Daily Republican., 1889-09-14
Tho Storm at Sea Isle city.

e'e"sASui enu power VI tno OCeaU. O1
sunday, the 9Th, strong northeast wind
set Id, ana BY afternoon the sea became
very rough, and bathing In the heavy
surf was dangerous.
man who came on the morning ex-
cursion from Philadelphia was seen to 90
down In the surf while bathing about
noon. His body was not recovered. This
is the only accident of the kind at this
place this season.
The tide was very high on Sunday
evening, and during the night and all OF
Monday the wind blew q gale; by this
time the mighty ocean was lashed Into
Jury; The huge white-crested pillows came
numbering on tho beach, dsshing again ST
the strong sea wall with great violence;
the broken clouds overhead (for as vet
there had been Lo rain) were tinted with
blending of gold and purple bues by
the setting sun, which were reflected
upon the dark, uplifted waves and the
white, surgfng foam, presenting O icene
OF, beauty and grandeur, but Il quickly
faded; the night came on, the tide rising
higher and higher. The heavy seas were
now dasbing with great violence against
walk.
AT 8 p. m. the tide had reached its
height, and the two miles Of city front
were threatened with great danger. The
raging sea was now laundering at the
doors OF The many beautiful CO tages and
hotels along the ocean fronts. This con.
tihued ior a half honr, when the sea
commenced to fall of, the sea wall having
thus lar withstood the terrible pounding.
but new danger now threatened us In t6e
rear.
Tho waters from the bay and inlets
came rushing down from the upper end
OF The island, surrounding many houses
and railroad depot, submerQing the
track across the meadows, which were
soon covered with the raging waters, We
were now upon narrow neck of land
betwixt two seas. This condition OF
things was not calculated to give much
comfort TO visitors aud others on the
island. By 10 p. m. the waters began to
recede, and many hoped that the worst
was over. During the night the wind
veered to the north, ard as early as A
O'Clock on the morning OF the 10th II was
evident that fearful tide, Influenced by
the full harvest moon, was setting in
upon US. At a. m. the sea had risen to
an alarming height, and continued 10
rise until q. m.
The wind was now blowing hurricane
from tho north and lifting up the huge
billows as they came dashing with terrific
force against the sea.wali, leapinR from
W TO- 80 feet In the air; hundreds OF
people lined the ocean front watching
with fearful anxiety for the awful de-
struction which was about to commence.
The sight tf the now tempest swept
ocean was truly appalling; wehsd hoped
that the newly built sea-wall would bold
In check the angry waters which now
threatened TO engulf us; suddenly a
mighty wave, with thund;r crash, hurls
the broken timbers into the air; tho en-
panRment above now rose into the surg
Ing sea, and the narrow strip OF land
upon which we stand melts away with
each succeeding wave.
The furious waters rush upon us, leap
ing over all barriers, running madly
down tho streets, where they soon meet
the nocd pouring into the city from over
the meadowa
The sea wall and splendid board walk,
the popular promenade, are gone, and
several of the beautiful cottages along
the front are now falling into the sea.
The floods have risen In the streets and
filled with all manner of debris.
The morning tide had done Its terrible
work, and the sea began to fall of from
the front and With the recedinr waters
camo relief to the terror stricken people.
A terrific rain storm now set in, and
continued during the day, the wind
blowing at tho rate OF fifty miles an
hour.
The feeling OF relief which came with
the falling of tho morning tide was of
short duration.
All communication was now cut off
from the storm besieged island.
AT p. m the tlmo for low water, the
tide had not fallen as low as we had
hoped to see it; the heavy seas were still
very high. The people now
began to prepare for the much dreaded
on-coming night tide; they crowded the
hotels and other places of safety. The |
faces Of the sturdy captains and crews of |
the Life Saving Stations now wore an |
anxious expression. They dreaded the |
coming night. Three hours before high |
water, the seas were breaking high on |
he ocean front and the receding waters
IN the meadows began to return; dark
ness came on and with II, tho rushing
pgaterP, people fled from their cottages
md many families sought refuge at the
Jolonnade and Lincoln Hotels.
The Colonnade was now surrounded
~ water, and women and children were
,arried to It OH the backs aud shoulders
u strong men. From y until 10 O'Clock
we're hotHs of int nse anxiety to the pau-
,le on the Island. The bowling winds
md awful roar OF the ocean, so near our
loors, combined to make the night one
II horror. Many building on the ocean
ront had fallen into the sea or were
wrecked. Between the life. saving station
nd the lighthouse the great waves broke
'ver, washing away everything before
hem, and all along the beach, nearly up
o the Continental Hotel, and above 1t,
he ocean swept across into the bay.
he heavy-t -timbered sea wall, lately
rected front of the Continental, saved IL
rom des ruction.
At 1880 p. m. the waters had reached
he highest point, from which they soon
egan to recede. This brouah ht great re- ,
lei 10 the terrified people, for we felt .
ure that, as It was now past the time of
ull moon, the sea would not be SO high ,
or the tides so great. 1
With the dawniug of the morning the /
cean became calmer, but the storm
ontinued. Our lives have been spared,
hanks be to Him by whose Almighty |
ower the raging seas were kept from en-
ulflng us.
. The awful grandeur of the ocean, as I
,en during the great storm, will never l
0 forgotten by those who witnessed II. II
Sept. 18th, 1889. P. ALLEN. Ii