The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-08-18
THRILLING CHASE
BEFORE He STORM.
Four Canoeists Narrowly Escaped
Drowning During Hurricane.
BEACH sIREWN WITH BIRDS.
They Had Been Blown Ashore and
Their Life Beaten Out Asains, the
sand-Busincss Houses Close in
Honor OF Mr.. Huntington.
Especial Dispatch 10 The Times,

NEWPORT NEWS. Va, August 17.-.
The extent Of EAST nights terrific wind
and rain storm was not learned Until this
morning The hurricane lasted about an
hour, during which time almost every yes
SCI In she stream dragged anchor before
The fierce bias; that swept down cou;;1lu-
ally from the northwest.
Ths most thrilling experience was that
OF four we'll known young men, John Nor
bon. Clarence Wood, Edgar Werii.eimer
and Robert Lpop, who had bees, camping
for several days across the river, just south
OF EerEusson's wharf. Yesterday alter
noon they started for Newport News in a
rHeuty-eight foot canoe. When the sduaii
struck them. they were about three miies
on tho sh!psard. The anchor was thrown
over, but did not hold the f-ail craft, "h.ch
mas swept down the river. 1t was Ike
race as one Of them expressed It ms
morning.
& 1t was pitchy dark. save for the occa-
Eiuual flashes OF lightning The canoe was
nearly filled with water and the young
men expected each moment to be Their
Hast. Presently, they bumped into the
barge Anna H Smith. and Captain Ne
son, who was on the lookout for just such
q contingency, saw them IN a flash OF
lightning and flung out line. Lipep
sauSf. the rope and was Immediately
5erked overheard and slammed UP against
The side of the barge, where the WIVES
beat him agains. the vessel tor twenty
minutes before he was hauled aboard,
more dead than alive.
SPED BEFORE THE WIND
In tho meantime, the canoe, with the
other three men, was racing on down the
.riyef al g. terrific rate and IN a minute
sn,sd crashed into the bow of the 1oul-
frnasted schooner David p Davis. "A rope
was thrown from. the schooner anu
swuapped several times around the mast
,of the canoe The mast Was siiai.,ea ~
I aiks a p.pe-s.en. and the canoe, With DOW
.s<nr;t torn away. cleared away from the
lsehooner's bow and swept the length Oh
etbe vessel 10 her stern. The desperate
crew as the canoe bounded Ike cork
around the stern Of the schooner, look aa-
vantage Of swell and jumped Tor me
yawl. which was swinging from me
schooner. 1t was case oil l1e OF deasi,'
and the young men knew it; they jumped.
therefore with such good effect that they
handed safely in the yawi and crawled over
To tn. deck of the schooner, very much
4lls worse for wear.
The canoe went sweeping on down the
river and this morning the Chesapeake
and Ohio tug Helen picked her up on
7,ser 8 where she was lying. bottom up
ward and completely dismanted
The lucky young men, after borroWlne
some clothing from the kind-hearted crews
OF the vessels upon which they We're res
cued. where brought ashore this morning
dn a very thankful state of mind.
Everything upon the canoe was lost
Including 81 In money belonging to MI
.Layop. two valuable rifles. revolver.
r:atSh ana lot of clothing and supplies.
STREwN WITH BIRDS.
The crew of the three-masted schooner
Viking also had an exciting experience
The vessel was anchored at point about
opposite the sllpyard and was carried
stern foremost all the way down the
stream nearly to the Old Dominion pier.
1ouIing the schooner David 2. Davis twice
on the Journey, but doing no serious dam
age.
The river shore along the Casino front
IS literally strewn with birds, most of
them sparrows. blown in and beaten to
death against the sand. There are bushels
OF them every few yards.
Every business house of any Importance
in the city closed to-day between the
hour: of II O'clock A. NJ and o'clock r
late Coils p. Huntington. Newport News
sent Very beautiful floral Offering in the
design OF n battleship. The money for
It was raised by subscription among the
merchants in about an hour.
The colored people. to whom Mr. Hunt
ington, in as especial sense. was hene-
factor. met this morning at 9 o'clock In
the Christian Church. on Ivy Avenue, and
adopted suitable resolutions.
The tsfipyard is closed down Cor the day.