New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-17
A LIFE-SAvING STATION DESTROYED. !
BIG WAVES MAKE HAVOC AT FAR RocKAwAY-
DAMAGES ESTIMATED AT s25,ooo-ooSEx
ISLAND PEoPLE AFRAIp

ISLAND PEOPLE AFRAID
The northeast wind was blowing at the rate Of forty
i've miles an hour at Far Rockaway yesterday, and
huge biows broke upon tho sand casting their spray
fifty feet into tho air and surgng far up the sodden
strand Each ate up moro and more Of the bul"ark
and pride OF the city. An old resident said
Should this noreastcr continue I'LL morning, l
wouldn't give ton cents for tho whole beach"
His prophocy seemed likely 30 be fulfilled, for At
rghtfan the rain pouring down IN torrents, the
wind whstlng along the deserted shore with ever
increasing violence, and in the waves were the shat
tered ruins Of property estimated to be worth se5Oo
The damage to the beach ITSELF and incidentally 10 the
watering place Is almost lncalculAble Within twenty
four hours the beach eaten into TO the extent Of
fifty feet adding the 1000 feet which have been
washed away within tho last four years.
Tho storm struck Par Rockaway at the worst pos
sible time. No was prepared for It. For the
last fvo works preparations have been under way for
the removal Of LcsavlDg Station No. a. which stood
on Far Rockaway Point, 30 Long Beach, thfeo miles
away. Tho station WA only completed last August
at cost Of 10000 1t was twoStory building with
a cupola or observatory. and was finished In hard
wood Its occupants Captain John Henry Abrams.
Of Inwood, and a crew Of seven men. Tho constant
undermining OF tho waves made II necessary 70 10
move u and by Thursday night It had boen loaded
upon 2 soows Tho contract was taken By I. $.
smith d o. Of No ie Exchange Piaee, this city = To
the scows was attached . tugboat belOnenE 70 A. y.
KspeIla, commanded by Captain JA5eook. OF jersey
City. At 9 o'clock IN the evening" when strong
southeas asteriy wind blowing and the hde was on
the rise, he started out with bis tow
Il did not talo hhV, long to discover that he had
nnado serious mistake, for tho sweeping forces Of the
tide and wind, which suddenly jumped TO the north
west 80 dragged upon tie tugbOAt that her safety was
throGtened. Al midnight the havses wero cut, and
the soows with tho ute-savtng Station rapidly drfed
shoreward. One Of The soows sank almost immedi
abely. Throo hours later the other scow, WIN INC
careening station struck on the beach, throequa<ter
Of . mile west Of the point. The high waves threw
tho building upon the side, while the sooW driiteo
toward Rockaway Beach, and finally went ashore Oh
Averne.
Meanwhile The tug had sought safety BY FUundlhs
the point and seeking the more sheltered water OF
the inlet She grounded, and her crew ESCAPED with
difficulty. Tho rising tide threw her upon her
side and now she lies filed with water, her smoke
stack pointing 70 the inner beach All night lohs
and all day Friday the waves beat upon thp diS'
manted station, and soon the shattered emoes were
strewn along the beach for distance OF hreo miles
All that remained Of It intact was the cupola, win
It's flagstaff, which DOW lies high and dry upon inc
beach at point hree-quarterS OF mile 70 ho "os'
of It's original position. - .o. 1.,.,ro
platform Of Patrick Craig carried away for dis.
iance Of sixty feet, and tbs loss viii AmOun 70 aooW
Yesterday they attacked the bathing houses psyops
and dancing platforms OF Gibson, lockwood sm,.l,
and swept them away like chat. hundred and nifty
bathing houses were knocked into their original p9nfs
within a few feet. The loss upon buildings, DathhR
suits and tho rest win not, It Is said, bo covered py
$40 900. ,. .-.
Although deprived Of their homo, tho We sayers w
not abandoned and the beach was as vIgIlantly pa
Od y ever ScO 6s 5 Ss5 sss6 sSSa " sP,.aSa %
their former station, and there the reserve mane
themselves as comfortable rs possible ,.,.u,
Thofo was an unusually high tide At Conoy lsisna
yesterday and considerable damage was done S aohs
ibe beach AT Brighton the surf washed in unaei
tho elevated road as far the track. AT ons
time II was feared that Bader,s Hotel would DO s"eH.
awav from its foundation. The inhabitants OF tho
eastern end OF the island much frightened, as
tho watcr up to the doors Of their dwenings %
only damage was at the pavilion the Iron pier,
the pavilion being carried about ten feet on iS