New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-10-04
A SEPTEMBER GALE.

A September gale. which since the appearance
Of Holiness humorous verses has given its name
to he Joking bywOrd has proved This year 10
be a most serious and tragic matter. Seldom
has this part Of the world seen more desirnc-
tive storm than that which on Tuesday ragged
along the Atlantic coast and far inland from
the Gulf Of Mexico 10 the 81. Lawrence RIVER.
There was wind amounting almost 10 hurri-
cane which wrecked stanch buildings as though
they were card houses and tore up trees by the
roots as easily as a gardener would pun up
weeds Along the coast II played havoc with all
shippng that had not needed warnings Of II.
Moreover II swelled the tide 10 an UNUSUAL
height and rolled In upon the shore huge waves
which were irresistible in their destructive force.
One considerable town on the Hat Florida coast
was thus submerged and almost swept away.
with heavy loss Of life and property and Their" is
reason TO fear simillr disasters have occurred
elsewhere especially on the sea islands from
which news has not yet been obtained.
There was nothing unique about the storm.
Ii was much like that which drsolated the Caro-
lima sea islands three years ago, and like many
others that have prevailed from time 10 time
upon our South Atlantic coast. Apparently 1t
was one OF the hurricanes which are 50 common
In the West Indies. expanded into cyconic com
pass and extending much further north than
usual II was most severe IN Florida In ''ror-
gia and the Carolinas II was also destructive.
On the Chesapeake and up the Potomac. and
| through PENNSYLVANIA and New York State 10
| the Canadian border, il played havoc in less.
| though still serious, degree. This city and lis
envirohs were happily. little of It's track, AMI
| IL was here q mere g.le which shook fruit and
nuts from the trees. wrecked window shutters
| and awnings and drove sailing craft 10 reef and
anchor but little more. In its whole course.
| from Florida TO Canada, along the coast and for
| a hundred or two miles inland, The loss Of lives
| probably amounts TO hundreds, and that " prop
| erty to millions OF dollars
| Against such Il storm the strength Of man Is
| vain No human power could or can hope ever
| 10 prevent It's occurrence or 10 temper It's fury
| in the slightest. Whatever man may do with
| the solid ground the winds of heaven and the
| waves Of the ocean are beyond his control. Nor
| does it seem feasible TO build such ediliccs as
| will be immune 10 their assaults There are
| doubtless many buildings which would be So
cure against any wind that ever blew and many
| more that are beyond the reach Of tidal waves
but all cannot be such. There must he buildings
on the lOw-lying shore, and there must be those
| of comparatively slight construction, with which
tornadoes can play havoc. The most that we
can hope to do is 10 escape in some degree from
| the destructiveness Of storms by gaining knowl
| edge and giving and needing warning of their
| approach This was notably done last week, and
| scores OF vessels and hundreds Of lives were
saved which in all probability would have been
lost without such service. But beyond that
| there Is little to be done. To some extent man
must always be the playthlng Of the elements
Just as he Is, after all, universally subject 10 the
final law OF physical dissolution.