New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-10-13
WATE-SWEPT COMFY ISLAND.
BUILDINGS AND PIERS DESTROYED BY
THE STORM.

THE EDGEMERE HOTEL AT ARvERNE. SAID TO BE
IN NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. AT RocKAwAY
AND ALONG LONG ISLAND.
Perhaps the worst scene of devastation that
Coney Island ever presented was witnessed yes
terday afternoon What 1t will be after this
mornings tide no one can tell
Opposite the Cycle Path the Shelter was heap
OF ruined woodwork The western part was tot
tering beneath the weight Of each wave. The Old
Iron Pier split in two by the force OF the
great northeaster With the coming OF night
there came a dreadful uncertainty as to the ex-
tent Of the havoc that the tide and waves would
cause Before shutdown the money damage mad
probably reached a sum exceeding SlOO.OoO, ana
the work OF destruction kept steadily on with
the rising tide until long after midnight. The
night preceding yesterday was of the widest
kind. There was little sleep on Sunday night at
Coney Island. All day yesterday scores Of work
men were kept busy trying to save anything
that II was possible to carry away They
worked far into last night and until they were
thoroughly exhausted AS high as 81 an hour
was offered for able bodied men, with few APP
plications.
The cheap structures at West Brighton used
as bathing pavilions were the especial marx
of the waves Along the West Brighton shore
the buildings were by means substantially
constructed ard the waves I'm most cases made
short work Of them. Nearly two hundred feet
OF beach was washed away in front Of Balmers
bathing establishment, near the Old Iron Pler'
and the spray dashed on the second-story WIN
dows. The waves beat in the front or the
building. and completely washed away house
20x30 feet In front Of Balmer's. which had been
used az a restaurant. This house foated about
Oh the waves for about ten minutes. and was
then dashed to pieces against the posts OF the
iron pier The swinging bicycle carrousel near
the iron pier was entirely demolished. ana
Rankin's ice slide toboggan was also totally
wrecked. Not a hotel or clearinghouse alonS
the shore escaped the fury of the waves The
Old Iron Pier was the last OF the familiar land
marks to be injured by the onward rush of
waters. About thirty feet of it was carried
away. and the entire structure was so badly
shattered that 1t will have to be completely
rebuilt.
The famous Bowe-v and the alleyways leading
70 II had the most thorough washing out they
eyer experienced The water worked its way
In channels nearly to Surf-ave. at several
noints tearing up the board walk in large
patches. g. r,. , sea, an
II was necessary for men to wade in water as
high as their waists. The board walk reaching
from the hotel the bathing pavilion at Brighton
Beach was entirely washed away carry III .he
dav and the station of the little railroad running
from Brighton 20 Manhattan Beach was IN water
no TO the first-stOry windows. HAVING sou
foundation. however. II Wilhs'oou 'io "''"''
OF the waves. 40 .
Wind and wave became 80 fierce by w O'CLOCK
that 1t was certain that the big shelter houses
built by John Y McKane twelve years ago. anu
| thcfn,
would be practically demolished. wave AFTER
wave had been dashed into them by the neavy
wind and every seat in them was wrecked be-
fore noon Then the floors broke up and soon
only the framework was standing.
The Brighton Beach racetrack was badly dam
aged by the waves. which broke over the roadway
and gave everything good soaking. over
hundred men set at work digging trench
on the exposed side of the track with the sand
and mud excavated ridge was buiit up when,
1t was thought, would keep the water PACK IL
did for a while but 1t not long before the
water dashed clear over.
The residents of Rockaway Beach were IN a
state of terror last night. for while consluerapie
damage has been done by the storm, II was
thought that when the high tide arrives some
time after midnight the damage will be mucn
greater. At least a score Of bull lings OF all
kinds have gone to sea. John CARDS hotel. at
Branch Point. has been swept away IL was
lifted from its spiles by the waves. All the
ba thing houses at Seaside and Rockaway Park
have gone TO sea There Is no connection pe
tween Rockaway Beach and Far Rockaway as
the has broken over IN several places IL II
thought that the Edgemere Hotel will be swept
away and the life savers are going 10 the place
James Cronin's house at Edgemere was lifted
by the waves and dropped 100 feet away from
its foundation Murray's Hotel is surrounded
by water and Meyers fishing station and bath
houses are gone. Almost half of the iron pier
has been washed away
John Shepperd. policeman. dashed into the
surf yesterday afternoon and rescued four boys
from drowning. The were being carried out
in the hay by the waves. The names Of the
hoy NOT he learned
Far Rockaway experienced the worst day in
it's existence. The water poured through the
streets all day and flooded cellars and lawns
and washed away small buildings. Tn hotels
were surrounded by water and threatened with
destruction. Hog Island added another big sec
ton to the portion that had previously gone to
sea and another storm or so viii wipe 1t out OF
existence. go
The ferryhousc. pier. board walk and pavilion
of the Far Rockaway Improvement Company
were wrecked and Almost entirely washed away.
The Casino and the United States Hotel were
flooded with water. South-st. in Far ROCK
away was under eighteen inches Of water al
most the entire day. The Tuckapousa House
and the DOLPHIN Hotel were flooded 50 that the
lower floors were under water.
Rerorts from Long Island tell Of the FURY OF
the storm all along the coast. and Tany nsn,ne
boats have been carried ashore or wSecked AT
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