The daily gazette., 1878-11-01
STORM IN KENT COUNTY.
A Graphic Recital ofthe Rava-
ges along the Delaware
COnAt


Coast.
From the Smyrna Times account of
the ravages Of the late storm along the
Delaware river shore, principally In
Kent county. the following extracts are
taken
CoLLINs's BEACH
perhaps received the severest shock
from the wind and waves Of any other
place along the coast. Shortly after
day light, while Mr.. Collins was looking
out upon the driving tempest, he saw.
as 1t were huge wave lifted up out In
ie Bay, which came with flying speed
breaking over the top of the beach in a
mighty billow, brushing open the doors
OF the hotel, sweeping the ballroom, sta
bles, pavilion, bath-houses-everything
but the hotel property, before it aud
carrying them out Of sight. The mighty
tide rolled on inland submerging tie
country for distance of one or two
miles. In addition to the loss OF his
buildings and the demolition of the new
pier, Mr.. CollIus lost several cattle and
pen OF fattening hos.
In the midst of the storm large
steam collier, the Rattlesnake, was dri-
ven in upon the fast land about 600
yards above the house, and If gotten off
at all must be with great difficulty. The
loss OF Mr.. Collins will be between 3d.
600 and $1,000, and falls heavily upon
him, having suffered considerable losses
by storms the two preceding years.
BOMBAY HOOK
was swept from end to end and for the
past week has presented the appearance
OF q vast lake, the beach and banks serv-
ing as a rim of basin to hold the water
in. The only communication with the
Island has beon by boats. Persons on the
west of the Island saw the big wave
when 1t mounted the beach and noted its
rapid approach thinking it was a fog
bank, and 1t was not until they heard the
angry roar of splashing waters that they
realized the destruction in its wake, and
fled for the main land. As it was, two
children of Hugh Durham, colored man
were drowned aged and years, and he
at one time was in water up to his neck.
The destruction of property has been
immense, including nearly every corn
shock, stack OF hay, fodder, most OF the
poultry and much of the stock. The
costly pier Of the Bombay Hook Railroad
was damaged to the extent OF s., 900, and
rendered nearly useless. At the "Wake-
man House," near by, the ballroom, bar
room, lighthouses and about 400 bushels
of corn were washed away, Mr.. Sprunce
estimating his loss at 81, 900. The dwell
ling of Lewis Campbell was moved from
its foundation, the waters running
through the lower rooms and the waves
into the second story windows
The kitchen was moved about so feet
from the house. The water here was
three feet higher than at any preceding
storm. Samuel Loatman lives on the
highest point of the Island ten or twelve
feet above the Bay-ievei, and the water
came up within few feet of his house
He had about 200 bushels of corn In the
shock which was washed away together
with his provender and crop of wheat OF
60 bushels sowing.
A. Brown lost about 1000 bushels of
corn, 25 head of sheep, all his hay and
provender and field ofwheat of 80 BUSH
els sowing which will be ruined. A patch
of potatoes not taken up, about 70 BUSH
els, washed out of the ground by the
force of the current.
"Fraland" is nearly ruined; all the
buildings but the main house washed
away, the beach greatly damaged and
many of the trees Frustrated. A tree fell
across one of the houses occupied by a
family, and the occupants among which
were two women had to wade in water
up to their chin to place Of safety. The
houses were lodged against woods two
or three hundred yards distant.
Richard Fogg lost about 100 tons of hay
and five oxen, one swimming distance
of four miles to the main land and was
saved. Six men, two of them from this
town, who were helping Fogg get hay,
had their shaDty stove in and took ref,
uge in wild cherry tree for several
hosrs. lashing themselves to its branches
to keep from being blown away. One of
these men was saved from the wreck of
the Metropolis last January and from his
knowledge of such storms took IN The
situation at once, aud but for this fact the
.hole party would perhaps have been
lost.
He hastily gathered all the ropes he
could find, and wagon, which would
soon have been swept away, was backed
up and securely tied tn the tree above re-
ferred to. He then mounted the tree
and cut the top off to better enable II to
better resist the force of the wind. He
then lasbed himself TO the upper branches
and awaited the result. The other men
stood on the ground until the water came
up around their waist, then climbed into
the wagon and when driven from that,
the tree, finding the rope he had collect
ed necessary to secure them against the
wind which was driving with force OF
about 18 pounds to the square foot:
Hundreds of other farmers In this vi
cinity suffered extensively by the loss OF
stock and crops.
AT LEIPsIC
the storm was heavier and the tide high
ar than ever was known before, the
marsh beiug covered with four feet OF
water, but as a community it suffered,
nerhaps less than any other place near
The bay. Much anxiety was felt for two
days for the fate of four men who were
down the marsh getting hay; they were
Ieported and believed 10 be drowned, but
only one of them, however, Phillip Han
cock, met with a watery grave.
The other three were fortunate enough
to get on vessel and were saved, we
hear of an oyster vessel carried y miles
inland from Mahon's river. Out OF TWEEN
tv.seyen oyster boats that took refuge 10
tRis harbor, but three weathered the
storm, the balance being scattered owe,
The marsh. A large amount OF hay ana
| number of cattle were lost on the marsh