The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-11-03

i as wrightsville. Mr.. 7. McGhee, watch
man on the beach, wrote MIR. c.. w.
Linder yesterday that the majority of
the cottages were blown down. He
wanted to know what disposition TO
make of the debris that could be found.
/ From another most reliable source in
/ formation was received that cottages
| south of the hotel are safe, and those
north of the hotel are destroyed, ex-
cept MI. d. McEachern's cottage.
Sedgeley Hall Club and Hanover Sea-
| side Club. 1t is also stated hat the
waves rolled solidly over the beach and
| did not break until they reached the
| sound. The railroad track is torn up
| and shifted back towards the woods.
A large party of cottage owners and
| others will go down ITO Carolina Beach
from this city this morning TO investi-
I,gate the extent Of the damage.
ALONG THE RIVER FRONT.
The waters rolled high and heavy in
Cape Fear river and all along the water
! front. The wharves, from one end of the
city to the other, were under water on
this side and the damage resulting from
the water will reach several thousand
dollars. On the other side the water
was way out of its usual banks m the
whole country as far as the eye could
reach was a continuous sheet of water.
The losses in the rice fields alone will
amount to a large sum-.
The water reached its highest mark
about 8 o'clock yesterday morning and
then fell rapidly. AS soon as the tide
had sufficiently receded laborers were
put to work clearing away the mud
which had settled upon h wharves,
and the goods which were damaged by
the water were moved. The CLYDE Tine
wharf was about six inches under wat
er. All the goods usually stored there
had been removed and there was no
loss by water. An occasional plank
was torn up from the floor of the ware
house.
FIRE IN THE ATLANTIC AND YAD-
KIN WAREHOUSE.
The most serious damage on the
wharf was at the old Cape Fear and
Yadkin Valley warehouse, where a va
riety of goods were stored. a large
quantity of lime owned by Colonel
Roger Moore and stored there caught
fire as soon as the water struck it,
about s o'clock yesterday morning, and
the fire department vas called out to
e~Xtinguish the flames. There were less
goods under the shed than at any time
since the days of the Cape Fear and
Yadkin Valley railroad. The following
are the principal losers by the water
under the shed: S. P. McNair, slight
damage to OATS B. F. Keith & Co.,
merchandise $50; Roger Moore, lime and
cement, 5000, by water and fire.; c.. c..
Covington, merchandise, very slight,
w. B. Cooper, oats 5000; Samuel Bear,
tobaccos, $500. There were some whose
losses were very small.
The depth of the water under the
he'd was about one foot
OTHER WHARF DAMAGES.
The Single yard at the wharf of the
river boats suffered to a small extent.
A fiat, two-thirds loaded with brick,
at the foot of Market street, owned by
Colonel Roger Moore, was carried away
and no trace of it has been found. The
total loss of flat and brick amounts to
between $4O0 and $500.
All of the wharves down the river be-
low Market street were NOR cor less
damaged. Some of them were almost
washed away. The wharf at which con-
verted cruiser Hornet was tied up was
almost destroyed, but the vessel was
held secure.
Drift wood of every description, and
seaweed were brought up the river in
thick professions, covering the entire
surface of the river in many places.
MASONIC TEMPLE WALL DAM
AGED.
A small portion of the top of the
north wall of the Masonic Temple was
blown off early yesterday morning and
q quantity of the brick crashed into
the roof of the MacRae building and
fell through to the knights of Pythias
a on the third floor. The cause for
the walls giving way was the newness
of the work. The mortar was still soft
and the rain weakened it. A large
hole was broker in the roof of the Mac
Rae building n the lime, cement and
bricks which fell into the Knights OF
Pythias hall caused considerable dam
age to walls, carpets, chairs, desks and
other furnishings. The total damage
to the Temple and the MacFtae build
ing will amount to about $3.50, which
will be paid by the Temple contractors
and builders.
INSIGNIFICANT DAMAGES.
The damages throughout. the city
from the vino were slight, but very
numerous. Many windows and blinds
were broken, fences of all descriptions
blown down, bill boards either blown
down or stripped of all show bills, and
many limbs from trees blown down.
In some places tin roofs were torn
up. The wires got mixed up more or
less at various places and off and on
during the storm.
A DRIFTING TRUNK PICKED UP.
About 11:45 yesterday morning a
small trunk was found drifting near
the government wharf by Jim E.
Howard, ~janitor ait the custom house.
The trunk was opened n found to
contain clothes, brushes, papers,
photos and other odds and ends, to-
gether with a few coppers. On all the
papers was the name of J. W. Brock,
who is known to have been fishing on
Zeke's island a day or two since with
Acy Horton, Of Wilmington. Zeke's
island was completely covered with
water and it is presumed that the men
were either washed away or else they
wer Elm a boat leaving h island when
1T was capsiZed. Nothing has yet been
heard of them. Brooks home is near
Middle sound.
THE SOUTHPORT SITUATION.
The following telegram was received
from Southport last night:
THE storm here was the worst ever
known and great damage was done.
The Norwegian bark Johannah being
disinfected at Cape Fear quarantine
station. vas driven across the river and
washed high Upon the beach. All the
wharves except the government coal
docks were washed away and the tug
Blanche and passenger steamer South
port, which were lying at the wharves,
were driven ashore. The tide rose five
feet above the usual high water mark.
and many houses along the water front