The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1907-06-14
MUCH DAMAGE WAS DONE
Loss at the County Farm Will
Amount to $4,000
Several Representatives of the Cham
Der of Commerce Addressed the
Board-Proposition of the Chair
man of the Sinking Fund Accepted.
City Teams to be Rented TO Private
Parties-Other Matters That Were
Acted On.

- 100000
Parties-Other Matters That Were
Acted on.
A severe electrical and wind storm
passed over the city at an early hour
yesterday morning, the wind at its
highest period having attained a We
locity of 38 miles an hour. this having
been reached between the hours of
3 and 4 a. m. The wind storm was
accompanied by a heavy downfall Of
rain, which amounted to 1.41 inches.
The storm began about 1 o'clock and
increased with remarkable volume IN
til about 4 O'Clock, when it became
less violent and the disturbance calm
ed shortly before day break.
On Wrightsville Beach the storm is
said to have been of e terrific nature
and it is considered remarkable that
no very great damage was done. The
main cable of the Bell Telephone Co.
was put out of business and it is i'm
possible to get any telephone com
munication with the beach.
At the county farm, about two miles
from the city on the Castle Haynes
road the worst damage appears to have
been done, the vino there attaining
almost cyclonic proportions. Several
of the houses at the farm were part
ly wrecked, the porches in some in
stances having been torn completely
away from the houses. The several
stables and out houses were complete
ly demolished. While the storm was
raging, there was a heavy fall Of
sleet and that probably destroyed en-
tirely the fine crops which were grow
ing on the farm; the loss at the coun-
ty farm is supposed to be in the neigh
borhood Of 1900.
The tents at the county convict
camp, near the city 0 nthe Market
street road, were completely demolish-
ed, several of them having been torn
to shreds. The convicts were all
chained together, but despite this sew
eral o fthem got away from the camp.
They made no effort to escape, hOwev-
er, and soon again were in custody.
In the city the greatest damage ap-
pears to have been done to the tele-
graph, telephone and fire alarm wires,
parts of all of these systems having
been completely disarranged. Lines
men were busy in all sections of the
city yesterday repairing the damage
done by the storm. Superintendent Of
the fire alarm, J. T. Yates, before
nightfall had put the fire alarm sys-
tenn back into good condition. The
Bell Telephone company suffered
quite seriously, a large number Of
phones having been put out of COM
mission. A large force of men has
been employed putting the system in
good shape.
All over the city great branches OF
trees were torn off and the streets
were Uttered in many sections with
fallen limbs. Wilson's cart house on
Swami street, between Fourth and
Fifth streets, was struck by lighting
, and several square yards of roofing
torn off.
i 1t was reported that severe damage
= had been done to the big freight ter
minal yards which the A. c. L. Com.
= pany is constructing to the north Of
the city, the greatest loss having beer
occasioned by the heavy rain which
washed away high embankments il
several places.
The vivid electrical display which
t accompanied the wind and rain wa
i awe-inspiring and fearful. For thirty
minutes flash succeeded flash so rap
idly that the heavens appeared light
d ed with a single blaze.
1t is feared that crops in all tn
V surrounding territory have been great
ly damaged by the storm and if SO thi
will bring the losses sustained up tt
a high figure.
Concerning the weather condition
5 the following report was issued yes
/ terday by Observer Geo. w. Felger o
the local station:
: The northwest disturbance has re
manned nearly stationery, and a sec
ond disturbance of considerable ener
gy is central on the north Pacific coas
AS a result of these two depress1ons
L the barometer is below normal in al
, sections except the northeast.
= rains have fallen from the Caro-
lima and Virginia coasts northward in
to the upper Mississippi valley an
h upper lake region and in the Middl
and Northern Pacific states.
Temperature changes are unim
| portant.
1.-The conditions indicate generall
/ partly cloudy weather for tonight an,
Wednesday with little change in tenn
peratures.
6~ Ferry Seeds
88S43$% are not an expert ~
III 49, ~