The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-10-01
LONG ISLAND WATERSPOUTS.
THREE BIG FELLOWS SEEN OFF SOUTH
AMPToN ON FRIDAY.

dMPTON ON FRIDAY.
The Rev. DR.. Rainsford Says They Lasted
About 1S Miuutes-Fisherran George
Thompson Says Two Hours-A auoEue
Man Says There Were Ten-The Freight
Steamship Thomas Anderson Fond n
Nest OF watsrspouts Further Out to SEQ.
SOUTHAMPTON. L. l. Sept. 3o.-Among tho
things which are beyond the pale OF human
philosophy arc waterspouts as they are seen
off the coast OF Long Island. According to all
the stories which are heard from here to
Quogue and beyond. there were so many
waterspouts seen yesterday that there must
have boon great depression In tho waters OF
| the antipodes. 1t Is, therefore. we'll worth
while to recount some Of these stories and tell
all that one reporter was able to gather this
| Therapeutics day about the day OF water
| spouts.
| Among the sum rner houses which stand in q
long limo along the shore ia the residence Of
! tho Rev. DR.. Rainsford Of st. Georoe's Church.
New York. At dawn yesterday this reverend
| gentleman was standing at window upon the
upper floor OF this house looking out to sea
This Is his waterproof story:
1T was about half past o'clock. and the sky
was clouded. A heavy storm Of wind and hail
had been raging for half an hour. and the air
was dreary and cold. The wind was from the
northeast, but was not very brisk. During the
storm there was severe thunder and lightning
For some time had noticed n big dark cloud
forming in the northeast As It moved out
from the land over tho seq clear. bright spot
formed on the southeastern edge. This spot
slowly turned red. that clear, luminous red
which you see FOR some time after the sun has
set.
out Of this patch Of brightness n black col
umn suddenly formed. turning swiftly in q
rotary motion. descending, or rather drawing
out from tho cloud. until 1t touched the sea.
It looked much as IL some giant were rolling
q cigarette Of cloud vapor between his fingers
and drawing It out to smooth It. This column
grew quite dark. and gently swayed into a
bow-shaped curve. 1t then began to sway, or
perhaps writhe would be u better word. to and
fro. the top and bottom remaining stationary
all the while. 1t SO continued for about ton
minutes. when it suddenly parted from the
cloud. For a moment 1t stood erect. like a
column OF black marble. Then it sank slowly
umns were twisted out OF this roseate spot in
ing ing motto motion. Instead Of parting at the top.
however, these seemed rather to meet from
s ssSv vs na ink and ej sw
Ess yi.e(s about 5:5o The last Of s the 'hFss
:" The peculiarly luminous effect OF the cloud
disappeared at about tho same time. Two
waterspouts. which seemed to be about three
miles OF shore l saw no more waterspouts
nsy hS das Ss
i seemed about to clear up :, and all at once it
what he Witnessed. Now. being a very con
sentative man. he took pains to say that al
been manlfestsd: On the contrary. he said i
Be at ali SURPRISED II Sticr people had seen
much more astonishing things than had come
Now, II DR. Rains,ord says this. the reader
should be willing to make considerable allow
ance for the story Of George Thompson. for
shore Of. Southampton when the waterspouts
appeared. and the reader. unless he be Jim
srnau and Very SOBER and indastrions man nan
Every afternoon at 8 clock he. with his part
ner Jim haynor, go out In their dorX to. set
Their method Of setting nets 10 a novel one
told some other time. Every morning ut sun
rise they 20 out to raise those nets aid drag
the e story asr9 Which George S Thompson. In the
presence q lin hayn4s and three other wit
by the way. was smoking a pipe and putting 1t
reGectively between sentences.
1t was about the hour OF by the clock,
ing the dcry We'll. sir. we got her through
the surf and clear out into SIN Doth water. when
SsSSSG hs ssa 1 iii sp that GS
the sea was eItra,1,rdi5aa 5 sm9Nth and The
out there. and she's beauty
J.. -! never saw q wat,eerspout before: but l
thom. Well. cir; this was an extra iine water
spout, A big black cloud was over the sea.
up Straight like spool Of cotton It Was as
black coal aRd stood S straight TIA as
SPOUT. ana there it stool Pun: pull -,
~, We'll sr said d. e jim Jim ia ~ s Satdo II
Jim cot scared and wanted to row ashore but
told hin they weren't coming NJ tg our %s
saw TWO more unD out o. tho water
TO the south and then the whole three Of them
bSgGn to move sas After while n9Gsa
All at once the whole lot OF those waterspouts
began TO move ON to us pun. pull
the oars aud pulled Tor dear lie. Alter "a
pulled about ten minutes got 90 far ahead Of
p "ifl. They lasted to our sight about TWO
hours. and then they vanished away While
aDm mSSS from 1GS Sea e Ss Unity
minutes that came near blowing us ashore.
During all that time there was q tremen-
hail was soft. like a small SNOWFALL. and when
it struck us 1t spattered out as big as your
hand. Well, sir. after the waterspouts broke
tho wind changed to the north and stayed
there for the rest OF the day"
Did you see any ships aroundT
Yes. there was schooner close by us. and
we could see them taking in sail TO get out OF
the way"
did, the water spouts stand perfectly
We'll, two OF thom stood pretty straight. hut
the other one waggsd little. DO you know.
sir. was talking to a sea captain to-day who
ran his ship once until nearly all thu sails were
torn off TO get out OF the way OF one of those
things"
well, sir. 1t wasn't exactly a noise; II
sounded like u waterfall n great ways of. but
! Ruess 1T would have sounded great deal
louder II we'd gotten nearer TO it,"
The reporter next went to the life-sRying
station on the coast. only q few hundred
yards from DR.. Rainsfords houae. A group Of
weather. brown men were sitting around a
stoye smoking and saying but little. according ,
ocean. The reporter announced his mission.
but for long timo the mon would only answer
In monos yllnLles TO draw them out the 70.