The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-10-26
A Regular Hurricane Trav-
erseS the Coast.
HIGHEST TIDES IN YEARS
UNLESS THE WIND ABATES,
GREATER DAMAGE EXPECTED.
PROPERTY DAMAGED AND DESTROYED

Cobbs Island Submerged--Life Saving Crew
Narrowly Escape Two Lives Lost in Nor
folk Animals Drowned at Some
Places Terrific Winds.
New York, October 25.-High tides
and high winds that drove the sea inland
have caused an immense amount Of dam
age along the Jersey and Long Island
coast during the past twenty four hours.
Many buildings erected on the sandy
summer resorts were knocked to pieces
and carried out to sea, and coast line
railroads have suffered much loss and
delay by reason of the storm.
The highest tides in years, supple
mented by wind which blew at the rate
of from 35 to 90 miles an hour prevailed
to-day and when the high water
reaches its maximum tomorrow, even
greater damage is expected unless the
gale abates. From down the Long Is
land coast, the heaviest damage is re-
ported.
A REGULAR HURRICANE.
Ocean City, Md, Oct. 25.-The storm
of the last two days was the worst in
the memory Of the oldest inhabitant. The
wind attained the proportions of hur-
rcane, and the surf ran four feet deep
across the beach into Sinepuxent Bay.
The board walk south from Trimpers
Hotel is entirely washed away for some
distance, and north from the same point
is wrecked in places. The large porches
of Congress Hall, Trimpere's, Eastern
Shore Hotel, Troopers pavilion, Allan
tic Hotel and the Meyer cottage are
completely wrecked. The immense fish
pound of the Ocean City Fishing Com
pany was carried out to sea. The Cam
bridge Hotel was nearly wrecked. A
large two masted schooner was sunk IL
the bay after being driven against the
draw bridge. The damage will reach
thousands Of dollars.
FROM CAPE CHARLES.
Cape Charles, Va, October pa So
we're wind and rain storm has been raging
here since yesterday. The tide this
morning ran several inches higher than
it was ever known to reach before. The
keeper of Cobbs Island Life Saving
station arrived here this afternoon and
reported the island entirely submerged
and deserted. The station, which was
raised last winter and placed upon piling,
was washed off its foundation and the
kitchen and part of the main building
was swept away by heavy sea. The
life saving crew made their escape in the
life boat and reached the mainland safely
after hard struggle. Communication
is cut off from the islands along the
coast, which were connected by telephone
= RrAr Nod lul n
cradle damage has been done.
BAD IN NORFOLK.
Norfolk. Va, October 23.-The heavy
northeaster developed early last night a
full fedged hurricane, which has how
ever done less damage to shipping than
was threatened. In this city the dam
age was not great, Notwithstanding the
high tides that interrupted street car
traffic and injured goods stored on low
wharves. The water got into the lime
house of Gamage g. Waller, Plume
Street, at / o'clock this morning and
started a fire among several barrels OF
lime and serious confagration was
narrowly averted. The Stakes Ware
house, Brambleton ward, fire started
among lime No one could reach the
fire alarm box ON account OF the water,
SO an improyised fire brigade was
formed. who after a hard fight extin-
guished the flames.
Two men met death by electricity
during the storm Claud Young, colored,
employed by G. S. Briggs, was handling
a telephone in the office. The wires
must have crossed with live wire, for
when Young grasped the lever, thus
forming a circuit, he dropped to the
floor dead. Another negro named Hearn
was at Queen and Smith streets and
saw a parted wire in the street. He
thought it harmless and picked one end
up with his right hand when 1000 volts
of electricity shot through him and he
fell, his left foot striking the other end,
completing the circuit and he was killed
Inere have been no wrecks, but the
tug Luctenbach, while towing the
schooner Matilda from Key West to
New York lost her tow near Ocrocoke.
The schooner's crew were rescued. In
many streets down town the water
was knee deep. In the neighborhood OF
the police station, quarter of a mile
from the river front, boats were used
for crossing the streets.
NEWS FROM CAPE MAY.
Cape May, N. J., Oct. 25.-One of the
fercest northeast gales of years has
swept the lower Jersey coast and up
Delaware Bay for the past twenty-four
hours. Many vessels have been stranded
and there is an unconfrmed report that
a ship went down off shore this morn
ing. A feet Is rising at anchor within
the harbor, unable to proceed either
way, and the meadows are SO inundated
that railroad travel to the coast resorts
b practically suspended. The tide here
ID abating somewhat tonight, but the