Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-17
GREAT SUFFERING.
MORE ABOUT TIE sToRx ON THE EAST
ERIN SHORE.
schoensrs High AID Dry Potato-Bsds
Washed Away-Animals
Drowned, SC.
rcOrrc.pondcnCo Of the Richmond Dispatch.l

tcorrcspondcnce OF the Richmond Dispstchl
ONANcocK, March 10, 1888.
Tolerably full reports OF the damage
done by the storm in all parts of Acco.
mack county have been received here.
The heaviest sufferers are those living in
the low narrow necks on tho bayside,
where nearly ell the land was under
water during the gale Sunday night. The
damage done to shipping in all the
creeks and estuaries on the bayside is
greater than was at first supposed. In
addition TO the damage already reported
the schooner Cuba, Captain Edward
Chandler. Was capsized in Pungoteague
creek and driven ashore ; the sloop Ham
burg, Captain Thomas ohnson, of Oman
cock, is ashore near the mouth OF Oman
cock creek, and n large schooner
belonging to Captain John W. Marsh is
high and dry on the banks of the Ches-
connessex. The greatest damage done to
shipping IN this section was on Hunting
creek, broad. bold estuary Of the
Chesapeake bay. some ten miles north
of this place, where seven large schooners
lie piled up on the land, some OF them
fully 900 yards beyond the regular high
water mark. These are the schooners
George Lumden, Cape Charles, Dora,
Dougherty, Eurus, Emma, and Alice. 1t
is estimated that it will cost fully $500
or 81, 900 to float them again. The de-
struction OF other property on Hunting
creek was very great. j. c. Justis q Co.,
merchants, had their wharf and three
warehouses swept away by the high
tide. One of the grain-houses con-
tanned 1000 bushels of seed ost,
and another about $3.50 worth of
fertilizers. Hopkins Brothers d Co., at
the same place, had their wharf torn up
and all their out-houses, except coal
house and stables, swept away. Captain
William r. Lewis, on the opposite side
of the creek, lost his wharf and ware
house. The vessel-men and merchants
on this one creek have been damaged to
the amount of many thousand dollars.
The same state of affairs exists in Gull
ford and Messongo creeks, high up on
the bayside, where all the vessels are
stranded high and dry. But the small
farmers and tenants living in the necks
between these bayside creeks are the
worst sufferers. Many of them had
spread their manure on the fields and
bedded their sweet potatoes. The tide
covered nearly all the land between the
creeks and swept away everything that
would float. All the potato-beds in
the necks were ruined On some
OF these small farms the water was from
two to three feet deep and swept away
fences. drowned the small animals, and
wrought general destruction. Charles
Allen, an old man living in Chesconnes-
sex Neck found the water pouring into
his house about midnight He went out
in the darkness and managed to wade TO
his stable and let out his horse and cow.
Going back he heard his pig under the
house, and with the aid of an axe he cnt
q hole IN the floor and took the little
animal up. He and his wife then took
refuge in the upper part of the house,
where with the pig they spent the rest
of the night and the greater part of the
next day without food or fire. In the
Messongo region the inundation was
greatest. The water covered wide ex
panse of country there to the depth of
several feet, killing animals, destroying
fences, and doing much damage to other
property. Many Of the poorer class
have been left entirely destitute by the
overflow.
No serious damage has been reported |
from the seaside, but the steamer Eastern |
Shore, which spent Sunday night drift
ing about in the bay, reports having
seen fully dozen wrecks in the !
bay, which has caused our people to fear
that disaster has befallen many boats
engaged in dredging for oysters on the
western shore. KALLIAs.