The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-10-12
For Miles and Niles Virginia Coast is Uttered With
 Wreckage
SURFMAN CAPPS AGAIN
 PROVES HIMSELF HERO
Damage to Shipping is Enormous and Several Large Vessels Are Now Nothing But Tangled
 Mass of Debris.

Norfolk, Va, October 1.-The northeast gale which has ragged over this region since Thursday has tonight probably spent it's force. but for miles and miles along the Virginia coast the beach is lit cred with wreckage and throughout this entire section of the country devastation lies in the wake of the storm. Thousands of people crowded trains to the coast to- day and saw the wrecks of the big barges Ocean Belle and Georgia, near Virginia Beach. There is nothing left but an in discriminate tangle of debris along the shore at Danneck to mark the end of the three-masted schooner Nellie w. How lett. The body of Captain George E. Evans of the Georgia washed ashore late last right. two miles south of Sea Tack life saving station, and is now at that station.
 The rescue of the remaining three ne- groes of the crew by Surfman William Capps of Sea Tack station, was one of the most heroic acts in the story of surf- men on the Virginia coast.
 An Act of Heroism.
 Capps, while two miles from another human being and patroling his stretch between the stations, saw a negro over one hundred yards off shore in the boil ing surf.
 Without moments consideration of the peril he was facing, he stripped and purged inoi the sea that was Sareads a seething mass of wreckage from the barges. and after half hours battle, single-handed and alone brought the un- conscious man ashore. He had not re- covered his breath before he discerned through rift in the spume another form and once more he went into the surf. This time, by reason of his exhaustion, his struggle was a harder one. but he eventually succeeded in saving the man, who is also a negro. Placing each man under the lee of a cliff, he started back to the station to give the alarm, when he saw the third negro in the waves, and for the third time plunged in and brought an unconscious man ashore.
 Capps did not cease his work until all three men had been cared for at the sta- tion, and at midnight he resumed his regular trick" at patrolling the storm swept coast.
 Telegraph System Prostrated.
 While nothing new is reported in the way of wrecks on the coast, there is abso- lutely no method of securing information from points more than six miles south Of Virginia beach. The entire coast telegraph system Is prostrated
 The passenger steamer reported off the capes last night in dangerous position is thought to be the Old Dominion steam CT Hamilton, from New York. The Ham, ilton reached Norfolk at o'clock this morning after terrible experience.
 The steamer was not damaged to any great extent, but the suffering of the passengers particularly those in the steerage, was heartrending.
 Locked in the bowels of the plunging and lurching ship, these foreigners, men, women and children became panic stricken, and their shrieks of terror could be heard above the gale. Many of them were bruised by the tossing of the boat and three received fractured limbs, aside from other hurts. These three are at the hospital, two men and one woman.
 Among the first class passengers the fear of death in the storm was as great as among those below. Life preservers were constantly worn by nearly every one. and some women became hysterical and collapsed. Few on board expected the Hamilton would survive the blow. but Captain Boaz, profiting by his experience in last months hurricane. kept the situa- ton in hand throughout, and brought his boat to her pier in safety.
 Vessels Will be Wrecked.
 Anchored off Virginia Beach, with no eion of life aboard. are two large sea-go- ing barges. Both are slowly dragging to- ward the beach, and, unless there is further break in the force of the gale,
 l.o aftao
 what fate has befallen their crews is vet to develop. This afternoon two tramp steamers. themselves battling head on with the sea. passed within hailing dis tance of both barges. but neither paused and inc suppositon on shore Is that the crews either have perished or were picked m by some stauncher craft.
 A tour of the coast today by the Asso- ciated Press correspondent revealed scenes of havoc in the path of the gale. Al Ocean View, the immense pleasure nier is total wreck and the damage to inc club houses, cottages and extensive hull,heads will run far into the thousands. rrha handsome new home of the Hamp- ton Roads Yacht club is one of the worst snfferers but all along the bay shore the damage is great
 At Cape Henry, the bay and ocean beach is covered with the wreckage of small craft ana the mammoth uouDle- decked pavilion is badly damaged.
 Virginia Coast Heavy Loser.
 The loss at Virginia Beach exceeds that of any other place hereabouts. The wide hoard walk extending for two miles along inc ocean front, Is practically demolished, the portions left standing being in such condition as to require rebuilding Cot tages are partly unroofed and porches washed away.
 washed by the waves, still rolling upon the beach, lies a portion of Ocean Belles hulk. while for miles to the south the beach is strewn with timbers from the unfortunate barges.
 From the inland points of Tidewater Va. the reports of great damage are con- stantly being received. At Suffolk and in Nansemond the peanut crop is ruined. and