Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-08-27
TERRIBLE CYCLONE.
The South Visited by Terrific Storm
Lasting Several Hours, Destroying
Hundreds Of Thousands Of Dollars
Worth Of Property.

huuufe0s Oh IhouS0uoe OIL DOll0ro
Worth Of Property.
ATLANTA, Ga, Aug. 26.
Yesterdays storm in Charleston, was . CIV.
clone in the proper sense of the term. The
wind Was 25 miles an hour at half past one in
the morning increasing to IS, 40 and SO which
was reached about afternoon, the morning
finally running up to IS or 80 an hour. The
northern edge of the cyclone touched Charles
ton and completed it's passage in 40 minutes.
The streets of Charleston were more DESC
late At the end of two hours, than after its
bombsrdment during the war. The storm
commenced properly At daylight, from the
southwest, with frequent quits. As earlv as
six o'clock the roof of St. Michael's church
WAS stripped. At A. M. the apparatus on
the roof Of the signal Office, flag stat and
weather vane we're demolished. The last OBJ
servstion before the climax of destruction,
recorded the wind At Ss miles An hour. The
FIRE bells tolled At intervals, indicating breaks
in the alarm wires. The water in the river
came over the granite wall on the battery,
breaking the flagstaff, washing away railings,
and tons of sea water were hurled in upon
the handsome residences, breaking windows
and smashing doors. At 8 O'Clock, the slate
roof of the county court house peeled. The
climax of the cyclone was about 8 o'clock.
But single shed is standing on the wharf
everything is in ruins at the wharves. At 3
o'clock there was sudden lull, but soon the
gale increased and continued till o'clock,
when the great storm of 1885 was over.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars were ex-
pended on the wharves this season. putting
them in order. The water front on Cooper
river suffered the most. The commercial
~ haP nlafo rod Hall q
dozen yachts. two pilot boats, and dredging z
machine were sunk.
Boyce's wharf was wrecked, and four piers
of the Atlantic wharf were blown down and
damaged. The cotton exchange building WAS
also damaged Keen's wharf is demolished,
and the damage to Central wharf ia very se-
riOus; Market wharf was heavily damaged.
The steamers of the Sullivan Island Ferry
Co. met with serious damage. Four piers
and three sheds of Union wharf were swept
away. The brig Freheit sank here, also the
naval store wharves were damaged. The
Norwegian bark Mediocre, lost her masts and
bow. Several other vessels in the harbor
were blown ashore and badly damaged. The
wharf at Castle Pinckley was carried away.
The steamer Delaware, from New York, Sat-
urday, came in all right last night, she re-
ports fearful storm at sea. Pleasure boats
northern shore in a confused mass of broken
hulks. Along Ashley river there were many
casualties to shipping vessels being grounded
all along the river; two sloOps have not yet
been found. The convent of the Sisters of
Mercy was seriously injured and was un-
rooted. The colored church in Cromwelrs
alley was completely demolished. In Frank
lin street large tree was riven three parts
from top to bottom but remained standing.
The whole street is barricaded with fallen
trees. The south battery was q scene of great
confusion and damage to shipping. The
streets were flooded with water and craft of
all descriptions were washed ashore and were
floating in the streets at high tide. The fish
ermens boats were destroyed and the wharves
piled high with incOngruous wrecks. The
north western and central portions of the
city suffered slight damage compared with
that along the water 'front.' though the entire
portion of the city west of Rutledge avenue
was submerged with salt water from one to
three feet deep, in many cases covering the
first floor of the houses. The spire Of the
Citadel square Baptist Church, one of the
tallsst in the city, was blown across the four
story dwelling of Thomas Dotler, cutting
away the piazza and front walls, leaving the
interior dwelling exposed to the storm. The
Plymouth church on Pitts street, was COM
pletely unroofed; st. Phillips street syna-
g0gue was also unroofed, and the Church
home in Lawrence street wss badly damaged.
The Avery Institute was unroofed. Trinity M.
E. church in Hazel street, and the chapel of
the citadel we're unroofed. Mount Zion
Presbyterian church (colored), in Calhoune
street, was unroofed and badly wrecked.
About . mile of the railroad track was blown
up, and the freight depots were badly dau-
aged, and two sloops were blown out of the
water across the track. The South Carolina
railway wharves and immense storehouses
we're nnroofed and heavily damaged. One
building was thrown on its side and foated
hundred yards into the marsh. At Sullivans
Island many houses were damaged to great
er or less extent. The Casino was lifted en-
tirely from its foundations and dashed to the
ground.
The News and Courier of Charleston makes
the following rough estimate Of the losses
Wharf properly, $3.50, 900; private property,
$500, 900; cotton presses. $50, 900; churches,
$50, 900: city property. streets and parks,
s35, 900; railroads, $50, 900; Ashley river
bridge, $1,000; shipping, el50.OO0; lumber
mills, 30,000: miscellaneous, S10O, 200;
total, 81, ,123, 600.
On Charleston's favorite promenade, the
east battery, the ground floors of the resi-
dences were from three TO six feet under
water and handsome gardens we're covered
deep with sedge. The sea rose so rapidly
As to have the appearance Of . tidal wave.
The steamer Monticello of the Florida line,
encountered . gale "a hours before she
reached Charleston and had q terrible pas
sage, but 10 not injured.
News concerning the crops 10 very meagre.
The rice factors believe the rice crop is not
damaood much There IL M donhf ho~ova,
but that the cotton crop on the sea islands 10
seriously damaged. The cosstwise steamer
St. Helena 10 ashore at Martins Point and
the canal will have to- be cut to get her off.