The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-08-24
STORM SWEPT CITY
Last Nights Rain and Wind
Made Widespread
Havoc.
CELLARS AHD STREETS FLOODED
Trees Blown Down, Houses
Unroofed and Buildings
Razed.
MANY YACHTS WRECKED.
MANY YACHTS WRECKED.
The PaVonia, GreenViIle, and Jer-
sey City Clubs Heavy Loss.
Tho Communipaw shore strewn
With Wreckage.

The storm, which swept over this city
last night. choking up sewers, flooding
the meadows and telling trees, was the
most severe of the summer. ana one of
the worse which has prevailed in this
vicinity for maay years. No one had any
idea in the early evening that storm of
such cyclonic force would break out be-
fore morning. The evening was one of
the usual August sultriness. aud when
the first signs of the coming storm ap-
peared in the guiss OF a gentle breeze, it
was heartily welcomed. 1t WAS not long,
however. before the rain began to fall,
aud the breezs rapidly Increased in forcs
until by midnightit had developed into
lusty gale of robust health and vigor.
The rain, which WAS descending In
torrents and was driven by the high
wind in sheets over the pavements and
against the window panes: the crash os
falling trees, awning pos S aud flag pole s.:
aud the duller sound OF heavier objects
as the cyclone hurled them down, which
filled the air. all combined TO cause the
timid to quake with fear. Those who
were so unfortunate as TO be abroad at
that time found it impossible TO keep
umhrellas over their heads. and. shut
tug them ur. were cOnteus TO get q
d renching, provided they could escape
the flying limbs of trees, which flied the
air.
FLOODED STREETS AND LOTS.
As daylight advanced the fury of the
storm abaited. and bF eight O'Clock ths
rain which had gradually diet away to a
driZzIe. ceased The sun which haf been
struggling through the clouds suddenlv
burst forth and beheld badly wrecked
city. There was not q street within the
corporate limits In which trees grow.
which WAS not Uttered with leaves,
broken branches and fallen trunks. The
guiterswere raging torrents Ia miniature.
and many of The streets ware Utterly
under water, owing to the inability of the
of the sewers to carry off the great vol
ume of rain which fsll. The Meadows
and low lots which yesterday were
dry land. were this morning large lakes
upon which the small boy in high glee
padded on hastily inlprovisee RATS and
imaginary craft OF ali descriptions. 1t
was q great time for the ubiquitous
small boy 1t has been mauy day since
he has had such generous assortment of
ponus TO paddle and wade in. and he
made the most of his opportunity. Along
the river front the storm was relG the
most. Many of the various vessels
which were at anchor in tue streams and
moved 10 the wharfs were mora or less
damaged. On the Comm muninaw shore
many yachts belonging TO the clubs That
u
AT THE P. r. r. STATION.
At the Pennsylvania station, In this
city. the rain made its way into the wait
ing room, but it was qaickly taken out
by the employees. Considerable water
got into George Gartner's barber shop In
the station. but no darnags was done.
The large bridge. which runs from the
ninth story of the Office building of the
railway company to the roof Of the train
shed, was loosened by the wind, and had
a narrow escape from being complstely
wrecked.
Near Kessler's Hall people found water
pouring into their cellars in torrents.
The frame of a building in course of erec
tion, near North street, was RACED to the
ground. A flagstaff belonging to George
thrown. The pole in its descent
caught hold OF the corner of Mr..
Scheuiz's stoop aud ripped three feet
of shingles and boards off. Ga Palfsade
avenus barber pole was feiled to The
earth. Horse car conductors fron the
puddles which had formed in the streets.
The cars, they said. nearly foated along
In the sea of water
The sheep in the enclosed lot near the
reservoir are huddled in one corner. The
rest of the plot is occupied principally by
water.
A FLOOD IN MARION.
Down in Marion, On Wales ayenae. the
innabitants think flood has struck the
town. Boatmsn would do big business
down there If they conld take their boats
down. At the Fourth Regiment Rife
Range the place looks like an ocean of
limited dimensions. There is . puddle in
trout of the door, aud away down near
tue butts a person could easily drown
himself by tum0 0liuR into the dsep holes,
The Five Corners stand high, but
hardly dry. Fallen trees decorate nearly
all strests.
SALVATION TENT WRECKED
The Salvation Army tent on Monticello
avenue is no more. The storm OF last
night tore it in shreds and it weuld be =
hard matter fer even man OF Agent
Sewell's experience to put the piecss to-
gether in any sort of shape the ground
on which the tent stood ressmolsd .
small pond this morning, and all the
Salvationists OF Corps No. 2, VINO could
spare the time. as we'll as dele
cation of cadets from Corps Mol were
at work digging trenches and throwing
the water out with pails. The chairs are
all piled up III one corner of the lot, aud
the whole place looks as II q Kansas
Cyclone had struck It. Tonight the Sal
yatiouiats will probably visit Corps No. l
where there to be special services.
The trolley cars were unable to run TO
West Bergen for some time this morning,
The storm blew about dozen large trees
across the tracks on West Side avenue
between BelmOut AuQ ID 5UtIey avenues.
The first car down reported the ebsLruc-
tions and gang of men were sent down
Immediately TO clear them away. It took
them couple OF hours.
At Belmont and West Side avenues
cae OF the poles that support the trolley
wires WIS torn from its foundation aud
the wire had to be fastened TO tree.
Men are stationed all aloug West Side
avenue digging trenches and building
mud dams 10 let the water from tna side
streets run of. At an early ncur this
morning West Side avenue. from Bel
jnont avenue to MONTGOMERY street. was
great sheet of water. It is almost i'm.
possible to cross the strestin thai vicinity
without going to your Knses IN mud.
RAILROAD STATION CUT OFF.
The depot Of the West Shore Railroad
at the foot OF Franklin street. Is com
pletely isolated from the street. Tht
muddy water rises mp to the plat form 0
the station. and level sweep Of waite
expands for 500 or 600 feet. The onl.
way to reach the station il to- row there