Evening journal., 1890-12-17
LAST EDITION
FIERCE WIND AND RAIN.
A TERRIFIC STORM DOES GREAT
DAMAGE IN THIS VICINITY.

STANDARDIZATION Suspended
Rain began to fall about midnight last
night and before o'clock this morning
the storm developed into the fisrcest
one that has been here for nearly three
years. From about o'clock this
morning, at intervals, the water
poured down in sheets and
submerged every exposed object.
The public roads, which have been
frozen for several days, began to thaw
last night, and the heavy rain has made
them streams of mud.
Many reports were spread through the
city, about noon, concerning the fate OF
vessels in the Delaware river and
bay, where the storm ragged
fercely all the morning. The river
was completely covered with white
caps, and the sheets of water descending
from the clouds were dashed into foam on
its surface. The indications are
that the tide will be ex-
tremely high this evening, as it had
reached high water mark at 2 o'clock and
HAD three hours longer to run up.
Navigation was practically at
standstill on the Christians, and
every boat was tied up at the
wharves with not soul to be seen on
board. The shipyRrds had the same de-
serted appearance
The terrific winds which prevailed
during the forenoon rent awnings into
shreds and did much damage
to hanging signs Al large awning.
hanging from the establishment
of Booker & Whitesell on East Fourth
street, was caught up by the wind and
hurled violently about, smashing
window panes and doing other
damage. The awful strain on the heavy
iron poles caused them to bend almost
double, or tore them from their fasten-
ings. A dozen men attempted
to untsngle the water soaked canvass
from the wrecked poles. but it required
half hours hard work to do it.
Two Houses Unroofed.
The heavy storm of this morning I'M
rooted the two dwelling houses, Nos. 900
and 902 West Eleventh street. The
accident occurred about o'clock and was
wholly unlocked for by the occupants of
the houses.
The two houses are built Of brick, with
tin roofs, and are owned by Harry Evans,
stair-builder ard Tilghman banner,
painter, respectively.
The house at Nc. 900 is occupied by c.
X. Gilmore and his family, and the other
is occupied by John Ball and family.
The families in each of the houses
were doing their regular work, when
without sound Of warning the front Of
the roofs Of both houses and the chin
neys were lifted and turned over upon
the rear portion Of the roof
The families heard the noise, but did
not suspect the cause until they went
up stairs, when they saw the
rooms strewn with debris from
the shattered roofs The water imme-
diately began to pour into the rooms and
in short time had leaked through to
the lower story.
None of the inmates of either house
was injured, although they were greatly
frightened. They began to gather their
household goods together and take them
to place OF safety.
The damage to the houses is estimated
at $3.50 and the loss to personal property
will probably amount to Jas much more.
Mr.. Gilmore said TO an EVENING
JOURNAL reporter this morning: I'VE
were sitting in the rear of the house
when we heard great crash. l could
not at once think what had
happened but as | saw we
were uninjured, went upstairs to see if
anything was the matter. saw that
the roof was torn off and the rain was
pouring in at the opening. l Immediately
began to collect my goods out of the way
of the water, but much of my household
furniture is ruined. The roof could not
have been strongly built as other build.
ings were directly in the path
of the storm but escaped damage
The loss on my goods am scarcely able
to determine as l have not had time to
take an inventory of the goods damaged
Tue loss on the building is probably $3.50.
Rain ChiIls Market People.
The heavy rain and wind storm this
morning put damper on the street mar
kets. At o'clock not more than one
hundred wagons out of the usual seven
hundred, were standing on King street
and more than half of these had been
forsaken bv the persons in charge.
Shortly after o'clock the number began
to increase as the storm became less
severe, and by II o'clock scores of
country people were guarding
tables OF produce while the
cold rain poured down their necks They
had also passed through terrible exper-
ienee before reaching Wilmington, hav-
ing begun work two hours before sunrise
ia the chilling storm and then had to
drive over roads S. soft that they were
almost impossible Another conspieu
GUS feature this morning was the scarcity
Of wagons In the grain market on Fourth
street The storm was not only too
severe for the farmers but for the buyers
who were few.
4 Rocking steeple.
A curious sight was seen this morning
during the wind storm. This was the
rocking 70 and fro Of the high steeple on
Second Baptist Church, at Fourth and
French streets. The steeple moved 3
distance that was easily perceptible
three blocks off, and while there is little
danger Of it being blown over, yet the
sight raised feeliDgslof trepidation in the
minds of those who saw 1t.
storm Notes
The wind broke one of the large show
windows in w. B. Sharp g. Cos, store
this morning.
Two shutters were blown off Of No.
10 school.
The big barn at the lower end of
MousleY's row, in the Ninth ward, was
blown down this merning by the wind.
A. Il. Finerty's grocery delivery wagon
was wrecked in the ruins.
The scholars in public school No. Is be.
came frightened about 10 o'clock this
morning, at the terrific wind and panic
ensued, all Of them rushing
from the building. Three large
trees blew down on West street,