Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1889-09-19

ATLANTIC CIrY N. j., September H.
Atlantic City, with its still heavy quota
of summer visitors, was completely iso-
lated by the great storm. Tho frst news
from there for 48 hours was sent out at
8 O'clock, last night. II announced that
the 10000 permanent residents and more
than 10,0D0 hotel guests there have been
panic-striken at the steady encroach-
ments OF the sea and the awful hurricane
prevailing, Not train can reach or leave
the -beleagured city for fully a
week. A famine is threatened. There is
no milk, no vegetables, no meat, no
eggs, and ere another day dawns there
will be nothing left but bread and water.
Luckily the supply of -four is plentiful.
No trains have left the flooded city since
Monday morning. The devastation and
ruin are appalling.
Tuesday wGs day OF suspense through.
out the storm-swept city, cut of from all
communication, and with the angry and
steadily encroaohing ocean beating on
every side, cutting OF any possibility OF
reaching the mainland, five miles away,
over seethipg sea. "Will Atlantic City
and all 1t contains be washed into the
raging ocean tonight ?" was the anxious
inquiry on every lip.
BEsoM OF DESTRUCTION.
From the moment the mountainous
waters OF Monday nights h1od.tiie
began spreading devastation along the
beach front, the enoroschments of the
sea all aronnG the island were s,endy and
alarming. 1t dashed up the ocean ave.
nues and over the open lots, tearing up
and shatter.ng tho boardwalk and pavii-
ions, uprooting foundation piling and
casting bath houses, restaurants and
other BtructureB into confused mass of
debris. 1t rushed over the meadows by
way OF the swollen and surging thor
oughfare, houding the railroad tracks
and the many dwelling-houses on that
exposed area. carrying terror and desols-
tion TO the poor families who had failed
to heed the warnings OF the threatening
clouds an6 rising waters in the sfter-
noon, but fingered until the deluge
struck their frail houses; inundated
whole rows Of dwellings on Baltic aud
Artio avenues, compelling hasty retreats
to upper floors, and still more hurried
escapes in boats and wagons, and in some
instances railroad cars. 1t swept in o
mighty volume over the Inlet district,
completely submeyging Boms Of the
by the score the yachts and small boats
which had been securely moored by their
owners in what they presumed were safe
places. 1t rolled down at Longport on
the one side fram that wide expanse of
water, Great Rarbor Bay, anu on the
other side from the ocean, spreading de-
EtYuction among the many stout and still
more numerous frail buildings dotting
the peninsula from Longport up TO
Chelsea. The wind blew with velocity
varying from 60 to 65 miles an nour. The
hotel guests were terror. stricken and
wildly anxious to get back to theiE city
homes.
They rush d TO the railroad depots
pell-mell and into tue cars, and actuelly
forced the railroad men into making an
attempt to reach the mainland. The sta
tioDmasters were unwilling to sanction
Buch perilous undertaking, but were
finally persuaded, aud several heavily
laden ''storm spscials" left the two
dspots. There were four trains in eli,
three from the Camden u Atl4ntic dopos
and one from the Reading. Each had a
locomotive in the front and one IN tho
renr Tie hurricanes fercs quits threw
the water In volumes against the car win.
dows and mnda ths heavy coaches rock to
and fro.
Long before the mainland was reached
the trainmen realized the foolbardiness
Of their undertaking. Tho engines were
reversed and the trip back begun, nug
doubly hazardous because of the fact
that the waters had risen several lpehes.
ERrdly a tUslong had been covered when
the fres wero extinguished by the sush-
ing torrents wh;ch daahed against the
cars with terrific force, breaking the WIN.
dows and completely enyeiopiug the
trains in sheets Of spray. When it be
came known 80 the passengers that their
trains were helpless and 1T tho mercy oi
tine rushing waters there was scene o
consternHtlon among them that beggari
description. Women screamed gnd
tainted, children cried and ssout.hearted
men geve way to the general despair
Relief engines were talegraphed for
which finally pulled the bo'eagured traint
over the suLken and twisted tracks tG
safety. Ali through the day the guest
OF the ocean-front hotels continued in I
Btate of snxious dread.
The appalling work of destruction
wrought Figh. before their eyes during
the high tide OF the mornieg led the hote
guests by the ocean front 10 turn dsa
cur " tue hsaIIGADtb vi hhlCly iofn tucl
hosts, aud there was stampede 20 tn
Atlantic avsnue hotels and ere the shade
OF night had fallen the big OCEAN from
hotels were deserted, aud the Atlanti
avenue houses were filed to overflowisg
HAVOC OF THE WAVES.
From Howacd's pier ani reaching dow
to the Park baths tie ruin wrought by tn
waves is complete. Mrs. Harkins' sheI
stores and the fruit stand booths adioin
ing Smith Cottage baths, the Littl
Brighton restaurant, Thomas Brady
old established surf baths and pavilions
George Il. Beam's elegant new bathin
establishment and costly pavilion an
the many adjoining stands and booth
were all wrecked beyond recognition, en-
failing loss in that square alone of full,
$5U,0O0.
From whore what Ia left Ct Beam
place stands, just above Illinois hvenu
all the way down to Chelsea, scarcely l
feet of the boardwalk remains, and nc
one of the lighter structures along thG
extensive stretch withbtood the terribl
attack Of the sea.
The gcene Of ruin at the lower stran
ja far beyond pen-picturing. FEoI