Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-09-03
RAIN, SNOW AND ICE.
The Damage at Charleston-Sn0w
and Frost Reported.

The storm in Charleston, s. O. Tues
day week, was the most disastrous ever
experienced there. Within comparatively
very few minutes the injury to private
residences was very large in the aggre-
gate, though individual losses were COM
paratively small. Some of the wholesale
houses, however, lose heavily by damage
to stock. The heaviest Losses were along
the water front. On the fayorite prome-
made, the East Battery, the ground floors
of residences were from three to six feet
under water. The sea rose so rapidly
as to have the appearance of tidal wave
The railroads were considerably damaged.
The news concerning the crops is meagre.
A rough estimate places the losses at
81, ,123, 900.
As has been stated the climax of the
cyclone reached the city about o'clock.
Up to that time there had been consider
tributed over large portion of the city
and consisted chiefly in the unroofng of
houses and the blowing down of fences
and trees.
At o'clock, however, the velocity of
the wind increased at fearful rate, and
within 80 minutes more destruction was
III SuuTl5blOh bLhu uuS nbBu
known for many years.
When the reporter who writes this left
Atlantic wharf at 7.30 o'clock after hav-
ing visited all the wharyeB from Market
street to Southern wharf, the outlook was
stormy but the damage was comparatively
light. None of the wharf sheds had been
blown down, although the tin had been
ripped from the roof of some of them
and all the vessels moored along the east
river front were riding freely and ap-
parently safely, save one or two yachts,
whose owners had no one on board to
look after their moorings and which were
consequently wrecked. When the re-
porter returned, at 8.45, but single shed
was standing intact on the water
front, that at Adger's wharf, and
the entire river front was demolished.
If gigantic razor had been drawn over
the wharves and shaved down the wharf
sheds more complete sweep could
scarcely have been effected. Everything
lay in ruins-pier heads, sheds, vessels,
offices and docks presented one mass of
indescribable confusion. Such sight
has never before been witnessed in
Charleston.
The cyclone had done its work thor
oughly and in about SO minutes vessels
were lifted up and landed in what had
once been pier head. The roofs of
what had once been wharf sheds foated
in the docks; barrels and boxes of freight
and cargo were found half mile from
the places from which they had been
swept, and broken masts and spars lloated
in the docks amid mass of debris. The
destruction was complete.
At o'clock the tide had reached its
highest point as had also the gale ana
there was sudden lull i'll wind aud rain.
The people began to creep out of the lee.
ward rooms in the lower floors of thei.
residences and to comprehend the wreck
that had oyertaken the city. The lull
was of short duration. Fifteen minutes
after o'clock sharp breeze from the
southwest sprang up, accompanied by q
sharp shower of rain which soon drove
every one but hardy mariners indoors
again. Wind and rain continued to in
crease until by 10 o'clock fierce gale
was blowing from the west. This
continued until about l p. M, when
the wind died out and the storm of 1856
was over. Before 6 O'Clock in the after
noon the sun was shining brightly on the
summer sea; the clouds were drifting
idly by and the battery, or what was left
of it, was thronged with hundreds
of people, anxious to see how
much havoc the storm could have done.
1t was such a change as can only be seen
in place like Charleston, where it is SO
rare to have storm that its very happen
ing becomes the occasion of general re-
mark and its cessation the opportunity for
a celebration
II rained at Wilkesbarre, Pa. all day on
Tuesday week. At Harvey's lake, 10 miles
from Wilkesbarre, snow fell yesterday
week and continued until noon with
slight intervals. The weather was quite
cold.
A dispatch from North Conway, N. H.,
says there was q severe frost on the low
lands Tuesday night week. The mercury
marked 46' last night.
According to dispatch from Quebec
there was n heavy frost Mt Lorette on
Tuesday week. Snow is reported to have
fallen northwest of Beautord yesterday
week.