The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1879-08-25
correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch ]

7 UPON OUR SAFETY AL CObb'S lSLAND.
Correspondence Of the Richmond Dispatch.l J;
In JAMES RIVER, August %, 1879.
Welfare waiting for breeze, or tow
up James river. We spent Wednesday
at Old Point, or. rather. part OF the day,
and then went to Ocean View, where we
fished until P. NJ. and then went back TO
our Old Point anchorage. A splendid
breeze sprang up about-dinner time, and so
we concluded to see Norfolk. With all sails
spread. and passing everything on the way,
we proceeded TO Norfolk. On the way We
| fell in with the tug Olive Branch, OF Rich
mond, with Mr. John A. Curtis or board,
and she towed US up the rest OF the way.
Mr. Curtis, Of the Richmond Towing Com
pany, came down 10 look after the steamer
Arctic, which was blown hard and fast
ashore near Lambert's Point during the
storm. She will be gotten off in few days.
We reached Norfolk about nightfall.
MORE ABOUT THE STORM.
| have already had much to say about the
storm, but the half has not been told. TO
repeat that the storm on The coast amounted
| to hurricane, with driving rain, and was
unprecedented, would not convey half the
| idea OF its severity. At Cberrystonc, for
instance, nearly every house on the wharf
was broken away and smashed to atoms.
| Even the carriages and other vehicles stand
ing there with horses in harness were Ut
terly and entirely demolished, and some OF
the horses lost overheard. cannot imagine
more complete wreck than what | haye
seen. On the beach it was impossible for q
man to stand up. He could lie down and
bury his hands and feet in the sand and
hold on; and that is the only way one could
! 1n;x I'D To
little illustration will give the reader an
idea OF how the wind was blowing
Our yawl-boat was tied behind the
schooner. The wind was blowing so hard
and the tide running so strong ESTIMATED
at fifteen nautical miles per hour) that the
boat stood at IN angle of forty-fve degrees
her stern all swampcd and her bow high
up, as though the vessel was towing it at 4
speed not less than twelve miles an hour.
That's the way it looked at Cobb's, the
storm-centre.
What created the greatest alarm with us
was an inquiry from the Captain for the
nxe. Ho had determined to cut away The
masts Of the vessel to prevent going farther
out to sea. Happily for lis that necessity
did not arise, and we are here to tell the tale
1 Of this great tornado.
When We reached Hampton Roads, Wed
nesday evening, we were amazed at the con-
dition OF the shipping. On one hand wa:
a bark with her masts gone: another with
her sails gone; here schooner dismantlcd
there vessel lying bottom upwards, an(
her masts and rigging lying flat on tht
the beach. II was terrible picture indeed
I saw several vessels high and dry on tht
beach, perhaps twenty or thirty yards from
, the water.
OTHER FACTS,
We are all glad that we saw this memo
rable storm and survived It. 1t will be ar
interesting episode in our experience, ant
one that we will ever cherish and recall
but I hope in our future cruises we will bC
. spared from such an experience. At mid
night Monday, after the storm, the sky Wa:
without a cloud. It was the most beauti
full night ever saw. The stars shone will
u brilIancy that cannot be described. Th'
ocean was wellnigh without ripple (sav,
the rolling swell from the storm), and not ;
breath Of air stirred. But it was very cool
In fact, the weather has been very coo
ever since we left home, and have sep
under double blanket, and sometime
would have been thankful for more. Th'
morning we sailed from Cobb's tue weather
was clear and very cool, and much OF th
day was spent in drying out. The water
between Cape Charles and Cape Henry wa!
, yellow and sandy from the wind and higl
f tides and rain, and was not unlike tie dirt,
water we find in the Jumes upon certain
occasions.
We spoke the bark Gamaliel near Cape
Henry, who gave lamentable account o.
the vessels in Chesapeake bay about Wind
mill Point, and in the Potomac river. Ir
Norfolk harbor and Hampton Reads The
disasters were many. Close to the poin
Where we lay at Norfolk was large bark
that had oeen oriYen away across the river
anu .ne.i Iui.sa a potio1 ,;o up"aros, Win nel
~ tha Ei.shotb r;ver So. - ,,s on .ue wa.
, Common thing to see here and tbera uossnI
far from the beach, high and dry in the
corn.feds, or upon the river farm-IandS
The wharves at Norfolk looked to me as i
the city had been visited by fearful earth
quake. The old Lorilard wharf has bee,
completely shaken to pieces and utterly de
moIshed. But the reader doubtless know
all this long ago. ~
NORFOLK.
Our party, some at least, visited variou
points OF interest in Norfolk. The weathe
was yery warm, however, and we found !
rather unpleasant walking. We yistet
Captain Glllls on the recelVlns-snlp FRANK
lin, and were Hospitality received oV MN
The franklin like many other VeSsels
, dragged her ancnor, ana Is now para ah'
fast ashore ana "ilsteo 10 Que t9e port; y" Nor,o,L
r, we nau in"n; o',noad ro, omr " arr;Uol Thnrs