr.. 8. E.
Hughes cottages is laid out and it's cellar part
ly dug, and workmen at it, the place cleared for
another, and the remainder Of the eix for him
go up at once. We visited "Sea Grove Hotel
site, and
WE CONGRATULATE COL. SAWYER
on the possession of hotel every wind OF
which must positively command a seaview of
either ocean or bay, the Delaware at this point
being Is miles wide to Cape Henlopen, and 80
miles wide Immediately above it. and the Attain
tic 5000 miles wide i'll front. Back, front and
sides Of house overlook fine expanse OF water.
ridge or mound of sand has formed here on
the beach 80 feet high. This will doubtless be
eveled to an embankment of ten or II feet we
suppose.
Mr. Joseph Frees who has owned a fine farm
property adjoining Sea Grove several years. in
formed us yesterday that the
SEA BATHING AT THIS PLACE IS EXCELLENT,
his family using it constantly in Summer. Per-
Honally, we never tried it ON the ocean side but
have bathed frequently on the Bay side, where
it is very pleasant but has not much surf and at
times none at all. The view over the CLASSY blue
surface of the Bay, dotted with the white sails,
is always lovely in fair weather. The shore be-
tween Sea Grove and Cape Island abounds in
evidences of recent shpwreck. We
picked up a cabin panel, and painted
pieces of homework, rent and broken
from some ship or steamer For q mile or more,
we found large quantities Of round pine pieces
like parlor matches but they are 6 inches long.
They are supposed to be part of the cargo of the
Providence and Philadelphia steamer Mary, ly-
ing
HoPELEssLY WRECKED ON THE ICE BREAKER
at Cape Henlopen, submerged except little
part of her cabin. Our young townsman and ac-
quaintance Mr.. Faunce Bennett, pilot, had
charge OF the barge Cienfugos, week before last,
lying anchored at the Breakwater. prevented by
ice from reaching Philadelphia. The ice caught
and dragged her from the anchorage to sea, stove
in her bow lumberport, and sunk her two miles
from Cape Henlopen, in II fathoms of water,
where she now lies with her top gallant masts
Just out of water. The crew escaped in the
boats and reached the breakwater in safety saw
ing nothing. The disaster was witnessed from
the deck OF the pilot boat F." Whdn," but the ice
fields prevented them from getting to the bark.
She sank in 80 minutes.
REPORTS REACHED HERE
that the crew we're lost, causing much distress.
and about 100 tierces eff molasses, all of which
is totally lost and no hope is expressed here of
saving the vessel, sunk at that great depth MIR.
Stephen Bennett, father of the young pilot
above, lost his life in his profession. having
died of yellow fever contracted from the crew
of the bark Home, taken to Philadelphia by him
about three years ago.. II an infected vessel
needs pilot, they board her and smallpox .yel-
low or ship fever are sometimes encountered by
them. They pilot them to Quarantine and are
compelled to remain on the vessel as the laws
of Pennsylvania forbid them coming to Philadel-
phia. They reach home via Baltimore and 9TH
| er round ABOUT ways some times
ONE PILOT OF OUR ACQUAINTANCE
took mp an infected vessel, remaining on deck
the whole trip, day and night, seated most of
the tme on the taffrail RS far aft as he could
get, They have curious adventures too, as well
HI hardships and danger. Mr.. Enos Scheliinger
took up French bark, not one OF the officers or
crew of which could speak English nor could he
French. He was compelled to show them each
rope he wanted pulled, and to square the yards,
hold out both arms His description of that ex-
perience is highly amusing. Capt. Philip Hand
| pilot, was dasbing down the Bay in fine ship,
once when a drunken sailor ran aloft and out to
| the end of the foreyard and leapee overheard.
| Capt Hand cried sc man overheard
As sooN AS HE SAW HIM LEAP,
| and tossed over chick en- coop which the fellow
| clambered on. They hove the ship up III the
wind, lowered a boat, and rescued the man com,
pletely sobered by fright and cool swim, and
Can't. Hand has been credby informed he has
been steady, reliable, sober man ever since,
| his narrow escape working reformation.
| tornado passed over Cape May about P.
| NJ. last Thursday from the West. The din was
| horrible for 40 minutes or an hour, and smashed
to smithereens a. beautiful new automatic wind
| mill Just erected on Mr.. Ii. @. Lea's cottage near
the Excursion House laid low about 100 feet Of
fencing at r. ID. Wards cottage blew large
bath house at Mr.. Mark Devine's from its foun'
| J,tta iuba ad ttyn In an
unroofng the Excursion House and Stockton
House. The signal telegraph line was down
| but soon restored. Velocity of wind at observ-
ing station here was
80 MILES PER HOUR
"a hurricane is but 6O-and was the most vio-
lent wind we have had here since the station
was established at this point.
Capt. Ware, of the Live Station Service had
mortar practice on the 22nd, to celebrate the
b" Birthday" The mortars, as you know, are
used to throw bomb with line attached over
| a wrecked vessel, when the sea is 30 high they
dare not launch their life boats. The mortar
takes 25lb solid shots, in which is staple and
steel spiral spring to attach the soft Italian hemp
line to, the spring preventing the line from
swapping or firing the mortar. The lines runs
from reel. They threw line over the 81 Gamer
wrecked at Long Beach few days ago, success
fully, at the first attempt, drew on board q
hawser and set the life car on its, "a turtle
shaped covered boat, holding seven persons,
with water tight lid, which they draw back and
forth between shore and ship, mostly elevated
above the sea but capable of floating upon it.,
Two of the station crew went off in it, adjusted
it's arrangements and sent the crew Oh shore il
safety.
201 PERSONS WE'RE THUS SAVED
from one vessel between here and Sandy Hook
since the stations were established.
We visited our station, No. 29, here last week,
and were shown life boats, life car, life preser-
yers Capt. Merriman's patent life dress, II
which man take to the surf or the sef
with temperature below zero and remain in the
water for hours. This is the same our "Pearl
DIVER Paul Boyton, formerly of Cape May
jumped overheard in, from the steamship Queen
when II miles off the coasts of Ireland this win
ter; and swan ashore. This Queen by the wa,
> is
TuE BAME NOBLE STEAMER
, that ran on Squan Beach, N. j., between her
! and New York, last Thursday morning in the
. fog we had, as also did the steamship franc
: from Havre, the same day, and both were blowl
off and floated by the Squall that passed over u
that evening doing us some damage, but restor
ing the splendid vessels from threatened ship
wreck to safety. Its an i'll wind that blows no
body any good"
5 We have witnessed experiments with the Mer
J riman suit here at Cape May, having entertain
i ed Capt. Jno. Faunce, formerly commanding
: the U s. Revenue Cutter, stationed at Whining
ton, DEL, aud now chief in command Of the U
s, Life Saving Service, of our coasts, and Capt
o MerriInen the inventor, in mid winter OF 1871
B when visiting the stations to induce Government
i to adopt the suits as part of the service outh
| 1~a1,a boa hnay Los at