New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-03
UNDER CANVAS AND SNOW.
SOLDIERS AT MONTAUK HAD HAM
TIME IN THE BIG STORM.

SOLDIERS AT MONTAuk HAD ~ i
TIME IN THE BIG STORM
WHEN THE ROOF OF A BUILDING BLEW OFF IN
THE NIGHT THEY ROLLED THEMSELVES IN
BLANKETS. AND MOVED IN THE MORN
ING-MANY MEN AT WORK RE-
PAIRING TRACKS AND WIRES
Battery l.. 9Th Artillery Captain LUDLOW
had a rough experience in the storm OF oa'ui
cay and Sunday A detachment of the battery
reached Amagansett yesterday and brought the
first news Of the experience OF the comihaho
during the blizzard. The sergeant In charge OF
the detachment says he has been through severe
Montana blizzards. and would sooner go through
half dozen on the plains or in the mountains
than experience such another night as tnat oi
last Saturday.
Many Of the men in the battery are ne" u
soldering. only the basis Of the battery being
seasoned campaigners. If 1t had not been for the
presence of these old Indian fighters in the COM
mand the sufferlngs OF the men would have been
very severe The battery has been expecting
Transportation away from the Point for long
time but It did not come, and the men have re-
mained In charge Of the buildings
On Saturday when the storm threatened to be-
come severe the men shifted themselves Into
the wooden hospital buildings, and prepared to
camp there until the storm was over Inc
buildings substantial. and there was no fear
OF their going down before the gale, but the rate
of the canvas roofs was early foreseen. and
everything possible was done to preserv' them
The snow was kept off and the edges were made
as secure as possible The stout canvas was not
proof against the wind. however, and by lo
o'clock rents began to appear. and these CIV
ing the wind play under the canvas sno"
whipped IT to pieces and only the clouds COW
cred the men The tent canvas was formed
into shelters In the walls. and then the old cam
pagners and the officers set the men 70 WORK
so to keep them warm
During the night the snow drifted into the
buildings. and after it had formed a thick
blanket over the tent canvas the men were falr-
ly comfortable under the shelters. Every man
had not only his blanket, but several others
which fortunately had not been shipped out OF
the camp. and, rolled in their blankets ana IN
canvas. the men managed to weather the storm
through the night.
MOvING IN THE STORM.
On Sunday morning II was decided 1t would be
wise to move as the gale continued ana seemed
to increase A detachment went out TO inVest-
gate the condition Of the building FOR the
Quartermasters Department near the stauoh
It was hard march for the men, warmly
wrapped as they were and unencumbered. having
lef, their eouipment behind. and taking moth
ing except food in their haversacks. They
found the quartermaster's building not only as
windproof as the hospital walls, but free OF
snow the wooden roof not having given way
The Long Island Railroad restaurant was ex-
amined, but the low land about the station was
Hooded by the high tide and the floor Of the
,,,tb ipCh
water
TIE explorers made their way back to the
hospital and reported and the battery began lts
march The men were this time In heavy
/ marching order but by frequent shifting of the
men at the head Of the lire the march was
made in good order and the quartermasters
quarters occupied. stove for cooking was res
cued from the restaurant. and from that time
on the men were in good shape. and had a com"
Portable time.
Sixty Army mules weathered the storm. and
are apparently as well as ever.
The detachment reached Amagansett on
handcar over what was left OF the Long Island
Railroad tracks. The station agent was with
them and took back the Montauk mail. ana
hereafter will travel the route daily and get IT,
LINEMEN HARD AT WORK.
Two hundred linemen from Philadelphia at
| work repairing the wires dl lIlc tdSttiH Gnu va
the island They work long possible. and
night makes no difference. but 1t will be
couple OF days more before the tangle is
straightened out. Hardly a pole is unbroken.
and those not broken were thrown out OF plumb,
with the result that the wires broke between
every pole and were tangled and twisted beyond
recall. Near Nepeague there is one Stretch
whore thrty-six poles broke.
4 big gang OF railroad men s repairing the
washout a: Nepcague. \ construction train Is
expected late this morning. and the damage Will
be repaired by to-morrcw or Monday, and the
road should be running through to Montauk by
Monday afternoon ut the latest.
There are only two ways OF communicating
with Montauk. one is the hard and difficult one
OF walking along the ocean front from Amagan-
sett and the other IS over the wreck OF the rail
road. The telephone and telegraph wires are
down. and the wagon road is impassable, owing
to washouts and deep drifts.
The Government linemen yesterday succeeded
in getting the life-savng station wires con-
nected as far as the Georgia. station, and are
now rebuilding Il toward Nepeague. and hope
by tomorrow morning to have reached the
Montauk station and the lighthouse.
During the storm at Montauk the fishing
sloor Ella May. belonging 10 D. Ross.
smashed against the iron pier where the SOL
ders landed last summer and was wrecked.
The sloop Adelaide T.. which was driven ashore
in the gale. was tloated yesterday. David Tut
hills steam launch Carrie T.. which was driven
ashore. did not 60 far enough up on the beach
and l. going to pieces. The steamboat Mantle
which was reported sunk driven ashore. is
in good shape, and can be floated.
INCREASE OF REGULAR ARMY.