Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-08-10
A STORM LIKE A HURRICANE
Heavy Gales Sweep over This
Section of Country.
MUCH DAMAGE BYWIND And RAIN
River Boats Encounter Some
Lively Experiences,


for time the rain fell in torrents. The
wind blew tremendous gale and at
first seemed almost like cyclone.
| Beyond the overturning of trees, the
splinterinr Of awnings and the unroof-
ing of few houses the gale seemed to
have passed over without serious dam
age, although its velocity at one time
was said to be 40 miles an hour.
The heaviest of the storm seemed to
| prevail about o'clock, but previous to
that time notwithstanding clouds had
begun 10 gather in the west and later it
became much darker. The calm which
usually precedes the coming of the
storm prevailed and then there was a
roar in the distance like the bursting of
a river bank. This was followed by the
heavy gale which blew like hurricane.
Then came the rain, which fell in tor
rents, and covered the streets and side
walks with the watery element. AT
one time the water came down in sheets
as though acloud-burst had occurred.
There was the thunder and lightning
accompanying the storm, but not of
sufficient force to cause much damage
In the vicinity of New Castle and on
the road leading to Hare's Corner CON
siderable hail fell, while at Pennsgrove
and at other points along the New
Jersey coast hail as large us hickory
nuts was reported to have fallen.
Great anxiety was felt for persons out
on the Delaware river in small! craft,
and for time 1t was feared that there
would be considerable loss of life. 1t was
argued that they had plenty of warning
by reason of the slow gathering of the
threatening clouds at first, but still there
were some who feared there had been
more than one fatal accident on the
river. When the storm was first observed
arising in the northwest, number of
sailboats made for shore, but others
were less fortunate aud were caught in
the gale before they could reach q place
of safety. On the lower Delaware no
fatal accidents were reported
David Carlisle, an operator for the
Postal Telegraph Company, and party
of friends were out IN skitT on the
river, three miles of Pennsgrove They
We're caught in the storm and driven
ashore, the boat capsizing and throwing
the occupants into the water. All man
aged TO reach the river banks in safety
however.
James b. Tucker, an ex-police officer,
attempted to cross the Delaware river in
small sail-boat, having gone to Penns.
grove, N. j., for the day. In the middle
of the river the boat capsized, but Mr.
Tucker and his companions held fast to
the sides of the vessel until it righted
} again, when they safely rode out the
storm and reached shore.
The storm played havoc with the
wires of the Postal Telegraph Company
rendering many of them useless Sunday
, evening, while few telephone wires
were also placed out of service. The
high wind blew down q number OF
J wires Of the Wilmington City Electric
| Company, but men were soon actively
: engaged in putting them in service
J again, No serious damage was done tc
the Gamewell Fire Alarm system, as fal
as known, while the police signal sys
TEN was unframed.
, The wind blew down two large stack.
} on the car shops of the Harlan &
, Hollingsworth Company, and unroofec
! six houses at Third street and Wood
! lawn avenue. Trees were blown down al
over the city and awning frames where
| shattered and splintered. A tree wa:
r overturned at Sixth and Pine streets
one in front of No. 9 school; one OF
Seventh street near Orange; one d
Eighth and Wollaston streets. III,
t limbs of trees were broken OFF as though
g they were pipe stems.
D There were a number of people in thu
! parks when the clouds began to gather
l but most Of them reached home in safet,
0 before the ram fell. In Shellpot Pari
the wind blew down several trees anc
4 stripped others Of their limbs anC
' branches.
e While the storm was at its height al
v electric light wire in the grocery stor,
| OF William X. Dare, Tenth and Adam
: streets, was struck by lightning. 4
: wall and the ceiling were considerabl,
Z. burned. The flames were auenched b
the application of buckets Of water.
In front of No. 1928 Poplar street tn
street caved in, and caused considerabl
damage while similar damage was don
: on Poplar street below Front.
x FEARED nIsHoME WOULD BE DESTROYED
The roof of Amos Browns house a
: No. 1908 West Ninth street was blow!
s off by the wind, and for time MI
!, Brown feared the house would be de
stroyed. He was in the third story O
\ the building when the storm came or
!, and looking out of the window he say
!, afunnel.shaped cloud approaching fror
the northwest. In the rear of the hous
and abobt 200 yards distant is sma
@ frame stable. He was watching tn
% wind playing around the stable, expect
u ing to see 1t blown over at any momen
% The small building was RACED CON
e pletely off its foundations, he declares
&c and then placed in its old position u
nicely as If it had been done by huma
p hands.
rs While Mr.. Brown was watching thi
y incident, he was suddenly startled b
q hearing crash over head, and in lie.
time than it takes TO tell the story III
4 wind swept the roof from its fastening
e and carried it into the street with te
rife force. Before the owner had tim
to retreat from his perilous position,
gaping hole was made in the top of I'll
ns house, and fully half-cartload {
bricks came tumbling down into the be
8, room near where he was standing. II
Of wind removed the roof as cleverly as
g. it had been done by the hand of the ca
penter. Four large chimneys were ais
le caught in the fury of the wind an
lie swept from the housetop. The raj
as poured through the house, filling Il
" bedrooms with water and completed
Ie running the furniture. The family we
ID forced to take refuge at the house OF
ID neighbor.
~ The house occupied by George Mel
tire, at No. 1901 West Ninth street, W,
OF slightly damaged by the storm.
IN A house on Lancaster pike, just b
You'd the Baltimore g. Ohio railrot
crossing was partially unroofed.
a l.