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

& EteDS-aI least &VN tfIh va III
Mr.. Jerry Hewlett, OF Masonboro
sound. tells of q remarkable incident
at his place. A very lin Dull which
he had on his place was found some
time after the storm hung by its horns
from the branches of a tree. He was
hanging rigid in death, his hind feet
full our feet from the ground. The only
way OF accounting for this is that the
animal was caught by the incoming
tide and in swimming landward was
caught by his horns in the limbs. so
that when the waters receded he was
left suspended by his horns.
THE STORM ON TOPSAIL.
Mr.. D.. c.. Davis, OF Topsail sound,
todd q Messenger representative yester-
day that the highest winds and heavi-
est seas ever known on that coast pre-
vailed during the storm. Every fisher
man on the coast lost boats and nets.
and many buildings were blown down.
Mr.. Davis lost four mall houses.
Mr.. Peter Batson, eight miles fur
Their up the coast. says that his sharpe
was beached way up in a field Zoe yards
or more further than the tide was ever
known 10 reach before. This was at a
point just opposite old Topsail inlet
LOSS ON GOATS ISLAND.
Mr.. Joe Pepper INC James Nixon,
with ten assistant fishermen. were on
Goats island when the storm came up
Tuesday morning. The waters came up
over the island and they barely escap-
ed in their BOAT with their lives. For
tunately. the wind and tide carried
them ashore in a corn field opposite the
island. In floating into the field the
BOAT passed over a ten-slat BOARD
fence. which withstood the force of the
waves. In abandoning their camps on
Goats island the left o 1900 fine
muliets which they had caught the eve
ming before. which, together with
their camp equipment-.nets, boats.
etc.-are a total loss.
JOHN HANCOCK'S HOUSE De
STROYED.
John Hancock and family. near Ce-
dar Grove, had quite a narrow escape.
Their house was blown away about 10
o'clock Monday night and they barely
escaped with their lives. There were
no near n~eighbors and ii was impos-
sihle to make their way through the
darkness and woods to any other place
of safety, so they made n cart fast and
spent the night in il, exposed to the
terrific winds and incessant downpour
of rain.
LOSSES ON MIDDLE SOUND.
Mr.. l.. II. Nissen, OF Middle sound.
was in Wilmington yesterday to buy
timber with which TO make new fishing
boats. and material for nets, etc. He
says he lost five boats and all his nets
and seines, and that all the fishermen
along his section OF the coast are lin
the same row for stumps." "a
Mr.. George Shepard, on Middle sound,
lost six boats and all his nets.
MIR. YOPP'S OPINION.
Mr.. w. II. Yopp. OF this city, one OF
the most extensive and best known
shippers Of fish and oysters on the
North Carolina coast, was seen by "A
member of The Messenger stan yes
.AV.la aAl aIwA4 LIa -.
the damage to the fish industry by the
storm. He said that the damage by
the storm has practically for he pres
ent put a stop to the fish business. He
is convinced from news which he has
received from various points all along
the coast that there is scarcely a fish
erman all the way to New river who
has not lost a part OF his fishing equip
ment, and too. those who are able 10
buy new boats and nets mt once are
the exception, so that prospects are
that the fish and oyster supply bids
fair to be very short for sometime TO
come; and he says fishermen could
scarcely procure new boats and nets
now before the best of the present fish
ing season will be over. Mr.. Yopp says.
too, that there can but be the most
appalling distress amongst many OF
the fishermens' families. The source
of their daily bread is from the pro-
ceeds Of their fish and with his cut
off and many Of them rendered home
less as well, the situation Is indeed
serious.
THE ZEKE'S ISLAND INCIDENT.
In yesterdays Messenger reference
was made to the finding OF a trunk,
supposed to be the property OF j. w.
Brock floating in the river, and that
the last heard Of him was that ne was
on Zeke's island with several compan-
ions.
The trunk was identified yesterday as
that of Brock. But nothing has as yet
been heard of the missing man. 1t is
known that Buck Roam, a man by the
name OF Green, and j. j. Kennedy to
gether with two fishermen from some
distance up the coast, were also on
Zeke's island Tuesday night with a
small skiff, and nothing has been heard
OF either Of them by their families here.
Both Zeke's island and Baldhead were
completely swept by the waves and
there is serious apprehension that the
men were lost.
ACY HORIZONS ADVENTURE.
One of the most narrow escapes from
destruction by the storm which has yet
come H.. light was that OF Acy Horton,
who was at the time fishing in Bug
yards Bay" near Fort Fisher. He says
that he started in his sharpe for the
mainland and was carried by the wind
n tide almost out to sea, being pow
erless To control the boat. Suddenly
the wind shifted TO the southeast and
carried the sharpe back landward and
three miles or more up the river. where
it was grounded in the woods adjacent
to the river. In order 10 reach the
point at which it vas grounded. the
boat had to actually pass over tcectops
covered over by the waters OF the river.
Mr.. Horton made his way TO the city
and went back after his sharpe yes
terday.
DAMAGE TO BRUNSWICK BRIDGE.
Colonel Walker Taylor. president OF
the Brunswick Bridge and Ferry Co.
reports that damage To- rhe bridges and
causeway was extensive-Fhe large
bridge over Alligator creek f2o0 feet
longD about half Of 1t was lifted up
and carried about thirty feet and turn
ed edgewise up the creek. \ ltUtle
bridge shirty-ive feet long MS entire
ly washed away.
The ~underpinning Of one OF the spans
OF the bridge over B~runswick river has
beer undermined. Owing 10 these con
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