Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1889-09-16
ATLANTIC CITYS PERIL.
THE STORM EXPERIENCES OF A
BELsAGuRED COTTAGER.

1rhih-NNteht OF tue manage nfvukht'
Lessons Taught by the storm.
An occasional correspondent Of the |
EVENING JOURNAL sends in the following |
graphic letter describing his experiences |
on board the West Jersey passenger train |
which was detained during the storm !
last Tuesday near Atlantic City:
Atlantic City is built on kind Of low
island on the sea coast of New Jersey and
separated from the mainland by an inlet
of the sea called THE Thoroughfare,
which Is flanked, but TO greater extent
on the Jersey side, by wide marshes.
Across this three railroads enter the city
from the mainland ON draw bridges
These marshes at no time are safe from
flooding but during the recent storm
were covered to the depth Of two to three
feet as far as the eye could reach. and
indeed seemed part OF the sea with its
beach at Pleasantville and Absecom six
miles inland From this latter circum
stance arose the first frightened accounts
of the entire submerging of Atlantic
City, while it was isolated from all com
munication by some six miles Of angry
sea waves
In the midst Of this on the West Jersey
railroad tract train on which with
some 800 other passengers had started for
philadelphia on Tuesday morning soou
after 6 o'clock was stalled on the piece Of
track which happened to be its highest
part, and there remained till nearly
o'clock in the afternoon with the angry
storm and rain surging upon us, beating
in at the windows and momentarily
threatening 70 overturn us from the
| track on which the train barely rested
| The fury of the storm and high water
| drenched the fires Of the engine and
often rocked the cars like the boughs of
a tree From the train nothing could be
seen on three sides of us but wide eX-
panse Of angry waters dashed TO fury by
The tremendous gale and dotted along
the otherwise hidden line of thoroughfare
by numerous schooners and yachts tug
| ging desperately at their anchors.
All bus some two or three either
dragged their anchors or broke their
cables, and one by one drifted down
toward us. As our train was situated
Just one-fourth Of a mile or so from the
Thoroughfare or creek it often became a
serious question whether they would
drift against the train and overturn it..
Happily, this did not occur, as they ali
backed themselves against the submerged
tracks on either side OF us. with masts
projecting across our route both ways.
Fortunately there were only three OF
four females and few children Oh the
train and they were of the quiet, brave
and not the hysterical kind, and sub
mitted quietly with the rest TO tbs
inevitable and made themselves as com
Portable as possible, though the bottom
of the cars were covered with water snC
. / a 4. ~. 10 II
the old and worn out structures. In tb.
midst of the desolation and during lull
in the storm some OF the train hands an,
passengers were engaged in NETTING
q and hookingin the many wild fow
D which, half drowned and frightened
were drifted or swept against on
I train, and several fine bags wer
thus gaAhered in, but Notwithstanding
r we labSz realized that though there wa
game.~ game everywhere there was no
a bit to cal" and the tired, wet, hungr
{ and thirsty travellers became exceedingly
FESTIVE and acclaimed loudly at the pal
/. simony OF the r. r. Co, which COZ
Quoted such lucrative traffic on track
t barely raised above the surface Of th
. marsh. 1t was rather singular tha
among so many passengers there was nc
T a single bottle Of refreshments, q lunc
e basket or anything TO eat and the FEY
E, cigars, which were generously handle
about, soon gave out About o'cloc
the tide being considerably lower, aftC
cutting away the masts OF several YES
!. sells, which impeded its course an
IL engine reached us from the city and "
e started back AMID the cheers and heart
congratulations of each as we hs
II begun TO fear detention over nigh
IS We reached the depot at about 4 o'cloc
d and found the city's streets deserted an
y not a hack or a cab in sight, so thu
those who were not already drenche
through, completed their course in
scramble through a terrible rainstorm I
l. their temporary homes. AS to the rest
ne the party l cannot say, but found Q
he my arrival my friends were surprised,
ne they had not heard of the detention, bl
o. l was speedily warmed by hot drinks, fe
III and sent to bed, where | slept till Il
following morning.
had originally intended leaving I
home on Monday but was persuaded
}" remain over TO witness the highest It'd
as which was expected to occur with I
Sc full Of the moon on Tuesday night, a
IN indeed, it was a sight worth seein
Seated in Bew's pavilion outside Il
board walk, overhsnging the surf, al
which afterwards barely escaped,
~ corner being torn away, we viewed {
a terrible battle of the elements in {
% commencement Of the storm which LAT
~ the same night carried away 30 mu
valuable property. As the immen
waves of surf and tide rolled In tn
were met by the return OF the precedii
ne one, when, struggling for the master
the SPRAY was tossed nearly hundI
=, feet in the air and the glare Of the el
w trio lights on the board walk present
all the eolors Of the rainbow and co
IRE pletely eclipsed any mechanical
works, for here we had fire aud waterwoI
,or combined and were TO be Sc
AZ for nothing within few yai
distance the intervening space oppos
the Brighton being clear Of structures
re- cept tine boardwalk. On the follow
NY morning after cursory view Of the see
Of the nights awful wreck, we return
lia to the Norwood House which is tn
IN lots from the beach, high and dry, 9
there dOnned our own bathing suits as
ID always did for bath and returning tC
ed an occasional dash in the surf and Skin
at the ocean front along the beach the ent
length Of the city proper.
From Massachusetts, Ave to the inlet
'en board walk is entirely swept away,
AN as there were only isolated buiidir
Aiu strewn along Its course and some
remaining the loss was not so great,
lie, at the Inlet, Rogers entertainment hou
are and few smaller houses were entir