The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1891-02-04
4 RAIN BLIZZARD.
New York Struck by the Worst
Storm Of Years.
Much Damage Wrought Along
the Atlantic Coast.

Much damage was done to property and
shipping in New York City and harbor and
slong the Atlantic coast by violent wind
and rain storm which attained velocity of
sixty-four miles an hour. All day long the
rain came down in varying quantities. from
few scattering drops to deluge, and all
the while a strong northeast wind was
eddying in the streets and squares or
the city or was sweeping and roaring around
some sharp corner to catch an unsuspectlng
pedestrian and rob him of his hat or UNI
hrela. The ordinary means of protection
against rain were useless. The wind was so
strong and so eccentric in its attack that
umbrellas were disadvantage and ulsters.
macEintoShes and galosheS were inadequate
to keep one dry.
So Violent was the wind that it seemed to
sweep down upon the street and scoop up the
water.
The storm gathered between st. Louis and
Chicago and was the result of two high atmos-
pheric pressures one in the country Of the st.
Lawrence the other southwest OF ST. Louis.
It moved in northeasterly direction to the
Atlantic coast, and centred off Cape Hat.
teras. whence it moved in q northeaSterly
direction. until the storm centre was well
out to sea- The rain was general in all the
States east of the Mississippi River, and high
winds prevailed along the entire coast from
Charleston to Boston.
The greatest velocity Of wind attained dur
ing the day was at Block Island, where it
blew at the rate Of fifty miles an hour: Inc
maximum velocity in New York City was
forty-two miles.
AZ the Western Union building in New
York CITY it was said that the storm had
PLAYED havoc with the telegraph wires be,
tween New York City and Washington, and
Chat those in the vicinity OF Pittsburg were
also down. Some delays were occasioned to
the mails. The morning mail from " asn-
ington was Al hour and three-quarters late
and that from st. Louis two hours late.
The three story frame building in course
of erection at No 332 Stagg street, Brooklyn,
n. Y. succumbed to the wind and fell with
a crash. Peter Lederle. aged fifteen, and
Charles Kluck, twelve years of age, both
living at No. 21S Stagg street, were playing
in the building at the time and were buried
beneath the ruins.
AT 9. 80 o'clock the front wall Of the new
brick building ut Saratoga avenue and Her.
kimer street, Brooklyn, owned by george
Gilby, was blown into the street. No one
Was injured. The damage was about $500.
The storm wrought havoc along all the
principal thoroughfares in New York City.
Upper Broadway suffered considerably, and
early in the afternoon the wind blew of part
of the portico at Daly's Theatre.
A number of ferryboats We're carried half
a mile out of their course, and when tney
finally reached the entrance to their piers
they had much difficulty in making land
ing. .os .ho
sinking of the cana1boat Dichoner
with her cargo Of $50 tons OF
coal. she was towed up the North River
to Pier No. 3s, where she intended to
dock. While being turned she was upset by
the current and sank Immediately. Captain
Mum, his wife aud daughter, who were ON
deck at the time, were thrown into the water,
but were rescued by the crew of the tugboat-
The schooner Crosby, from Colon, with
cargo Of cocoanuts, was picked up oy the tug
Sandy Hook, with her top masts gone and
6ils SPLIT, and towed inside the Hook, where
anchor was dropped.
The Fall River steamer, Rhode Island,
colhded off Corlears Hook in the East River,
with an unknown coal barge.
Considerable damage was caused by the
storm in New Jersey At Atlantic City the
tide rose two feet above the floors in the inlet
district and the wind blew hurricane:
Bowker's Hotel was razed by the wind and
tide; the yachtsmen's wharf and steamboat
landing was washed away, and the wind
caused the collapse of the electric street car
stables on Main avenue, burying FIVE cars,
three Of which are wrecked beyond repair.
The workmen in the building narrowly es-
capped with their lives
Two houses were washed from their
foundations, and all communication between
Sea Isle City and Ocean City is cut off. The
pleasure railroad between Sea Isle City and
Avalon is also washed away, and the water
completely covers the five mile branch
known as the Angle Sea Railroad.
Some of the railroad tracks to the shore,
from Camden, are completely washed away.
The severest winter storm known In the
history Of Red Bank, N. j., ragged and con-
siderable damage was done to shipping III the
Shrewsbury River.
At EIizabethport. N. J., large new three
story house on First street was blown down.
The tide was unusually high, docks were SUBJ
merged and the entire southern part OF the
city inundated, many houses being isolated.
Trees were uprooted and many signs blown
off,
Considerable damage was done along the
north shore of Long Island. Numerous
small craft anchored iii Oyster Bay, Glen
Cove, Port Jefferson aud Hampstead harbors
were blown from their anchorage and driven
ashore, all more or less injured.
The heaviest snow storm in FIVE years pre-
vailed at Pittsburg. Penn. Telegraph, tele.
phone and electric wires We're down in all
directions and business was practically Sus-
pended. Three horses were killed by falling
electric wires. Two drivers were Knocked
unconscious from their seats, and street
car filled with passengers was set on fire, but
none in the car were hurt.
The police patrol and fire alarm systems OF
wires were badly crippled. and the switch
board at City Hall was burned out. Electric
light wires were prostrated early in the day.
and those dependent on them were without
light. All street car lines in South Pitts burg
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