New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-26
BIG SEAS At COMFY ISLAND.
FINE SIGHT WITNESSED BY MANY FROM
THE CITY.
THE ANNUAL DESTRUCTION TO THE BEACH Be
GINS EARLY IN THE SEASON.

GINS EARLY IN THE SEASON
weather.bealen and grizzly haired Waterman stood
on the dsmantlcd promenade In front OF the big hotel
at Manhattan Reach yesterday afternoon, and With his
arms folded leaned against the stanchon and gazed In
ently ont at sea- whence great pillows came rolling In
to dash themselves into clouds Of spray against the
| breakwater. Hundreds of men, women and children
stroed along the beach, and the old watchman, when
ever he turned his eyes from the beating SURF looked
| at them curOusly.
"An old sailor whose bosom is filed with emotion
In the contemplation of the ocean he loves SO WE'LL
| unused Tribune reporter lie approached the Old
man. It's a grand sight isn't it, he SAID ALOUD
as he reached the mans side.
ats COMPOUNDED chestnut that's what 1t IS he
replied crufiy. and then he added "ru be hanged If
can what all these people come down to look al
the ocean for. It's been dom this same thing for
thousands OF years aud will do 1t for thousands more
Yet every time a up thousands OF people
come down here from New-York to see the same Old
thing. I'm sick of It. was Just trying TO tMnR
what there was in 1t 10 bring SO many people down
here Durn' all the wind and rain of yesterday the
beach was lined with people. They must want some
thin to look at mighty bad
An, you not an old s,tlori" asked the reporter
timidly.
Mary, not By O darred sight vas the gruf reply,
and the grzzled old Waterman started away to chase
some children of the lawns, the grass OF which Is still
as green in mid summer.
The old watchman identity not lover Of
nature, for the sight was really magnificent. The
storm Of the last few days had stirred the ocean to
great depth. aud immense waves rolled In, TO
break with tremendous fury on the beach, Away out
at sea one could discern the heavy swells as they
rolled toward the Shore while the Inner Rocka
way shoals a heavy line Of surf made by waves
so hight that with The naked eye any one standing
at Manhattan Beach could them curl over ana
churn Themselves into seething foam.
At intervals Of few feet heavy planks have been
removed from the promenade In front of the Manhattan
Beach Hotel. 10 give for the waves to break
through and thus prevent the destruction OF the entire
structure This the lesson taught by the great storm
| last year, when the promenade and part OF the
lawn were ruined AS the big waves rolled in yes
erday. sheets OF spray were sent through the open
spaces In the promenade but the structure trembed az
the onslaught OF every breaker AS one stood ON the
plankine the angry waves could be heard beneath his
feet roaring and tumbling about among the piles, as
II they would them bodily from their bed Of sand
Along the breakwater. double line OF piles, hlled
In with rocks which extends In horseshoe shape to the
westward from the Manhattan Beach Hotel the great
pillows chased each other from end TO end sending up
circular ring Of spray that was of unusual and even
remarkable beauty. 1t like changing crest
Of foam. first end OF the breakwater, then In
the centre aud then lowering the other extremity
No damage done by the storm In the neighborhood
| Of either the Oriental Manhattan Beach hotels.
The tracks OF the Marine Railway, between the
| Manhattan and Brighton Beach hotels were removed
shortly after closed. and II is we'll that they
were for the bed of the road Is badly washed away.
only Of sand anyway, 1t can be reconstructed
early In the spring The sea has made further inroads
to the eastward OF the brighton Beach Hotel, forming
a small channel by which the water has poured into
the lowlands around the fireworks inclosure There Is
also a great deal OF water In the Of the hotel.
| which came through the same channel. The greatest
! damage done by the waves at brighton to the
lawn in front. The tiled walk or promenade along
the beach and about twenty-five feet of the lawn have
| Leon washed away. the brcakwater Of sandbags and
brush having proved entirely Inadequate protoc-
| ton.
There is no longer ocean driveway between West
| Brighton and Brighton. For number OF years each
succeeding autumn gale has carried away portion OF
| the asphalt roadway and the storm Of the last few
DAYS has finished the work OF destruction Where the
road once was is a stretch Of sand. Uttered with
rocks and rubbish. part Of the old drive IS covered
by water the sea having eaten away large part OF
the low lying beach Just TO the eastward OF where the
| Ocean Hotel used to stand.
The storm on Friday night caused the sea 70 I'm SO
high that an old pavilion near the beach, owned by
| a Mr. Refer was undermined aud carried out 10 sea.
| This is the only building C0ney Island That was
DESTROYED A number OF the cheap bathing houses and
pavilions at West brighton were slightly damaged.
| ,ut there was no serious damage to the more sub
stantial structures. to the iron Pers or me oeacn;
The least damage anywhere was at Norton's Ponr, ~
the extreme eastern end Of the island which, stranHey
enough while having the best beach on the island Ii
| entirely neglected as resort $1,000. l.. - ,...
crowds 10 Coney island to-day for tho surf VIII run
high for day two yet, as the result OF the STORM
II was higher yesterday than at any time since the
| heavy gales of last year, but the damage was e1
| tremely hight in comparison