Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1889-09-20
A DEVASTATING GALE.
The North Atlantic Coast Swept
by a Furious Cyclone.
Great Damage Done at Noted Sea-
side Resorts.

A tidal wave which swept the Atlantic !
Coast Sunday evening, causing damage and
injury to life at various points, appears TO
have been merely a preliminary skirmish.
1t was followed by series of disturbances in
the elements calculated to make memorable
the month of September and the flag end of the
seaside resort season Of 1889.
The weather all along the coast following
period OF delightful atmospheric conditions,
was rainy, cold and windy. Finally furious
storm Of wind and rain brought about the
worst mixture of the disagreeable season, and
put summary end to the season at all the
popular places by the ocean in the vicinity of
New York.
Stories of the severity of this storm came
from many points and stamped it one
that will probably prove historical 1t was
peculiar In It's large sweep of territory. il
the prolonged character of the disturbance,
in the great velocity the wind attained, in the
rainfall, and in the destruction to coast
line property by tides of extraordinary
height, activity, and volume. The water
along the New York city front reached the
highest point this year.
Not for a long time had the Atlantic Ocean
been more turbulent Like huge monster
with an Unsuitable appetite, it bit
huge pieces out of the coast line
along New jersey, Coney Island Long
Island Staten Island and other exposed
points Old landmarks were washed away
and new channels cut in the sandy soil. Mag
nificent seaShore hotels and improved proper
ties that were supposed to be beyond the
reach of the devastating elements are no
longer picturesque places.
Nowhere was there better evidence of the
havoc caused than at New Y ork S most pOpu-
lar summer resort-Coney Island, particu-
larly Manhattan Beach and Brighton. A
| large part of the island inundated, apd
the two principal hotels were in dan
| ger of destruction The sea had
made such a sweep at and around Man
! haitian Beach that it not
| only an island, and a dangerous one for those
who had the courage to remain on it, by Il
| self but one 50 isolated that the inhabitants
were cut eff from escape and entire COM
municatiOn. The Coney Island season was
summarily ended.
On the southern shore of Long Island the
wind assumed the character of a cyclolUc
hurricane, its speed varying from thirty tt
sixty-five miles an hour At Long Beach
Fire Island, Arverne, Rockaway,
| Point Lookout, Far RockaWay and other
summer resorts the tide rose SO high tina
many hotels and cottages were in danger
of being fioated from their foundations, while
OuthOuses and paviliOnS have already been car
red away at all these points. Wide channels
appear in nearly all the beaches, and swift
currents sweep inward to the low grounds
The damage on Staten Island was very
serious, while all along the New Jersey coast
from Sandy Hook to Cape May, the SAM
condition of affairs existed. The cliffs a
Long Branch were crumbling, and the SCI
surged through the streets and avenue
Of Asbury Park, Ocean Grov
and other places in that neighbOrhood
Atlantic City was cut off from the main land
On Long Island Sound the tide caused havo
to the wharves at Greenwich, Stamford
Bridgeport, and towns on the Connecticu
coast were OVERLOOKED and the streets flooded
New Rochelle Willett's Point and all I'll
islands lying in the neck of the Sound e1
perienced the full vigor of the storm
for the tide rose to an unpreceder
ted height and poured immense ,vo
ulnes Of water over what has always bee
considered high land. Nowhere could til
storm and tide be combated, only tempOrar
makeshifts being possible toward savln
threatened property.
Measured by dollars and cents the storl
caused more damage along tho coast at sc;
side resorts than could be approximately est