The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-26
BLACK SQUALL OVER TOWN.
TOSSES HOMECOMING CRAFT IN
THE RAY-SOME HIT HARD.
Crash Among the Yachts at the HOOK
Cup Racers in Dangcr--TeiesrapM
Wires Put Out or Business and Race ne
suits Latc--Darkness nj Afternoon

just when the sightseers were nan way
home from the yacht race, and when folks
In town, who hadn't had an opportunity
to see the Reliance outsail the Shamrock
were busiest, husky gale with lightning
and rain in its wake swept across the city
and tho bay from somewhere out in Jersey
IT travelled at a Hfty-mile clip, tearing
down telegraph and telephone wires, lashins
the bay into pillows in which the heavy
laden excursion boats rolled in real ocean
fashion, knocking about the yacht fleet on
Sandy Hook and plunging the city into semi
darkness which played the dickens with the
electric light service
Within an hour the temperature had
dropped IS degrees,
1t had been one OF the few days this SUM
mer which were progressively warm The
crowds around the yacht race bulletin
boards and those who had to force their
way through them had steamed and stewed
and dribbled perspiration until collars
melted into mere moist rags and those whom
the recent cool days had tempted to the
extravaganza of billed shirts" we're limp
and miserable
The Weather Bureau reported that the
storm was simply local in character, al
though the storm conditions might cover
q large area, yesterday having all the
weather essentials for thunderst orm breed
ing. But 1t played hob with many interests
hereabouts all the same.
BOATS HIT COMING HOME.
Most of the great feet of yachts and
excursion boats that had been to the races
were well on their way up the upper bay
when the squat came down on them from
the Jersey flats. 1t came out of the west,
first feecy white, then gray and then an
ugly menacing black, with wide sweeping
streamers betokening whirling winds and
rain The water was whipped ahead of 1t
when 1t struck the bay, as though with a
long line of invisible witches lashes, A
wave crowned with seething white piled
up out Of the blue and swung out across the
waters blue black under the advancing
cloud Behind it were flashes Of white
breaking into spray here and there as the
gusts Of wind tore the crests from the waves
and tossed them into the air.
Many a skipper looking out over it,
thanked heaven that he was safe In the
upper bay where big seas could not be piled
up to crush him, as they could have been
out beyond the Hook All along all the
shores OF bay and sea, masters of little
craft. boat keepers and resort owners ran
about like frantic ants to fasten everything
that was loose or might drift away.
Almost the only excursion craft far
down the lower bay was the William
Fletcher, the tender on which Sir Thomas
Liptons guests were being taken from the
Erin at the Horseshoe TO the Battery.
Her captain headed straight for the Staten
Island shore when the storm broke and
she avoided any very powerful seas but
now and then an oyster sloop or big
schooner would go scooting by. the loose
sails happing all over the decks
The full strength Of the storm did not
get down far into the lower bay, but passe d
to the northeast toward RockawaY. But
plenty of damage was done by the cor;
ners of the big wind blanket that dragged
across the harbor.
CUP YACHTS BLOWN ABOUT.
Out at Sandy Hook, not only the Cup
hunter and Cup defender, but other expen-
sive yachts which had come into Sandy Hook
Bay, we're anchored. The clouds formed
together in thick black walls sweeping the
waters OF the lower bay. But just when
everybody expected that some heavy
damage would befall the yachting fleet at
anchor the wind shifted little TO the west
and the greatest force OF it just missed
the big sloops and their consorts. The
sloops encountered only part of the force
Their anchors held and the Shamrock |
and III. as well as the Reliance were safe
Most Of the other yachts struck by the squat
| including the tenders of the big sloops
| did considerable Juggling at their ground
| tackle, but in most cases 1t held them,
| though few anchors dragged.
A small sloop blown ashore on the
northern part of the Hook was got of by
| the crew OF the Sandy Hook life-saving sta.
| ton and taken to safe anchorage. The
! Yacht Eureka dragged her anchor and was
blown against a scow. The Roamer, Nat
| Herreshoff's steam yacht, also dragged
her anchor, but soon started her engine
| and was out Of danger from the scow
which had been set adrift by the Eureka.
For while 1t appeared as If the scov
would hit Shamrock III, and Shamrock
! prepared to get away from her moorings
little. should drift toward her before hel
engines could be started, but danger wa,
| soon averted.
The steam yachts Alta, belonging tc
Rear Commodore j. H. Flngler of the At
lantic Yacht Club, and Giralda of the Phila
delphia Yacht Club were anchored httl'
way from the Upton fleet. They dragged
their anchors and after fouling each othe
were brought up against large fish pounC
of Fort Hancock Steam and naphthi
launches crowded near to the two yachts
and offered assistance, but 1t took the Eng
lish tug Cruiser TO pull the two yacht
apart. The Girada's bowsprit had gon'
broken of at the knighthead. Both yacht
were brought to a safe anchorage.
All of Erin's launches in one OF which
Sir Thomas Upton was sitting in the sterl
sheets, were among those who offered as
sistance. Despite the wind hardly a drol
of water fell on the Hook, but the tons o
sand raised by ii were many A Pattel
Line steamboat returning from Pleasure
Bay crowded with excursionsts was driver
nearly guard rails under, floating her lee
ward deck
For a while the Staten Island ferry boat
had difficulty in docking at st. George
owing to the strong wind and high waves
The yacht Chetolah carrying the Maroon
wireless apparatus. over which news of TIN
races comes to town, ran into the squat n
the mouth of the Narrows. Her bridg'
awning was blown down, but the tall woodel
through the blow without damage.
CITY IN sEMI-DARKNEss
In town the black rain clouds and hyint
dust plunged the city into darkness 40 SUD
denly that the output of electricity from
the central station Of the Edison Electric
Light Company was for a time overtaxed
downtown Office buildings and business
houses when the unexpected darkness
came on and the sudden turning on of cleo
trio lights used up more electricity thai
the Edison plant was making at the time
Consequently all lights were dim and SOM
went out altogether when they had beer
turned on for a while. Many complaint
were received by telephone at the Edison
company's Office from persons who though
that the storm had blown down the wires
but they were answered that they woult
have plenty OF light az soon as the outpu
of electricity caught up to the demand