New-York tribune., 1896-02-07
WILD ON SEA AND LAND.
WIND AND RAIN PLAY HAVOC.
TERRIFIC HURRICANE SWEEPS OvEP
THE CITY, DOING CONSIDERABLE
DAMAGE.


ALONG THE CoAsT--A TUG cAPsIZEs IN THE
HARBoR-ONE OF THE CREW DROWNED
Mr.. DUNN SAYS IT IS THE MOST sE-
WERE STORM THAT HAS EVER
VISITED THIS LOCALITY"
The windstorm which swept down upon New.
York al early hour yesterday morning was by
all odds the most severe of its kind ever recorded
by the local weather bureau. The wind was
blowing twenty-eght miles an hour at 2:30 o'clock
yesterday morning. and from that time on grad
ually increased in velocity until at 10 o'clock 1t
was bowling over Manhattan Island at the rate
Of seventy miles hour.
IT, great blizzard Of 1888. far wind Is
concerned, was tame affair in comparison with
the hurricane Of yesterday. During the blizzard
old Boreas contented himself with eisurey gait
Of from forty-two 10 forty-four miles an hour.
but from 10 10 o'clock yesterday morning not
an hour passed that be dd not travel sixtyfour
miles. and at times he made seventy-two. 1t ne
mained for Long Branch, however, to break the
record. At o'clock yesterday afternoon the OBJ
server at that station reported that the anemom-
eter had been blown to pieces, and that the gale
probably making ninety miles an hour.
SWEEPS Up FROM THE EAST RIVER.
The streets in the business portions OF the city
were exceedingly lively during the morning. The
wind raced up the cross streets from the East
River If its sole business for the day were to
turn umbrellas inside out play football with
hundreds of flying hats and wrap peoples coat
tails about their ears.
There was probably no breezier place in the
city than al the junction Of Spruce and Nassau
SITS. Near this spot crowds OF those who could
spare the time stood in adjacent doorways and
to join them. The doorway contingent was CON-
stanty augmented by persons who had to seek
shelter in order 10 turn umbrellas right side out
again pick the bricks out Of battered hats.
The rain was heaviest from IL o'clock In
the morning. Most OF the time the rain swept
in blocks up the streets leading from the East
River. Wagons We're overturned and in some
cases people were blown from their feet The
latter scrambled to an upright position again
wet, angry and sputtering, but in all cases the
centres of large and delighted audiences In
neighboring doorways
At about $3.50 o'clock yesterday afternoon the
rain ceased. the wind went down. and the sun
came out and smiled on the flooded streets for
an hour or more. But gradually the clouds
settled again, the wind gathered new strength.
the rain began to fall and by 10 o'clock there
were prospect1 OF tempestuous night.
Considerable damege was done to property
In various sections Of the city by timbers blown
from buildings in process Of erection. Plate
glass windows were blown in smashed by
flying debris Several pedestrians We're slightly
injured by failing planks. while the wall which
a recent fire left standing crashed through the
roofs Of some tenement houses West Broad
way.
THE STORM AT ITS HEIGHT IN THE HARBOR
The storm more violent out In the
harbo:. The American ship j. B. Walker was
blown clear across the bay from Congress-st.
Brooklyn, and in spite OF the pulling and haul
ing Of two powerful tugs was driven on the
rocks at Bedlow's Island
The clam sloop Favorte capsized soon after
10 O'Clock in the morning and OF the crew
was drowned while the steam lighter Green
wich sank just before daybreak in the Kill
Won Kull.
The hurricane widespread as il was
severe. danger signals being displayed all along
the Atlantic Coast. from Nova Scotia to Florida
The gale probably most violent between
Cape Hatteras and Boston. Mariners were in
especial danger because the wind blew on shore
and the beach patrols and nfe-savers passed an
anxious and a busy day.
Owing to the warnings sent out by the
Weather Bureau on Wednesday night few yes.
sells left port yesterday.
HURRICANE SIGNALS DISPLAYED.
When shippers saw the hurricane signals hy-
ing from the top OF the Manhattan Life In
surence Company Building they rejoiced that
they were with the landlubbers instead Of en-
joying life on the rolling deep at the rate Of
anywhere from sixty to one hundred miles an
hour Yesterday. by-the-way. is the frs, time
that hurricane signals have ever been set by the
local Wea ther Bureau.
The Yorktown. of the Old Dominion Line. was
the only steamship TO put out of New-York
HarbOr yesterday.
Mr. Dunn was busy examining wind and rain
measurers when a Tribune reporter visited him
in his sky parlor yesterday afternoon. but he
soon found TIM II tell whence the wind came
and whittier II went. This" said Mr.. Dunn.
"is genuine hurricane and the most severe
storm that has visited this locality. 1t
first came within our observation on the west
coast Of Texas Tuesday morning. but its origin
was probably In the neighborhood OF the tropics
just north of the belt Of Gains, where most
storms OF this nature usually originate.
ION Tuesday night the storm began to show
some power. on Wednesday morning it's centre
was at New Orleans and began to show a decided
outline. its extending ast-norheast to the
Tennessee Valley and north 10 Illinois. Heavy
rain then falling In the Gulf States, and
warnings OF the probable severity sent out
from this office to all points from Nova Scotia 10
Florida.
MR. DUNN SENDS OUT HIS WARNING.
Last night. the storm having developed moro
decidedly, sent to all shipping interests. warning
them that it would be perllous TO allow any ship
70 leave port. This warning was sent out more
widely than ever before. 1t Is a thing We have
TO do not more than half a dozen times year
"Wednesday night the storm was central over
Alabama, and this afternoon at o'clock We were
nearly In the storm centre right here In New
York The rainfall between 1l:3O Wednesday
night and 2:30 this afternoon was about two
inches and at the latter hour the barometer read
2S 6S, which is a very steep pressure gradient
Mr. Dunn then said that the wind would plow
hard ali last night shifting probnbc from the
northeas, 70 the northwest with probably fair
and colder weather Friday afternoon
The owners OF the st. Paul may congratulate
Themselves" were Mr.. Dunn's parting words. IL
che had been ashore when the hurricane struck
long Brn nch this morning there wouldn't be
onomeh left of her to put together by this time"
o., al uNYork Ctv and the western part OF the
iJor,v fherf for aft