New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-11-25
THE HIGHEST TIDE IN YEARS,
FLOODING THE CIIYs WATER FRONT.

prevailed with grlm scadnrss since Sunday night as
al unseenly and irregular proceedlug They had fixed
its centre on the Atlantic Cape Henry at n ~
on Monday and had confidently predicted that II would
pass away that night The of yesterday, however
not that storm but one and apparently they
were 80 much surprised with he first storm that they
lost sight Of the that creeping up behind It, An
extraordinary amount Of has fallen In this city,
The rain was OF that steady character which dOas not
seem so severe IL realys Nearly three inches OF
rain iollbetween Sunday night aud last night and havoc
was played with vast amount OF property The storm
accompanied by tide of greater height than has
been experienced for many years I'm many OF the ferry
slips the water high as TO prevent
tue meeting OF the ferry boats with
the bridges Several piers entirely submerged and
IN tho lower parts of the NewYor Brooklyn an Jcrscy
city shores the overnnwed tho piers and invaded
the streets. N ch damage caused TO cellars and
basemens al the city, The suffering was greatest
In h,nses where tho drainage defective, and frOm
these reports Of flooded cellars we're made In great
numbers. The wind maintained average velocity Of
twonythree miles hour though It reached as much as
forty rIles yesterday morning
Tie reports of damage alOng the NewJerscy and Long
Island coasts Indicate that the losses win amouut To be-
tween 100000 and 4l50,000. Sewers Easements aud
ceara were overlooked ferry hOu7ea and dcpots Hooded
meadows covered with water. piers submerged, bridges
away. vessels beached two handsome cnttages at
seaOright lifted from their foundations and carried or
damages inflicted by which. only immediate loss
incurred but which will require many days TO repair
At the Office Of the Western Union Telegraph Company
it said that stOrm had greatly increased the
tr0nblc with tho wires. Between Boston ana Phl'a'
drlphla far south Nashville and far west as
Cincinnati and Chicago were delayed between
and thrco hours. Trouble with no wires was re-
ported at nearly all stations IN this extensive territory.
and during the continuance Of tho rain 10 was nipos-
siho TO put them IN Jrder. Tue ship news wires along
the coast were useless and business at tho Maritime
Exchange suffered materially in consequence.
Tho small merchants who do business IN the cellars in
tho neishhorhood OF Washington Market when they
went 70 their places OF business in the morning found
that their booths hal been transformed into swimming
hIths and such part Of their stock would float was
cnvortng about gayly In the sewer refuse and sat
that tho high tide had favored them with. All
aoug North front from the Battery far up
town ~ Foriy-second-st and from washngton-st to
tho river had invaded every cellar that was
not protected by n heavy cement floor, and hand
and steam prnps were called into requisition. The
lower part Of west-st looked like the deck OF sinking
vessel with the lusty onvshoremen to whom tho tide
hal eivcn a chance 20 earl an extra dollar.
working diligently and tho TN pumps sendng
streams OF dirty water into the CUTTERS. As there
had been sufficient warning that the tide was
going TO unusually high, all valuable stock In ths
warehouse cellars that were not duly protected
against tho inflow Of water removed 10 places Of
large. the loss TO individuals was in nearly all ca'os
small Vcsey.,t, between Washington and West, was
muddy lake. and for some time imp1ssa
ble. The water overlooked the sidewalks
aul ran into and barroons the north side
of tho street Tho people in Everotrs dinng-room were
startled while taking their mOrnng oOeo 20 sheet
oi water come sailing through the doorway ana cover
tho Il ,or 10 tho depth OF several inches. The only man
who didn't run OF the Pee an old fat butcher
who In crossing west-st had covered his shoes with
mud he oouentely at the tablo with porterhouse
.trak for a companion aud playfny svashed his feet
arnund TO ,ha rislns tl Tho nroa put out In tho
boilers and ranges and the feeding of tho multitude Was
temporlrily checked. Alfred Dugan. ten years old.
.?pcI into a cellar in weSt.t, near Liberty aud was
taken from the water unconscious. An ambulance was
summoned bur no wa' carried TO his home.
At the ferries at Liberty. COranlt, Chambers. Bar
clay Deshroscs and Christopher -s the boats were all
run irruguary az the Oa ted wagons hocom
Ing stuck on inclined planes leading 20 the boats
This delay was especially annoying TO the commission
merchants who awaiting large consgnments OF
poultry for shipment TO other places, TO whom every
moment was worth many dollars. At some of
hc ferries ncncs to the boats were 40 steep that
heavily loaded trucks not admitted within the gates
In West Washington Market there was ttlc delay In tho
busy preparations for the Thanksgiving trade, as the
butchers looked upon foot OF water "A trhln2
Affair." The boats 10 this point were so high Jhat
instead Of freight being drawn up from them To tho
pier IT colli DO lOadoi from tho decks upon tho
waiting wagons. Oh many or th" piers beIow
Ilbcrty-st tho water high that ali work was
stopped. and the heavy packages wero removed to
place, where they coid not be inlnrei Many Of tho
piers were entirely submcrScd anl but for the hous -
bult upon them would been visible. The large
-tramers tn tho basins oomed up above tho freight
sheds and looked II 1t woud ly tske slight push
10 scud them over into WestsL and when IN ferry
boat. were coming in they looked thcy were going
{, run into tho offices waiting room In the
dad
people who had missed their trains, oil account OF tho
dclny in running the boats.
An old pilot Courtan t Street Forty said that
the highest tide thar he had seen for thirty years
Aud he predicted that II tho Nor easter kept mp ior
twenty four hours longer every pier In the lower part
OF the city South Sta would ho submerged
WelI the tide nut IL In there aud tido ko It
out" remarked John T. Smith, OF No 1873 Sonth-st, as
si1od ruefuy iuto his cellar yesterday ai'ernoo"'
where barrels and oars and books we're swimming
calmly on the food tide. His neghbOrs on tho Last
River front wero not 80 angry with nature,
but they decided to ball out their own
houses, and Mr. Smith. boat-budcr. finally Thought
bitter heap Goals of e the tides head ana snow
Christian meekness In pumping out MS own Prou''e''
The effects high lido OF the morning were appa
rent 10 tho unprepared dweers on Snuth-st ao"u' ~
o'clock when tho water began 10 oOze mp through tho
cellar floors and finally through tho street pavement
The damage began Catherine Irket Though u was
not bad there As the streets fooled the nark"theh
took halfhollday aud slaughtered the rats whloh ap
pearcl In hurdos. Andrew McMdhons auction store at
No I9I soutn-st was damaged severely. Ho had 10
tko up tho flooring order get a. his cellar whcn
was full with water. lot OF ioSH ptcca m
sewer opposite his door hai directed tho "oo %
INTO Ina shO- room and no did not seem TO appreciate
the amusing situation Goods worth 500 were
ArOund Peck sup the water had c"hpietey oNuiaum
the street The astnnl+hed pt+sengar Ol III schsr
Love had to 10 rowed ashore. as tho water on sne
STREET and ON IN. pier was feet deep The l0ss~s
IN most Instances amounted 10 Two or throe huhurcu
dollars. , - A..a,a |
Brlow Peck Slip tho land IL not so ow ana no Doats
were sailing around the street thonxh the ons tn
pumps wore hard NJ from the collars however,
at Corntes slip the trouble began a2an, ahd ,ho wnol
not only rose through the stEert paVementb, put van"
rushing over the plera Tho ships Creakr, ana srOnou
hut the water WAS not byh enough o. hand hef ses on
t, whurycs But y far tue worst trouble HaS ainohs