Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-08-18
THE NEWS OF NORFOLK T@F2Ez

off at the corner of YORK and Bote-
tourte streets for the incoming cars
from Atlantic City and Lambert's Point
to pass delaying the trips on both lines
very much.
The cars on the East Main street
and Brambleton line were also COMPEL
ed to discontinue their trips by that
route and run through Queen street by
way of Brambleton avenue in order to
accommodate passengers living in the
Southeastern section of the ward.
THE CITY IN DARKNESS.
The city was in darkness last night
on account of the disturbance OF the
electric wires. The police last night re-
ported the wires down at several places.
Only n few street lights were burning
after 10 o'clock. A number of the tele-
phone wires were broken or torn down.
and the telegraph service was accord
inGly impaired.
The wires inside the Long Distance
Telephone Exchange. corner Main and
Atlantic streets. made a beautiful elec-
trical display for awhile about mid
night.
AT VIRGINIA BEACH.
The storm ragged all day yesterday ut
Virginia Beach, and the wind was so
strong that only a few Venturesome
ones went out on the board walk.
The sea was foaminS mass of angry
waves that dashed furiously against
the shore. and the wind. striking their
crests blew up clouds of fine spray that
resembled smoke. The froth from the
waves covered the beach and whtened
it as if snow had fallen. All day the
trains to the Beach were laden with
sightseerS. who were we'll rewarded by
the impressive storm effects of the en-
ragged ocean. Notwithstanding the
continued high wind. which reached Il
.f oil
an hour. no serious damage was report
ed at Virginia Beach. If the storm has
not abated to-day, probably many
persons will go down and witness the
wild dashing of the waves.
CORN CROP DAMAGED.
The corn crop of this section has been
badly damaged by the storm. particu-
larly the high wind and binding rain
of yesterday. The damage will be bad
ly felt. as the corn crop of Princess
Anne county and elsewhere in the Nor
folk section promised to he heavier this
season than for many years
While speaking of the effect of the
storm on the corn crop, prominent
farmer said yesterday morning 10
Il representative of the NirGinian-Pilot
that his corn crop had been then dam
aged at least ten per cent When seen
in the afternoon he sadly stated that
the increasing severity and long con-
tinuance of the storm had then dam
aged his corn crop ut least forty per
cent. and if it kept on until morning
(to-day) his crop would be practically
ruined.
His experience is also that of others
so the present storm means Il heavy
loss to the Norfolk section. by reason
OF the serious curta ilment of what
promised to be the banner corn crop
for many years.
JUST TWENTY YEARS AGO.
On August 18th. 1879. just twenty
years ago to-day. Norfolk passed
through one of the most frightful
storms in her history, and the most
dangerous one remembered by this
generation. Since that time there have
been several very strong gales. and one
equal to. if not surprising. the present
one in severity. This was in 1852
Twenty years ago to-day the city was
under water. except in high places.
The tides ran higher and higher as each
successive one came in The Atlantic
shores were dashed with Il heavy surf
such as has never been seen by many
OF the Norfolkians of to-day. All the
shipping was absolutely tied up. An
Old Dominion steamer that got out in
he middle of the Elizabeth. was liter
ally blown out of the water by the ter
rife gusts of wind. |, was swept out
upon the Naval Hospital grounds and
left there for the waves 10 beat against
With such rough waters here in port
several miles from the bay and ocean
the character of the sea out of the
Capes may be imagined only by those
who have been through an ocean storm
Yesterdays storm. though the sum
total OF the damage has been small,
reveals 10 the people on this coast who
have never witnessed such. the demon
allied state mo which such disturbance
piungcS coastwise shipping. and the
many interests dependent more or less
thereon. Fortunately the tropical
storms do not often affec; the Virginia
coast beyond the extent of a blow or
light gale. Norfolks harbor is natural
~ so well protected that. though the
wind along the coast reaches a veloc-
ity of seventy or eighty miles. causing.
as II VIII. of course. a heavy and dan
gerous sea, there is rarely any great
danger to vessels inside the harbor.