Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-02-14
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AT THE BREAKWATER.
Effects of the Storm Upon Rail-
roads and Shipping.

A Tram Held up by SNOW Drift Mt Nassau
Sthtion--Ioe at tho Breakwater--H How
the Pilot Boats Jared.
Special Correspondence Of Gazette and journal
LEwEs, Feb. l3--'rbe cold snap which
has held the country in arctic embrace for
a week past has been the worst ever eX.
perienced here There has been as much
ice III the vicinity of the Cnpes and Break
wuter. and probably as much damage to
shipping in one or two previous winters
but never so continued a spell of intense
cold. IL began early last week with u
severe snow storm aud strong northerly
wind causing the mercury to run down to
20 below zero on Tuesday night, On We'd.
nesday aud Wednesday night very little
rise in temperature was indicated, and Oh
Thursday evening binding snow storm
IA veritable zzHrd-accompanied with
strong gale from the northwest prevailed,
The train due here at 745 p. M, was
delayed until $50 p, m.
On Friday morning the 1855 a. IN. north
bound train started on time and reached
Nassau, the first station there il struck a
heavy snow bank Just beyond and re-
manned until Sunday morning All the
section men available from Lewes to
Georgetown, besides ether laborers to the
number of about 90, were put to work.
The engine of the train, an extra from
LCMCa anu lWu GAtNh5 lTblu bCDERGloMll
were unable to work through. All day
Friday the fine dry snow drifted back
about as fast rs 1t was shoveled away.
Night coming on and all the engines being
out of water and fuel work stopped until
Saturday morning when the engines ran
back to Lewes for water ana fuel. The few
passengers wired to Lewes for a hack and
returned here, remaining until Monday
afternoon. Several OF the section gang
ali,rbtlu frOuthitfan MI OF ffarnl ~,
siderably.
The Delaware pilot boats Tunnel,
Howard. Bayard and Ker were assisted BY
the tug North America and towed to the
shelter of the United States government
pier on Thursday. The pilots on these
boats make grateful acknowledgment to
Captain Gibbons for his timely services
The Tunnel was towed ont of the capes on
Friday and anchored off Rehoboth to
board incoming vessels.
The Cape was frozen in the roadstead
and drifted about with the ice. The sup
ply OF water on board the Cape getting
short. George Lubker, pilots apprentice
and bOat-keeper, with his crew, rugged a
sled with spars and ropes on Sunday and
filled IL casks of water from Browns men.
haden factory pump, pulling the sled and
water casks on the ice about half nlilei in
several trips.
The Cape May boats Knight and Ed
munds were at sea during most of the
stormy weather,
Sunday morning dispatch was received
here that q schooner was OF Cape Nav
with signals of distress flying. LewGs
wreckers chartered thetug sam McCauiley
ana went to her assistance aud OH arrival
at the, vessels supposed position found
none. She had probably been taken in
tow by some passing steamer.
Captain Saltnons OF Henlopen life-saving
station reports last Thursday night us the
worst his men have experienced since the
station was opened, not excepting the
March, 1853, blizzard. Several Of his
surfmen were slightly frost-bitten. Many
OF the. sailors and pilot boys were also
badly frost-bitten.
The maritime cable was broken Sunday
and quarters removed from the Break
water to the Marine Hospital, ut Point OF
Cape, @...
The life station surfmen had bitter ex-
perience while performing their duty last
week. The Lewes crew, whose beat is
along the bay shore from Point of Cape to
half mile above Lewes, had the worst
walking of any on account of the obstruc-
tons along the surf. Several OF this crew
were slightly frostbtten in the blizzard of
Thursday night. The crews of Cape Hen.
lopen and Indian River stations suffered
most and several of the surfinen were
frostbtten, one or two quite severely.
Rehobnth station. which is the easiest for
patrol in the district, was fortunate, as
none of the surfmen were injured by frost
Every man did his duty ut all the stations
So far very little sickness at the stations
has been reported this winter.
1t was reported few days ago there was
much suffering for want of fuel and food
among the people at 'Bell-town,h acolored
settlement near Nassau station, three miles
from Lewes. The farmers Of the neigh
borhood supplied their immediate necessi.