The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1896-09-30
WIND AND RAIN.
A Southern Storm of Cyclonic
Proportions Proves Des.ruc.
tive to Wires, Awnings
and Trees.

A storm that had been travelling up the
Atlantic coast from the Gulf of Mexico
struck Wilmington yesterday and after
heavy rain during the entire afternoon
developed into dangerous proportions be.
tween II and IL O'Clock at night and did
much damage throughout the city and
country.
The easterly and southeasterly winds
which hadaccompanied the storm sudden
ly gathered with the fury of II hurricane
and whirled through the streets with
velocity that was estimated to be consider
ably more than forty miles an hour 1t
played havoc with the myriads Of wires
in all parts of the city and created many
small panics by its mad pranks aloit.
1t soughod among the wires and made
them resound with the exaggerated and
terrorizing harmony Of gigantic Aiolian
harp. Electric light wires were crossed,
lights cxtinguished, circuits and con-
vertcrs burnt out small fires cngcndered,
and telephone and telegraph lines render
ed temporarily useless. With every nd
d,ional surging of the tempest wires
parted like whipcords, blazing with py-
rotechnic display, and then spluttering
and shedding inyriads of sparks US they
hung from poles or other wires. The
danger OF the storm itself was enhanced
by the extreme dangerto which venture
some persons were exposed from these
breaking wires.
Amid the shrek of the wind the sharp
jangle of broken glass was inccsSantly
heard from upper stories, while canvass
awnings and political banners wore ripped
from their fastenings as forclbly as II they
had been mere scraps of paper in hsum-
mer zephyr.
WESTERN UNION AND POSTAL.
The wires of the Western Union Telc-
graph Company suffered. Nothing was
heard from tho south after 10 o'clock.
Half Of the wires between here and Phil
adclphia were down, and tho wires from
the west were almost in as bad condition.
1t will be impossible to gauge the damage
until IN Investigation is made. Men
were sent out this morning to make re-
pairs. The same condition prevailed with
the Postal Company
1t was cut off from all communications
from the south at 10 o'clock and most Of
It's Northern and Western wires We're
down.
Trains on tho Philadelphia, Wilmington
and Baltimore Railroad were delayed for
some time by the falling of Il tree at II
point just above GrlbbS Landing not far
from this city. The tree was discovered
by tho engineer OF n passenger train which
was running slow on account of the storm
and the train was stopped in time to avoid
an accident. The wind had blown the
tree upon the track in such II position that
the large end was directly in the centre Of
the nJrth-bound track Serious damage
would have been done had train struck
the Tree with force,
A large tree WAS blown down on Fifth
street between Madison and Mtn"oe.
The awning posts in front of Harvey &
Sisters wholesale grocery store were blown
down.
On Tatnall street near Fourth two trees
We're uprooted by the storm. In falling
one of them fell across the roof of frame
house on the opposite side of the street,
Two trees were blown down on Tatnall
above Sixth and one on jefferson above
Fifth.
A large tree fell at Eighth and Wash
ing on streets breaking the fence in front
Of Enoch Muorc, residence
Tho fence around the yard of School
No, 90 was blown down.
THO were also blown down at Van
Buren, and Eighth, Delaware Avenue and
jackson, Thirteenth and franklin, Third
and Pine, opposite the transfer stable,
Fourth and Pine, Delaware Avenue near
Madison, two at Second and Poplar, Fifth
and Monroe, Fourth and Madison tearing
down the awning.
The awning posts in front of Charles
Blochcr's butcher shop at Second and
Scott We're blown down.
The lamp opposite the Smith building
was broken.
A swinging sign at Eleventh street
bridge was blown down.
A bill board at Fourth aud Pine was
demolished.
The storm was severe in the i aily-
wine wood. Many trees were ulrootuu and
others shorn Of branches. Ono large oak
which stood at the Breaks mill for forty
years was among the trees. 1t broke the
DuPuuts Company telephone wires.