Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1893-08-30
DAMAGE AT SEASIDE RESORTS.
The Atlantic Coast Swept by Terrific Storm
of Wind and Rain.


of Wind and Rain.
New YORK, Aug. 24...-The West Indi-
an cyclone which swept over this part
Of the Atlantic Coast this morning on
its way to New England has left it's
mark over the whole region around
New York, within sweep Of fully 900
miles. The rainfall, measuring 1892
inches during the last twelve hours, is
the heaviest that has ever been recorded
by the local weather service Pre-
monltlons of the coming storm were
felt yesterday afternoon at Long Branch
where the surf broke over the piers and
board walks. The wind which was al
ready strong at O'Clock in the after
noon, steadily increased in velocity,
reaching maximum Of forty miles an
hour at 3 O'Clock in the morning. The
heavy rainfall began at 9 o'clock. At
that hour the bay was still full of steam
ships and other vessels riding at anchor
Almost all those which were in
outside. The bay looked almost de-
serted at O'Clock this morning. Many
of these ships as we'll as steamships
which are due to-day are now cruising
outside waiting for the wind to subside.
| Through the dragging of anchors of the
escaping ships in the bay and North
River, more than fifty cables of the
| Western Union Telegraph Company
were torn to pieces and are now lying
useless on the bottom Of the river.
The ravages of the storm were no less
severe on land. Trees were overturned
in Central Park and many botanical
plants were ruined. On Battery Park
three elm trees were uprOoted and more
|
bird house on one of them were killed.
Many plate glass windows in the vicinity
Of Madison Square and along Bro dway
were shattered by the violent wind,
while shutters were torn from houses
| throughout the city.
Wire connection with Boston and
! New Haven was entirely broken. Be-
tween Stamford, Conn, and New York
there were still a few wires left. Of the
seventy-tive wires to Washington only
twelve were standing, but the connec
ton with Philadelphia was in compare
| lively good order All the wires on
trains had ceased running on sched-
ule time. Railroad travel to and
from New England was circuitous.
AT Washout fifteen miles from New
York, on the main line of the New
York, New Haven & Hartford road, a
| freight train made a fantastic wreck
about 80 this morning, and not train
has passed to-day, though travel being
by way of branch that taps the main
line five miles east of the break.
The guests at the Manhattan, Oriental
and Brighton Beach hotels had an OPP
portunity early this morning to see
storm at sea. This one came, especially
at the hotel at Brighton, too close for
their peace of mind. The sea reached
inland the farthest at Brighton Beach.
The waves roared right around the
music pavilion where Seidl was
wont to delight his audiences,
washed miniature sand dunes upon the
lawn and walks and their crests dashed
right over the veranda rails. The floor
of the wide piazza was like deep
laden ships deck aWash, and the first
floor of the hotel was soaked with salt
water. Nearly 200 feet Of the trestle of
that famous and profitable monopoly,
the Marine Railway, was carried away
by the big breakers.
The watchman of the trestle had a
close call for his life. His shanty was
swept away and he was rescued by the
coast Hfe-saVlng guard with l1fe-bOat.
The storm which passed over Brook
lyn at an early hour this morning caused
great damage and inconvenience.
Nearly every street in the city was COW
cred with the debris from trees. The
police report that at least ten houses
were unrooted During the height of
the storm a policeman found the body
of dead man lying IN peddler's
wagon on Whipple Street. The wagon
was filled with water and the man was
floating around.
In New Jersey the storm was most
severely felt and reports of damage
more or less serious were coming
in throughout the day, but here,
as elsewhere, they were meager
on account Of the prostra-
ton of the wires, telegraph and
telephone. Throughout the Oranges
along the Delaware q Lackawanna line
to MorristOWn trees were blown down
in every direction and news of similar
effects of the storm were re-
lagos on the Jersey Central and
Pella lines. A summary taken this
morning shows that fully $50 large elm
trees averaging ten inches in diameter
were blown down in Railway. Many
narrow escapes are reported.
At 3 o'clock, when the family of Will
lam Seaman, on Milton Avenue, were
asleep, they were awakened by the
crashing through the roof of a large
tree. 1t cut through the second story,
stopping just at the foot of the bed in
which Mr.. Seaman lay.
At Elizabeth fully 1000 trees were
blown down. The streets at Elizabeth
port, near the Sound, were under water
to the depth of two or three feet Peo-
pie t1oated about on RATS to getto work.
From the coast the news was particu-
larly vague The surf was high during
the fury of the gale and the, stories