Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-26

ing eastward. though there Is some pro-
DaDiity OF ats abatement before mid
night The storm practically commenced
with heavy rainfall last Friday night.
ON Saturday morning the outlook pointed
10 an abatement. but in the afternoon
the rain commenced TO fall again. and a
heavy wind sprung up. All Saturday
night the rain fell In torrents. and the
wind blew hercely Yesterday was dis
agreeable day, rain, accompanied by
periodical winds. making the atmosphere
raw and chilly. The wind increased last
night and at 10 o'clock II was blowing
al the rate Of forty miles an hour. The
red danger lantern was hoiSted early In
the evening. and was left suspended all
night. The damage along the water
front VIII amount up 10 the thousands,
and the probability is that the boat
houses and craft of all kind which man
aged 10 escape the fury OF last nights
gale will be swept away before the
morning, unless extra precautions are
taken TO insure their safety.
SUPPOSED LOSS OF LIFE.
From information that can be gathered
1t is reasonably certain that at least two
lives were lost off this city. The tug
Helen entered from Norfolk yesterday.
bringing, small batteau, which was
picked UP off the new pier, No. s. In the
bottom Of the craft was found mans
coat and hat some fishing tackle. pair
of oars, and a quantity Of freshly-caught
crabs. II is believed that the fisherman,
who must have been in the boat during
the storm. was drowned. If he succeed
ed In getting ashore. he has not yet laid
| claim 20 his boat. About $50 o'clock this
morning a number of persons along the
water front saw what is believed to be
a man clinging to the bottom Of large,
upturned boat several miles off the ship
yard pier near the Black buoy The fig
ure appeared to be waving his cap for
assistance. A man put out in a small
boat from the ship-yard. but the water
was too rough, and he was obliged TO
come ashore without accomplishing his
purpose of rescue. About the same time
a sailor was seen to put out In a boat
from a large two-masted schooner. an
chored some distance out, and make for
the unfortunate man on the capsiZed
| craft The sailor pulled as II his own
| life was at stake. AS the seaman neared
the spot the small object was seen to dis-
apnear. and if 1t was a man he certainly
| went TO q watery grave.
SCENE OF DESTRUCTION.
James river is at least four feet higher
than at the average high tide, and IL is
expected that before midnight II VIII
rise TO six feet. The entire river front
from the ship-yard to Chesapeake ana
Ohio Pier No. I presents scene OF oe-
struction. and 1t is expected that small
boats and houses to the amount OF N,OD
have been rendered utterly useless and
beyond repair.
The boulevard from the Chesapeake and
En n
siderable damage, and in three places the
breakwater was carried away by the
heavy sea. At the foot of Seventeenth
street the roadway is flooded with water.
and farther down on the shore two
houses occupied by a white man named
Carter and a negro named Gilmore, are
In danger of being flooded at any minute,
the water now reaching the floors. At
the new pier, No. 8, some Of the wood
work placed in position for the track
heine laid was carried away by the water,
which now floods all approaches in that
vicinity. AS far as can be learned the
ship-yard and shipping undergoing re-
nairs there sustained no damage. The
furv of the storm precludes all possibility
of raising the Wyanoke within the next
twenty-four hours.
HAMPTON AND OLD POINT.
Great damage was done at Hampton
and Old Point At the latter place waves
beat madly upon the sea wall leading
from the Hygeia Hotel to the dock. They
climbed over ii and were rushing pell-
nell back and forth over the paYed
street 1t was impossible to reach the
dock without wading through six inches
of water When the Cape Charles steam
er arrived from Norfolk the sea was
breaking over the dock ON the Hyseia
side, and the water was within less than
a foot of the dock. Great difficulty was
experienced by the steamers in making
landing Their searchlights were thrown
over the turbulent billows as they ap-
preached revealing the white-capped
waves as they rushed at one another far
out in the roads. The strong northwest
wind pushed the water back and Kept IL
from flooding the dock and clearing 1t OF
everything movable. But few passengers
took passage on the steamers, and those
that did so went aboard with fear ana
trembling.