The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-08-20
TELEGRAPH
tr,.A,,n lin Nnrfnlk Ledger. lSth.l

rain which has occurred Tor more tnan
score OF YEARS. The rain commenced 10 IAN
a, an early hour, and rs the day advanced
.ha Starm continued to increase III intensity
and fnrv. All outdoor Work was suspend
. - OVID !, was dangerous for persons TO pass
along the streets, on account OF the ih'ihs
,-ors SIGNS. roofs. &c. The storm attained
=. height between hali-past ii and II
O'Clock. 49,,
hacked the water up in the harbor until it
reached height which we have never seen
At nm early hour the Berkeley ferry-hoat
cc,.pd running, and an hour later the Man
h,..et, pIyIug between this city and Ports
mouth, was also compelled to stop her
Trims. she being detained on the Portsmouth
side al the river.
DESTRUCTION TO HOUSES.
Hundreds OF houses have been unroofcd,
and chiinneyS innumerabic have been blown
down. Among the number we mention the
following: The Bank OF Commerce, on Main
street, had its roof blown off and the front
Of the building damaged. The roof OF ID.
IOwcnbrrg'S store, on Church street, was
blown entirely across the street and lodged
in front OF the Concordia saloon.
The roof OF the Opcra-H was also
blown across Church street and lodged in
front OF Mr.. u. l.. Whitchursr> store.
Thc brick building on the northwest cor
Der OF Fenchurch and Bermuda streets was
blown down.
\ chimney Of one OF DR.. SelGcn'S houses,
on Main street. il falling did considerable
damage TO w. r.. Fosters store. next door.
The roof oi building on southeast corner
81 Cumberland and Bate streets was blown
M and the occupant. OF the house narrowly
ESCAPED with their lives.
RI ne warehouse Of McsSrs. Runtrcc IL Co.,
corner OF Fayeitc aud Water streets, had
j.. southern end blown out. Fortunately,
however, no one was injured 10y the falling
bricks.
The Atlantic Hotel came in for its share
oil damage. having one OF its chimneyS
blown down and q portion OF its roof torn
oil.
lIeptaSorh;an Hail, on Bank street, was
entirely unroofcd. and MeSsrs. Guy and
others. who occupy the lower floor. are
left without q covering for their stocks OF
goods.
4 porion Of the prcSsed-brick front of
the new building being erected by Mr.. A.
Wren on the corner Of Nebraska and Main
streets was blown down.
BonsaI's new building, being put up on
the site al the old Union Hotel, on Union
street, was blown down.
The elegant residence OF the Gorduns. on
Bermuda street opposite East, was also uo-
rooted.
A good deal o; the ornamental work on
the roof and s7ire OF st. Mary's Catholic
church was carried away.
The roof OF the old Catholic church, on
Holt street, was torn oil, exposing the in
terror.
nacA cI1 M
Market Square from Main to Union streets
was damaged, several OF the roofs being
blown of.
The front Of Maloncy's stables, corner
Union and Church streets, was blown out.
4 brick building on Water street, oppo-
site Grares's ship.yard, was loVelled with
the ground.
The tin covering to the roof OF the eH-
tensive warehouse belonging to the Old
Dominion Steamship Com pany was blown
OF.
The pedment OF the west end OF the Ma
sonic Temple Oh Brewer street, was blown
or on the roof and damaged it to a slight
extent.
The residence OF Mrs. Cook on the Point
suffered some damage in the loss or por-
ton OF the cornice.
In the West End the principal damage
was the loss Ci the splendid Shade-trecs, OF
which the people were 20 Justly proud.
The gas-housc was unroofed, and the
damage TO the building is very considerable.
The Enterprise mills suffered considera-
bic damage.
The private dwellings on York street oc-
cupied by &. +. Tehault and w. r. Gait,
E>q>., were unroofed, as were the new
houses on the north side or York street oc-
cupicd b. Luther Sheldon and l.. uarmau-
son, Esqs.
The valuable property OF Cincinnatus
Newton was unroofed in the western part
end considerable damage occurred by the
rain leaking through on the furniture. One
tree from his yard blew down and lodge(
in front of Mr.. MiIer'S residence on Plume
street completely blockading the entrance
The north wall OF the new church Of the
Christians. on Brewer street, WAS blown
out in the middle. Damage but little.
1t Is impossible TO attempt 10 give list Of
the numerous houses which have been TN
rooted, and OF the small buildings which
have been blown down.
FALL OF A CnURCH-sTEEPLE.
The most serious loss which we have YET
heard was the destruction OF the Steepie OF
the Frccmason-Street Baptist church, which
occurred Il few minutes before II O'Clock,
when the storm was ut its height.
We stood several minutes watching the
stately Spire rs it inclined toward the east,
when suddenly 4 gust OF wind, stronger
than the rest, swept it over. Fortunately
it fell in the street. and did no damage TO
surrounding property. The crash was
heard above the bowling OF the storm az
far - Main street. Its position in the
street Is from northwest to southeast.
The stceple aforementioned was repair
ed about two years since, at which time it
was thought to he in 4 dangerous condition.
y number OF timUerS were then taken out
and their places supplied by iron girders.
ALONG THE RIVER FRONT.
The scene presented along the river front
was also one OF dasolation. The water, as
far as the eye could reach, was dashed into
fury By the storm, and we fear that but 4
small pori ion OF the destruction 10 property
has yet been beard Of. About O'Clock the
storm commenced TO subside, when report
or visited the wharYes on the river to as
certain the extent OF damage.
At the Boston wharf the entire wharf
was submerged, and large quantities OF
floating material had been deposited on it.
a large lighter, used by the company in
transferring goods TO and from Portsmouth,
way drl'en up and lodged near one OF the
freight sheds, while another lighter, owned
" TIE Seaboard Railroad Company. was
1gfced up Main street, and is now across
tpe railroad track near the Boston office. IN
Ns passage to the point where it now lies 1t
ssoiided with and carried away frame
linz IN..1. II