The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1889-09-18
AT ATLANTIC CITY.
a Day and Night of Terror with No Hope OF
Outside Assistance

a Day and Night of Terror with No Hope of
Outside Assistance.
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 10 The first news
from Atlantic City was brought to Pleasantvile
at o'clock yesterday afternoon by five daring
spirits, who fought their way unaided through
the surging that covered the meadows. The
trip was a perilous one, and, during the four
hours they were battling with the waters. they
met with many thrilling experiences. The
party comprised a newspaper correspondent,
residing in Atlantic City, and four others.
They left Atlantic City at IL o'clock yesterday
morning and reached Pleasantvlle, distance
OF seven miles, at 3 in the afternoon. They
swan the deep cuts. crept cautiously over the
swsying rails, supported only by the fish plates,
fordcd the rushing streams, and, after many
miraculous escapes. arrived at Pleasantville,
drenched. bruised and exhausted, but happy
at reaching the main land once again.
Soon after reaching Pleasantville they Sc
cured a special train and came up to this city,
bearing the first authentic news of the situation
at Atlantic City.
They tell the following story OF the attempt
to run trains from Atlantic City: When Tues
day morning dawned the situation was alarm
ing in the extreme. Property owners were early
afoot to see TO what extent the waves and wind
had damaged their holdings Then the hotel
guests appeared, the women wrapped in shawls
and gossamers, and the men clad in storm
coats, gum boots and clOse-ftting caps. They
looked, almost without exception, the abieet
terror they felt. They hurried to the railroad
stations, as il their very lives depended on the
alacrity of their movements.
And once within these structures they did
not heed the warnings of the experienced peo-
pie who stood around. The meadows were
flooded and a safe passage, even as far as the
drawbridge, was impossible but they rushed
pell-mell into the cars and actually forced the
railroad men into making an attempt TO reach
the mainland. At the Camden & Atlantic and
West Jersey station, Agent \ Dung and Station
master Mikesner superintendent the preparation
OF the outgoing trains, and at the Reading
station Agent Winters and Iardmaster Metz
performed similar service. All four looked as
II they were unwilling to sanction such
perilOus undertaking, and were il not for the
cheerful assurances of both engineers and train
crews, all experienced men, they would not
have yielded to the pressure. So the heavily
laden storm specials" left the two stations,
followed by a fervent and heartfelt God
speed from the crowds of people on the plat
forms. There were four trains in ALL three
from the Camden 4 Atlantic station, and
one from the Reading. Each had locomotive
In front and one in the rear when they
headed for the flooded meadow land, and they
orept along over the hidden tracks as il fearful
of fatal plunge They all went out between
the hours OF and in the morning, just the
high tide was nearing It's full limit The hur-
ricane, too, was gaining in strength, and its
fierce, sweeping gusts threw the water in vol
umes against the car windows and made the
heavy coaches rock to and fro as if in mOmen-
tary danger of overturning.
But long before the main land was reached
the trainmen themselves began to realize the
foolhardiness OF their undertaking and de-
cided upon a retrograde movement. Their en-
gInes were blowing through from two TO four
feet of water, which threatened every moment
10 put out the fires and as there was a regular
sea ahead there was no alternative but to re-
turn. SO the engines were reversed and the trip
back, now doubly hazardous because of the
waters rise of several inches, was begun.
Hardly a furlong had been covered, however,
when the fires were extinguished by the rush
ing torrents of water, which now dashed against
the cars with terrific force, breaking the win
dows and completely enveloping the
trains in sheets Of spray. When
il became known to the passengers that
their trains were helpless and at the
mercy of the rising waters there was a scene of
panic that beggars description. Women
screamed and tainted children cried and men
gave way to the general despair. 1t was only
when the conductors went from car to car and
declared that relief engines had been tele-
graphed for that the frightened passengers be-
came more hopeful. When the rescuers did
come it took mighty effort to pull
the trains over the sunken and twisted
tracks, ana it o'clock in the
afternoon before the last train load of weary
passengers was pulled slowly into the Camden
d Atlantic station. The fire created another
panic, for it came when the frightened and
nervous hotel guests were endeavoring 10 get
few hours rest. IL was n period of terror for
these people, and when they anxiously peered
through their windows and saw the sky illum-
mated with the glare of fire, they sprang from
their beds and rushed pell-mell to the lower
floors, most of them IN their night attire.
The flames were close upon them and the
strongest assurances had no quieting effect. A
guest at the Manion house, where there were
over $50 people, the greatest number being
women and children, describes the midnight
scene incident TO the fire as follows:
The women came rushing down stairs with
blanched faces wringing their hands and cry
ing a. If the day of judgment had come. Out
side banging shutters, breaking signs, the
bowling hurricane, the hiss and swish of the
swaying trees, the rushing, banging fire ell
gines aud tho general aommotien attending