Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-14
PERIL OF COAsTIxG STEAMERS.
Experience Of Two Old Dominion Line
Vessels.

Experience Of Two Old Dominion Line
Vessels.
The Old Dominion steamer Jamestown ar
rived at Norfolk. Va, yesterday afternoon
after thrilling experience with the tropi-
cal hurricane. The jamestown left Nor
folk Saturday night for New York with
heavy list of passengers and freight
When off Atlantic City she encountered
a furious head wind and terrific seas, and
to make matters worse the supply OF coal
gave out She headed back for Norfolk.
but only made four knots an hour Ter
rife seas broke over the vessel and most
of the time she careened to such an extent
that it was feared she would founder:
The captains cool conduct alone prevented
a panic.
The jamestown arrived about IL o'clock,
and after discharging the ruined freight
left again for New York. but with dimin-
ished passenger list
The steamer Old Dominion. which left
New York Saturday afternoon, arrived at
Norfolk last night. thirty-slx hours late:
Sunday morning. when seventy miles on
the Jersey coast, the vessel was struck by
a heavy sea and wheel houses rails and
furniture were smashed
The experience of the passengers and
crew was Of a somewhat startling nature.
The ship lost her rudder chain and for
time was perfectly at the mercy OF the
fearful waves apd wind. There were one
hundred and twenty-five passengers on
board. most
the exciting hours of the storm.
| r.. Among the passengers was Mr.. w. NJ
Lathrop, editor of the Leader OF CARBON
dale, Pa. This gentleman. among other
after a terrible experience in the wind and
overlapping waves. the rudder chain was
repaired and the boat rugged the hopeless
passengers took some new courage, but
an hour later, when 1t broke again, every
one, If the truth be told, gave up COM
pletely. One passenger tried to borrow a
revolver with which to shoot himself. and
| another offered all his property 10 any one
who would guarantee him safety into port
| No one took his offer, however. and he still
has his property. There were other con-
| edy features as viewed in the light of the
subsequent rescue.
Atlantic City's Losses.
The damage wrought In and around At
lantic City,. N. J.. by the recent two days
| gale will not figure up as much as was
| expected. The following is fair estimate
| of losses sustained: Iron pier, $1,000; rail-
/ road beds. $4,000; Siles' pier, 5000; Bri-
gantfne Transit 1Company's wharves, 5000;
| japanese Garden, 5000; Hempsleys bulk-
| head. 81 900; yachtsmen's wharf. $1,000;
beard walk, 81, O00; Richards bath houses.
| 5000: inlet pavilion. 500: South Atlantic
City. s2Wo. Total damage, $4,000.
| Railroad travel, which was suspended
1 Monday, was resumed yesterday afternoon
nearly on schedule time.
L The sloop. yacht Alert, which was out
| in the storm with General Manager 1. A.
Sweigard of the: Reading railroad. DR.. Eu-
gene Reed. William H. Bartlett, Mr.. Bo-
TART, Edward Blans, William Wright and
| Attorney s. c. Hinkle aboard, arrived at
| Atlantic City yesterday morning. When
the storm broke they were in the bay,
| back Of the Little Beach ffe-saving sta
| tion, and protected from the fierceness OF
| the storm. -'=s
=, A telegram was received last evening
from Commodore Harry Turner of the At
J.lantic City cricket fleet stating that they
had arrived safely at Beach Haven and
4 that all were well.
Senator Hilps Cottage Ruined.
The recent blow caused a loss of O.O0t
to the ocean front between Elberon and
Highland Beach, on the New Jersey coast
The wind fen before midnight, which alone
saved the cottages of A. B. Gripman. Brent
Goode, o. d. Byron and Conover Gaskir
from toppling into the sea.
| The cottage at Normandie. occupied b!
Senator Hill last summer, is almost tota
wreck. The first floor of the building
was completely washed out. tearing away
walls and damaging the furniture.
| The large bathing pavilion near the cot
tage was wrecked. as well as the govern
ment railroad at Sandy Hook. The pound
fishermen place their loss at $4,000 They
will be compelled to give up fishing thi:
season.; =, ...-s.. ... .....-..
fsCobks- Island, Va. Submerged.
Cobb's Island. Va. which has been ia
nous summer resort for forty years. wsa
entirely submerged Sunday and Movd day, a
high tide and was washed SO badly tina
| an ordinary tide now covers it. The hote
and adjoining buildings were completed!
demolished and nearly all of the contents
carried out to sea.
The only remaining buildings are thu
| life-saying station, the cottages belong
ing to Ashby Jones of Richmond and Thos
Smith, a resident of the island. The in
habitants were rescued by the hfe-savint
crew. assisted by residents Of the main
land, during Sunday night.
Nothing had been heard last night from
Hog Island, where 1t was feared serious
| damage had been done.