Kansas City daily journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1892-1897, 1896-10-14
THE HALF NOT TOLD OF THE At
LANTIC COAST GALE.
BLEW TWO DAYS AND A NIGHT.
FOLLOWED BY RAIN, WHICH IS COM
PLETING THE DEVASTATION.
Everywhere Great Damage Was Done
to PrOperty-HOtels Undermined
and Cottages Swept Away
The Fury of Wind
and Wave.

New York, Oct 13.-The great storm Of
'a6 has not been relegated to the annals
of the past and the story has not half been
told. No one has so far been able to est
mate the damage wrought by the wind and
the waves, not to say how far-reaching was
the fury of the gale. But as far as the
eye can see, from any point along the
shores of Long Island, along the Jersey
coast, in over the lowlands, and in some
instances over the highlands, wherever one
may turn, there are evidences that hurri-
cane has been passing through this section
of the country. 1t was the tail of storm
that came from the Indies, broad and de-
structive. It lifted the seas to a giant
height and forced in the waters with a
sweep that carried them high over the
land to begin the work the wind and rain
would finish.
For two days and night the gale blew
with ever-increasing fury, and to-day there
was a steady downpour of rain to COM
plete the miserable devastation already
well done. Thousands have spent the day
at the beaches, working at the devastation.
AT Brighton Beach and at Manhattan, at
Edgemer, at Far Rockaway and at dozen
other points along the sea line, the incom-
ing water swept under the very founda-
tions of the buildings. One hotel did go
down. 1t was the Brunswick, at Sea Isle
City, the finest structure of its kind in that
section. The reports that have already
come in are to the effect that in some
sections whole districts on the coast were
clean swept of the frame buildings.
Jersey City was in places practically in-
undated, and boats were valuable ac-
QUESTION to-day. The railroads in that sec
ton of New Jersey were sufferers to the
extent Of suspending business for a per-
iod, and many towns in that state were
cut off.
Householders at Asbury Park and Long
Branch gathered to watch the fury of the
seas, wonder-stricken and amazed at the
greatness of the waters. But Coney Island
was the greatest sufferer. One may not
stroll through the well remembered walks
fronting on the beach, but he may climb
wearily over the masses of ruins that mark
the old paths, or stand afar and view the
wrecked pavilionS and water chuteS and
ice slides.
Seidlitz' concert hall at Brighton is to-
tally destroyed. The ruins of two walls are
all that mark the huge structure, which
crashed in under the terrific force of water
hurled against it. 1t is believed that sew
eral hundred thousand dollars would not
cover the value of the places thus de-
stroyed. Yesterday the tide was higher
than anybody remembered it to be, but
early this morning. long before sunrise, 1t
had again reached a maximum still higher
than at the previous flood. 1t only needed
this to complete the devastation along the
beaches. The seas simply swept over the
adjoining districts, hundreds of feet be-
yond what long ago had been fixed as the
11l,,
flooded and to-day some of them are not
yet safe from collapse.
Philadelphia, Oct. l3.-The West Indian
hurricane, which carried death and de-
struction before it and has devastated the
New Jersey coast during the past forty
eight hours. has finally spent its force.
Some half dozen lives have been lost and
more than s15O.OOO worth of property de-
stroyed.
The greatest damage was done at Allan
tic City, Angelsea, Sea Isle City and Holly
Beach. The railroad companies will be the
heaviest losers in Atlantic City, the dam
age to the roadbeds alone amounting to
over $4,000 A train reached the shore this
afternoon over the Philadelphia & Reading
road, being the first in two days to cross
the Meadows.
At Sea Isle City hardly any property
along the ocean front escaped damage. The
Hotel Brunswick was badly wrecked by the
heavy breakers. Up to the Continental ho-
tel the seas inroads were by far the most
disastrous Not one of the cottages 'front.'
ing the board walk escaped more or less
damage. Verandas were torn out of place.
fences and flower gardens were totally de-
stroyed and many cottages were danger
ousIy undermined. The board walk is bad
ly strained and in some places is entirely
demolished. Reports from Angelsea are to
the effect that the tide was the highest and
most destructive since 1889.