The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-02-03
Ruin ON ROCKAWAY BEACH.
HOTELS, BATHINo Houses. AND PLAT
FORMS SUEPT AWAT.

Brenrhes IhrOuuh r"hu
Narrow Escapes -Estimntes OF the Losses
Tho entire sea front of Rockaway Beach,
from the Atlantic Park Hotel. beyond the fourth
landing. to the Neptune House. is picture of
desolntion. Tho northeast wind Of Thursdny
swept almost directly along the coast, and gave
aterrible cutting power to tho surf. Sand hills
along the shore that It was thought were held
firm by ccdars OF quarter OF a century's growth
we're cut in two with greater precision than
could have been done with spade. Tho per-
pendicular walls were in some places twenty
feet high. Layers Of sand in various directions
sbowed how the hills had been built up in pre-
vious storms beyond the memory of the present
residents Of the beach. Black layers Of matted
cedar roots three feet thick. showed where the
surface had previously been well-prcserved
cedar trunk. eleven feet high stands several
PAGES from wall Of sand just below the Allan
tic Park Hotel 1ts lower part ia embedded in
the sand where II formerly grew. In its crotch
rested some sods OF sea grass. covered with
snow. Just as 1t fell in the storm when the top Of
the trunk was just even with the surface.
A scraggy red cedar root. resembling the ant
lprs Of n mammoth ucer WIS uruHkeu OUT ol ltS
hiding place. 1t was perfectly well preserved.
although there are no trees now in its neighbor-
hood that could possibly have roots Of half its
size Tho sea came up and broke over the grass
between the sand hills. Nearly every building
on the sea trent was at one time surrounded by
water Gullies thirty feet wide were wished
across the lower beach. through which the sea
made dashes into Jamaica bay.
The hotel OF Lewis Dodge. Just east OF the At
antic part. is represented by four cedar posts
standing askew In the sand. There is no other
place of timber near them. The beach where 1t
stood looks precisely as 1t might have looked
one hundred years ago. The building was
worth $780, Davis pavilion was swept away.
and not vestige left 1t was worth 81 900. Old
Mr. Alexander Laird was found Yesterday in
company with his wife, looking at their hotel RS
itoppled over perpendicular sandbank. All
of his money was invested in 1t. Last summer
he was obliged TO lease II. because he and his
wife we're too old 10 manage tho business. II
was worth 1900.
Ion hut two ranges and heavy iron kette.
pile OF timber lay on top Of tho bank, but i was
His loss is 5000 He told the story of his loss
yesterday to reporter for The sun;
day afternoon. tier me % x ocock % said said to to- my bow.
guess ii will be all right; Then We went up
stairs wheres, my wife and daughter were to got
stairs before l heard tmhers bucking against
the large platform in front Of my house.
. crash. Il was built ".yS SEPARATELY from from
the the. house; n.s payls's E and Lards houses
MSe s n"S IT. vest G
Maeerus's platform. and after that Kappf's and
Van Kepren's places were carried away; The
didn't think to take 1901 had in my bedroom.
stepped OF OF the platform TO 20 10 the hills in
the rear. when that, too. was carried away A
soon as had taken my wife and daughter to "a
high place returned TO the house to get NY
money had not been gote fiye minutes, and
with the waves ives breaking over the ROOT" """'
He leased tho hotel known by his name from
Louis Hammcl. whose loss Is about $1,000.
Platform. bathing houses, and the hotel. except
the dining room. Were carried away. Louis
baiktne houses I vii cost, him $4,000 to re,
pair damages Charles Meyers's hotel was
straus found only a few sticks Of. driit wood
where his 50 900 Cottage Pavilion, platform and
bath Sahqs houses stool ,b Hrps stump bs had
neighbors, but their Surf Pavilion was threat
sned by the invading waters, It now stands
wall Of sand. This platform and some OF their
bathing houses were damaged 70 the extent Of
but his kitchen damages. $500. The large
platform of II. Schmeek and II. Michacls's
Deimoplc3 Hoqse were carrie! away with many
Under the platform Of Heync 4 Grobes pa
vilion was wedged over 90 cords Of drift timber
human ingenuity, without the expenditure OF
much time and study. The rear spiles OF the
platform had been knocked down BY this drift
timber. but the front ones remain. II will cost
i2gQO 70 repair damages and replace the bath.
i9g houses and offices carried away. The front
Of the foundation of Albert Ruands Seaside
Pavilion was cut out. The damage is estimated
soon after o'clock Mr.. Rutland made dash
tnrOuEn the waves as they We're breaking
the high ground on which his hotel stands, in
oyn orr 70 seeur SOP ladder mat was iloating
While he was wading back to the piazza a stick
Of hewn timber eighteen feet long struck him
down and passed over him. H. then arose and
made dash tor the piazza but was again struck
more he9ylly by another piece Of, timber on
the leg. THIS blow disabled him. He was res
Smith & King lost only their bath houses
damag" t2G Remsen x Wainwright lost
sbo9i hfy bathing houses; damage 5000. Chas.
y. Meyers suffered slight loss. Curran K
tegan's restaurant and bnthing houses were
ali des,r6yad adn eolv 1 Iner iHsniTre & was
Of the Atlantic Park Hotel did not prevent the
sand behind il To a il-tance Of fifteen feet from
Delns washed out. but the hotel and its large
platform We're not much injured. Very Little
hamntg hhamlage WIS done 70 tue Nentnnc House bath
houses at ths first landing, The list As given
ABOVE includes. with possibly two or three cx-
SnnnsI every house on the beach, All were
:, On nog Island beach. opposite Far Rockaway
b"Thard Smiths hotel was shattered by having
iShNhlhton eaten away. All Of his bathing
t,Ils,7 were lost Damage about 81 900. The
i...wlng gentlemen suffered losses estimated
AZ nom 1900 70 $500 each: Albert K Mather
James Marshall Patrick Craig, and Mr.. Caffrey.
4, iuur ground sea was tremendous. Capt. Dan
~ hQt, oi Life Saving Station 32. who was ac-
i've m assisting the hotel occupants in the
smlhIty ol ms station, says that he does not
,,rm'lhb-r sevcrer Storm Yesterday the
rams from New York and Brooklyn carried
uown many Of the owners of the property de-
hu3yel some Of them We're staggered rs they
ookrd at the ruins. but there Is little doub, that
s' irast iour-fiths OF the hotels and paviOns
WI be reMulN 10y the opening Of the summer
s.aH1n me houses on the bay side Of ROcka-
WAY Beach were not injured. Tho entire loss |
a. fa h!cknway and Rockaway Beach foots up
Wnlout 10000.
.Myrlais of sea gulls hockod about the beach
1smrlhy or swan IN the waters. They were |
ndWn ultler by the large number Of sand |
,ituls, Or * miners. that had been left on the |
een3re by the high tide yesterday morning The |
guns were loined ia the task OF tearing these
n,aUs from their shells by al army Of crows |
& &iht storm tore the clans from their bed in the
~.ler reef on Thursday night. On Friday there
W. W. niEh surf beating against a strong north |
,bud ms Kept the water rolled and prevented |
~ ,,ir rhihs from buryinE themselves. The re- |
,bbanihs tiie Yesterday morning left millions Of |
ahte,n slrrwn along the beach IA short distance |
ABOVE The fourth landing.