Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-08-20
A HURRICANE.
GREAT STORM ON THE ATLANTIC
COAST.
Vessels Wrecked and Wrenched-Great
Destruction Of Property at Norfolk
Va, Gloucester, Mass, and
All Along the New
England Coast.

New YORK, August l9.-The storm,
which yesterday was central near Cape
Hatteras, has moved in a northeasterly
path, developing greatly in energy and
is now central near the east part OF
Maine. Heavy rain has fallen in New
England and the middle Atlantic States.
Newberryport experienced storm this
morning that was the severest in ten
years. The wind blew a hurricane,
wrecking four yachts, badly wrenching
steamers and schoOners in the harbOr
and scattering about twenty small boats.
Fruit trees were stripped and tents
on the beach were leveled or blown
into the sea.
At Newport between twenty and thir-
" sail boats are sunk and damaged. The
Wanderer and Murrill, Oft the New York
yacht squadron, parted their chains and
went ashore. Three yachts sunk at the
wharf, while others dragged anchors,
fouled and were damaged. The crew OF
the schooner ashore at Cape May de-
serted the vessel in the evening. Their
boat was capszed and the men were
washed ashore in an exhausted condi-
ton. The Captain remained on board
and the life saving crew got the line out
and remained on duty all night.
The velocity of the wind at Cape May
was 81 miles an hour, and the total rain
fall 46-l0O inches.
The crew of the schooner ashore at
Atlantic City were taken from the rig
ging at 3 o'clock this morning, by the
life saving crew. The vessel will be a
total loss.
Norfolk had the severcst rain storm
and tornado ever experienced. Many
buildings are unroofed, trees uprootcd
and shipping damaged. Many vessels
are dragging the shore. The Boston
Steamship Company's warehouses have
been severely damaged. The wharves
along the river front have been Hooded,
and many of the warehouses are flooded.
The tide was higher than ever known,
and in the vicinity of the water the
streets were only accessible by
boats. the sight being one
unexampled even to the oldest inhabi-
tant. The handsome spire of the Free
man street Baptist Church was blown
down. The stating of Christ's EpiscO-
pal Church, and the cornice and steeple
ornaments Of st. Mary's Catholic Church
were torn off, whilst the beautiful
grounds of the old st. Paups are badly
wrecked. Great anxiety prevailed dur
ing the prevalence of the storm, and
the Mayor ordered out the entire police
force and the fire department.
The loss is estimated at from two to
three hundred thousand dollars. The
damage to the growing crops in the
counties adjacent to Petersburg is very
great. In Surry county alone the dam
age TO corn is estimated at 80 per cent.
Ocean Grove camp ground, below Long
Branch, suffered severely.
At Gloucester, Mass, several vessels
were dragged ashore last night. AT
other points on the New England coast
vessels were beached, but thus far no
loss OF life is reported.
BosToN, Mass, August l9.-Consid-
cradle damage was done by the storm
last night along the New England coast
The Watching fleet at South Boston was
badly used. At Portland several yachts
and schoOners were sunk. Other towns
along the coast report long list of dis
asters to local craft and property.
Great Destruction on the Carolina Coast
New YORK, August l0.-At Morehead
City, y. c., the storm was the most vio-
lent which ever visited that place. At
six A. NJ. it blew a hurricane from the
southeast, and at midday hauled to the
southwest, change which saved Beau
fort and Morehead from entire destruc-
ton. The Atlantic House, the largest
hotel in that part Of the country, is en-
tirely demolished, not a vestige being
left There were one hundred and fifty
guests init, and there was not particle
OF clothing saved by any OF them. The
people did not begin to leave until the
waves were literally breaking the hotel
to pieces, and then there was stam-
pede. The young men saved all the
ladies' and children at the danger OF their
own lives. All the baggage, furniture,
etc, went to destruction. JnO. Hughes,
son of Major Hughes, of Newl eTne, lost
ms life in the wreck of the Atlantic
House. Front street, Beaufort, is streWn
with lumber, trunks and goods, and
crowds Of people, some barefooted, are
trying to identify their property. The
Ocean Wave House, the other hotel at
Beaufort, is damaged badly, and many
private houses are ruined. There IS
not a wharf left in Beaufort, and only
two or three OF her hundreds OF sail
boats are fit to sail in. Morehead City
also suffered terribly.
NORFOLK, August l9.-The gale at
Cape Henry was terrific, blowing out
the glasses Of the light house, the first
case of the kind on record. The dam
age to the coasting vessels is very
heavy and also to the crops along the
coast.
FORTRESS MONROE, August IA
tornado ragged here yesterday and the
rain fall from O'Clock till o'clock was
five inches. The shade trees in and
about the fort went down by hundreds.