Orangeburg news and times. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1875-1877, 1877-04-21

inches Of water had iallen-a greater
amount tEan has been registered for
the same space Of time since the signal
office has been established ut this
Fort. At 7.3O a. NJ. yesterday morn
ing the barometer stood nc % 40, and
kept falling throughout the day until
ut 1.30 p. NJ. it register 1920.
Owing to thc fact that the wires were
blown down the signal officer was cut
oil from much information regarding
the origin Of the gale, but from such
facts as he cnuld gather lie was Of the
opinion that the storm centre WAS
formed in tho vicinity Of New Orleans,
and from that point moved eastward,
striking Charleston about halr-past
5 A. NJ. yesterday.
At THE BATTERY.
About Z o'clock, while the storm
was raging violently and still ncrcas-
ing, tic bridge connecting the White
Point Ba!hinghousc with the Battery
was carried away, not II trace Of it
hcing lett save the arch which span
ned the entrance from the Battery
side and few Of the palmetto sup
ports. Communication was thus com
plctcly cut off with Mr. McAIanmon
and i;lmily, who were occupying the
building at that time. The waves
were running mountain high, and al
ready the outcrmost division OF the
clearinghouse, which is built in two
parts, rocked to and fro like drunk
Ell man, and the angry waters rushed
thr' ugh tile space between it and the
Battery wall with the velocity Of !.
mill race At halfpast Z A. NJ. the
situation Of the family in the Bath
inghousc became SO pcrilous that pri-
vate Brennan, who was OH duty ut the
Bat.cry, reported at the StntionhouSc
that, unless immediate aid was offorl
ed, The family would be assurcdly
lost. Upon this information, Lieut..
For,lham Il. once organized Il squad
Of policemen, who, after supplying
themselves with ropes, Ne, proceeded
to the Battery post-hastc Upon
reaching the scene Lieut.. Fordham
found that he could do nothing. The
waves were dashiny triumphantly
over the garden, and the walks were
over Il foot deep in water. Every
moment added to the danger Of the
unfortunate Family, and the rain
came down in such binding sheets
that the harbor wore all the appear
ance ola seething snow field. Finding
that nothing could be effected with
out immediate and concerted action,
Lieut.. Fordbam led his force TO the
South Battery, where they procured
staunch fishing canoe, belonging to Il
colored man named Simmons, and
conveyed it TO the point on the south
walk, Immediately opposite the Bath
inglou>c, whcic, with considerable
difficulty, it w:ls launched Mr..
Harry Hansen, the sailor who acted
50 n"bIy in The gale Of Sl7l, and by
whose daring cXcrtions the saa,r
family were at that time rescued, was
agnia on hand, and, with Simmons
and WhaIcy, two coorcd fishermen,
manned the boat and piNotc,l her safe
| ~ to The clearinghouse door. Mrs.
McAInnnon and her two children we're
brought to lan,l III safety, and the boat
then returned and brought Mr.. Ne
Manmon across. The family had
hardly been placed under the care Of
Il hosptablc family near BY when Il
large portion Of the outer building
| fell with acrash and noatcd off Ike
some phantom ship in the binding
storm BY 10 o'clock the tide had
fallen 50 much that there WAS no
longer any danger Of The complete
demolition of the Bathinghousc, and
IL couple Of policemen were left to pre-
vent stealing. The only loss sustain
cd by Mr.. McManmon was n quantity
Of wood, which was washed overheard
from The rear Of the house. Lieut.
Fordham, Mr.. Hansen, Whaicy and