The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-04-25
IT WAS 4 Big BLIZZARD.
SEA AND LAND SWEPT WITH
AWFUL FORCE.

able 1Or new 1OrR a.nO uer
Suburbs - A Score Of Lives Lost
on jerseys Coast-Cesolatfon In
the Wake Of Ca.
The storm which swept over New York
City and the North and Middle Atlantic
coast for a night and dey was the worst
experienced during the MOTH of April in
many years. The mcst disastrous feature
was the loss of two schooners on the
treacherous New Jersey coast. From
eight to ten men were lost in each OF
the wrecks. In the country trees were
uprooted, buildings blown down and
dwellings unroofed. High seas encroached
on the land, did great damage to small ship
ping and to other property. The heavy wind
caused hawser to snap on the steamer Puri-
tan at New York and five men were injured.
The tug Underwater was forced against a
pier in Brooklyn and sunk, her crew narrowly
escaping. The gale was extremely
severe IN and around New York City harbor
tides caused considerable bletrouble to ferries a
number of minor accidents were reported, but
no serious damage was caused some small
vessels were driven ashore on Long Island.
The remarkable thing Is that the storm was
scarcely felt north Of New York City. AL
bany was as dry as chip. At night the
storm center was south and the storm passed
out to sea. At 8 O'Clock In the morning the
wind blew at the rate OF forty miles an hour !;
an hour later 1t had subsidized to thirty-six It
attained its greatest velocity between p. m.
and D. m, when 1t reached forty-two
miles an hour. At sea, of Block ISL
and, 1t blew at f1fty-six miles an hour, and
at Sandy Hook seventy miles.
In New York City the storm furnished a
fitting climax to the atrocious weather of
the year. The storm was cut out for biz
zard. but lost its Icy edge in consequence Of
roa,iny along too late In the season. New
whsu they woke up the roofs covered
with snow, with the gale increasing
in Violence, naturally thought OF the
blizz ,rd OF March u, 1883, six years ago. In
mora ways tha-' one the storm resembled the
great blizzard. All the conditions were
practically the same, except as to the tenn.
perature. Had the weather been as cold as
would have piled high In the streets and
been rendered for the time being immovabls
by the subsequent sleet. Rain, snow
and sleet cut the faces and chilled
the hands, and draggled the skirts and
trouser tops Of all who had TO =" out. De.
laws on the elevated roads n, Il to the
sum OF misery, while the Bro way cable
road had one or two stoppages. Several OF
the city markets we're practical.y deserted,
the storm having prevented most of the
farmers from coming in from Long
Island and New Jersey with truck.
TELEGRAPH lines were crippled in all di-
rections. Superintendent Humstone, OF
the Western Union, said in the after.
noon ;: .tWires are disabled in all di-
Yeetion, especially in the South" As If
the wind. rain. snow and sleet were not
enough OF baleful visftants, there was a
period OF dense fogs In the morning. The
turned inside out, hats skylarked under the
impetus OF unwonted gusts, and
feet trailed over siush-topped sidewalks.
Cellars were flooded, and South and West
streets were covered with two feet of water.
When the ferry boats came into their slips
they were 80 high that It was almost i'm
possible to make connection with the
bridges which trucks and heavy wagons
could 20 up and down. Tn ferry men said
The wind ragged around the river front
and played mad pranks with ferry boats
which were forced to brave its fury. while
vessels at their wharves received such
a shaking up as they had not experienced
in many q day. Some were sunk, and
there were one or two collisions. Five
members Of the crew OF the big Sound
steamboat Puritan received injuries
due directly to the storm. The steamboat
was warped into her dock and big two-inch
hawser was thrown out to make her fast to
the pier, The strong wind and tide made a
very heavy strain, and the hawser parted
with a report like the explosion Of can
non. The end made fast to the Puri-
tan recoiled, and cut away the rail
and iron chock, and struck the mate and the
hands who were adjusting the line. The five
men were thrown to the dook. Second Mate
Thomae Kelly had q lacerated wound OF the
head, William Condon's leg was lacerated,
John Mahoney and Harry Hausen had con-
slight wounds onthe body. All but Gatttngs
were taken to the Chambers Street Hospital.
- BROOKLYN suffered considerably from the
elernents' An unfinished house at Third
avenue and Thirty-seventh street was re-
duced to kindling wood shortly after noon.
The gale oyerthrew trees, unroofed houses
and tore heavy signs from their fastenings.
The ocean tugboat Underwater was sunk at
Martins Stores, Brooklyn. Her crew OF
eight men had q narrow escape. long
stretch OF scaffolding belonging to the Wild
West Show, at Thirty-third street and Ihlrd
avenue, was blown down. &c.,.
Many small craft were driven ashore and
buildings were damaged by the storm on
Long Island. The wind reached q velocity
OF fifty miles an hour at the United States
Engineer station at Wnlet's Point. The
long veranda was blown from the front
of the Engineer headquarters and the build
ing rocked so that the occupants vacated 1t,
fearing that 1t would collapse. The sloop
william Scott was blown against the rail-
road trestle near Rockaway Beach and began
pounding with such violence that she be-
came total wreck. Many boats lying in
Grayesend Bay of the Brooklyn
Yacht Club s. were badly damaged.
At Bay Ridge many bathing pavilions were
carried out on the tide. At Brighton Beach,
Coney Island, the Hotel Brighton was In
danger Of being washed away. The roof OF
the pavilion adjoining the hotel was blown
of and several shanties near the Brighton
Beach race track were demolished. Mariners
declare the storm was the most severe that
had swept the Sound for many years. Not
since the memorable blizzard had Long Isl
and known such storm. In the different
towns on the coast the tide reached the
highest point remembered by anybody.
At Greenport, L. l., the schooner Nevada,
Norwslk, Conn.,. dritted from her anchor
ege and went through building in the
shipyard, badly damaging her. The
crew escaped. The schooner Lena R.,
Captain Rayror, went ashore near the
lumber yard, and the schooner Anna T.,
tore awasr part OF the pier. Bulkheads
at East Shore were all carried away and
houses on the beach were surrounded by
water The sloop Carrie, loaded with. oysters
and owned by John earle, Of Rockaway
Beach, broke her cable, drifsed and sunk of
Seaside. The old mill at Northport, L. L,
viii "a was more than one hundred years
old, was destroyed by the wind, and the
large flag pole In Main street. that place,
was blown down. Many persons who were