The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-10-13
AWFUL HURRICANE.
On the Atlantic Coast Docs IRE.
d mcndous d Damagc.
WATERING PLACES WRECKED.

And Thon,ani. of Dollars Worth of
Property Destroyed :. buildings swept
Away by the Waves, whiei, were rIern-
tain IIigl,-Ilundred, OF Thousands, OF
Dollar. Lost in a Few IIour.-The Gale
Sweeps All Along tho Coast for Two
Day.
NEW YORK, Oct. PA verita5le
hurricane has swep. over this section OF
the country yesterday and to-day. The
wind blew with terrific force, reaching
at Sandy Hook a velocity of seventy-ilve
miles an hour last night. The tides rose
to height Of many feet greater than
has been seen for years and the waves
all along the Atlantic coast swept in
with force that carried everything be-
fore them and did damage to the amount
of thousands of dollars. Sandy Hook
and points all along the Jersey coast
felt the fury of the storm most of all,
but Coney Island experienced so far as
has yet been learned, the most direful re-
suits.
The beaches were swept clean, pavil-
ions were overturned and carried sea-
ward, bathing houses and boardwallss,
everything not far inland on the famous
island was torn up and, piled high be-
yond the coast line, or were carried out
to sea. At Brighton Beach the storm
walks In front of the big hotel were un-
der water and towards the end OF this
afternoon the famous Seldl concert hall
was inundated and partially carried
away. The well kept lawns in front OF
the Oriental hotel and Manhattan
Beach hotel were Ibid waste and the
lower portions of the hotels flooded. In
Vulnerable small buildings were simply
picked up bodily and carried away by
the wind or waves.
At Far Rockaway the fury OF the gale
was indescribable. Those houses which
were built on piles in sand were washed
away and those higher UP, which for
years have been out of reach of the
highest tides, were to-day flooded.
Along the Jersey coast most OF the
damage done was to piers and to break
waters. Preparations had been made,
as forewarnlngs of the storm had been
given some days ago. AS yet very little
damage to shipping has been reported
for on account OF warnings many craft
delayed sailing and others that had
cleared returned for safe anchorage.
Hog Island during the afternoon add
ed another big section to that portion
which had previously gone to sea and
another such storm would wipe 1t and
several other adjoining districts out OF
existence altogether.
The ferry house, dock. board walk and
pavilion of the Far Rockaway Improve
ment Company, was totally wrecked.
The casino, the United States hotel, the
Tackapausha house and the Dolphin
hotel were among those buildings which
had at least two feet of water on their
ground floors.
AT Wave Crest the damage will
amount to about $4,000. Nearly all the
improvements made by the Lancaster
Improvement Company near this place,
within the last two years are washed
away, piled up In broken masses or
buried under tons of sand.
A great deal OF damage was done at
Edgemere, and this afternoon the tide
had risen SO high as to threaten to un-
dermine the Edgemere hotel. This huge
structure was thought to occupy a place
of safety, but nothing seemed to be safe
in to-day's rush df the waves. The
water swept up and with breech in the
sand all along the 400 feet OF frontage of
the hotel. 1t washed Its way under
meath the buildings and at one time
its destruction.
AT Arerne, several summer cottages
were lifted from their foundations and
completely wrecked. At this place .ev-
eral hundred yards of track was washed
away. In New Jersey all the low lands
were under water and the usual wash
outs of railroads lying along the coast
are reported 4ssta
At Sandy Hook, where even the breath
of breeze can be twisted into a gale,
last nights blow was q bowling hurri-
cane. 1t was q fearful, night for the OBJ
server and for all who had reason to ven
ture within sight of the sias. The
waves broke higher than ever before and
at one time the old tower, which incom-
ing and outgoing ships signal, shook
and tottered as though IL would be
blown over. This was towards morn
ing, when 1t is estimated the gale was
speeding along In the vicinity of seven
ty-tive miles an hour.
The storm was the most devastating
that has visited the Sea Isle City since
the great storm of 1885, which was ac-
by tidal The streets
were flooded and many hotels and cot
tagcs along the narrow strip OF sand
between Townsend and Corsons Inlets
were wrecked or badly damaged. Last
night the sea attacked the beach hi
front of the Brunswick hotel, the finest
on that portion of the coast.
To-day 1t completed Its work, Early |
IN the afternoon the front OF the build
ing began, TO sag. 1t dropped lower and |
lower as the waves beat up against 1t
and In the middle Of the afternoon the
structure fell In n mass of ruins.
North OF Sea Isle City the fronts OF
many of the cottages have been under
mined; some of the cottages have al
ready fallen and others are ready to fall.
Many catnstrophes must come when the
sea resumes It's pounding at high tide.
Sea Isle City has heen entirely cut of
from train connection. not train since
reaching that point. The |
branch OF the South Jersey railroad,
which was In course OF construction to |
Ocean City Is washed away for fully o
half mile.
Life saving stations have been on the |
alert ever since the storm began. They |
have been able to do little In the way or |
avertIng the damage and have been re-
quired to do little in the way OF saving I
life.
At Long Branch the, new iron pier. |
which many times during the day was
Shaken 10 Its very foundation. so far
has stood the test. 1t Is thought that
ltmay go down before morning II the
force Of the waves are not lessened.
The scenes In Egg Harbor City, n.
1.,fwerc distressing. The wind blew n
all day and all night ayd, all