The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1889-09-13
The FQpieS
ON 3HB ATLANTIC COAST
Play Havoc at Atlantic City and
Other Points.
,unIIIINn pYDPpIRNnRc
THRILLING EXPERIENCES,
No Language Can Picture the
Terrible Scenes Witnessed.
Tho Slory Related by Brave Men Wh'
Fought Their Way Through the
Surelng Sea-An AwfRl Pauic'
Prlghlml sItuatlOns-Sany u,
Vessels Wrecked aud
Lives Lost.

Lives Lost.
PHILADELPHIA, Sept, l9,-The fra
news from Atlantis City was brought I
Plcasantylle at . o'clock yesterday aftel
noon by five daring spirits who Tough
their way unaided through the surgln
sea that covered the meadows. TIL
ttip was a peyiIous one, and during tn
four hours they were battling with tn
water they met with many thrilling e1
pedences. The party composed anew
papercorcspondent, residingln Atlanti
Ciy md four others. They left Altar
trCi,y ut II o'clock yesterday mornin
and rcaehed PIeaantvllle, distance G
seven miles, at . o'clock in the afternoon
They swan the deep cuts, crept eau
tiOusy over the swaying rails, support
elCniy by tho fish plates, forded tht
rushing streams, and after many mlr9c
uIons escapes, arrived at PleasantyilIt
Iwnchcd bruised and exhausted, bu
hOnpy NJ reaching the mainland once
apan, Soon after reaching PleasantVillt
t6eV secured special train aud came Ia
tbis city, bearing the first authentic
news Of affairs ut Atlantic City.
They tell the following story Of the at
tempt 10 run trains from Atlantic City:
When Tuesday morning dawned the sit
ualloh was alarming in the extreme.
PrOpprty owners were early aioOt TO see
towbat extent the winds and waves bad
damaged their holdings. Then the hotel
guests appeared, the women wrapped In
shawls and gossamprs, aud the men clad
in storm coats, gum boots, and close.
fitting caps, They looked almost with.
out exception the nbjeCt terror they felt.
They hurried to the railroad stations as
il tieir very life depended upon the
alacrity of their movements. Aud once
within these structures they did not
heed the warnings Of the experienced
people who stood around, that the
meadows we're flooded and safe pas
sago even us fur as the drawbridge was
impossible,but they rushed pell nell into
the ears, aud actually forced the railroad
men into making all attempt to reach
the mainland.
TERRIDLE SITUATIONS.
At the Camden & West Jersey station
Agent Young and Station Master Mike
Suer superintended tho preparations OF
the outgoing train, aud at the Heading
station Agent Winters and Yard Master
Mels performed Il similar service. All
four looked as II they were unwilling to
sanction such n perilOus undertaking,
and had 1t not been for the cheerful
assurance Of both engineer and train
crew, all experienced men, they would
not have Yielded to the pressure. so
the heavily laden storm specials left
the two stations followed by n iervent
and heartfelt God.speed from the crowds
Of people oil the platforms. There were
four trains In all, three from tho Cam
den 4 Atlantic station and one from the
Recalling. Each had u locomotive in
the front and rear when they headed
Tor the flooded meadow land and Crept
along over the hidden tracks as II fearful
Of u fatal plunge.
They ali went out between the hours
Of 0 and . In tho morning, Just as the
high tide was nearing its full limit, The
hurricane, too, was gaining III strength
and its fierce, sweeping gusts threw the
water in volumes ngainst the car win'
dowS and made the heavy coaches rock
to aud fro rs II mOmentary danger oi
Ovcrturning, But long before the main
land was reached tue train mon them
selves began 10 realize the foolhardineSs
Of their undertaking, and decided on q
retrograde movement. Their engines
were blowing through from two TO four
feet OF water, which threatened every
moment to put out the fires, and as there
was regular sea ahead there was no al.
tentative but TO return. So the engines
were reversed and the trip back, now
loubly hazardous because the waters
had risen several inches, began
Hardly q iurloug had been covered
however, when tho fires wgTo extin
gushCd by the rushing torrell u oil wa
ter which now dashed against tho cal
withterriilC force, breaking the Windows
anl completely enyeloping the trains Ii
sheets Of spray. When II became knowr
tOthc passengers that the trains wert
helpless and at the mercy Of tho risinl
waters, there waB q scene Of panic tina
6eggars description. Women screamed
and tainted, children cried, and mel
gave way to the general despair. It wa
only when tho conductors went from
cat 10 car and declared that relief en-
ginps had been telCgraphel for, that thI
frightened passengers became NOR
Hopeful. When the reacuers did COM
1t took a mighty effort 10 pull tue train
over the Eunken and twisted tracks, nnt
y was 3 o'clock In tho afternoon bpfor
the last train load Of weary passenger
were pulled slowly into the Camden
Atlantic station.
Az AWFUL rANic.
The fire created another panic, for
came when the frightened aud nervou
hotel guests were endeAvorinE 70 get
few hours test. TWAS o period Of teKro
iOrthCSC people, and when they anxious
" pCcrCd through their windows an
saw thu spray illuminated with the re-
glare Of fire, they sprAng from their bed
and rushed pell' mGll TO the lower iioort
most Of thVm In their night attire, The
Imagined the flames were close upo
THEM, and the strongest assurances ha
no Qlleiing effect, A guest al tho mar
sion lousC, where there were over 200
people, lhV greater number being We
men and children, describes the inlt
SlGhl scene Incident TO the hre as 70
GMi The women CAuie rushing dow
Nalfs With blAnChGd faces, wflngln
Mglr hands aud crying as II The day Z
Judgment had cothe. Outside ban gin
iau.NiS, Creaklng signs, tho lowlln
hurricane, the hiss aud swish Of III
sMylhg tees, the rushing, banging ht
shgihts aud ule general CommOllOn d
MWaIlng q Tire at night, struck terror lnl
me heatisOI these wotnPp and they hut
uled together In tho pAtlOn and nfaye
ana !ObItl and listened 10 tho coksollr
1oids OIL Tue men, who knew iull We
M lhe danger was still fat OF. III
sg, sn' pl these people was not onde
S.Nl Saul Tue Ntc on the oCeail terrace hl
"vwsGmed tue wrecked buildings.
NM MEnvg the high tide Ol Tuesday blriiI
uv ull dwellings along the MedlIefF
is1 aud BAIT Tic avenues, a stampede 4
SS, ny VsgAn; In one Instance, wont