Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-05
LOSS FROM STORM
REACHES MILLIONS
Floods and Wind Devastate
Many Sections of North
Carolina.
OCRACOKE ISLANDERS
ARE REPORTED SAFE
First Believed That 500 Lost Lives.
Towns on Coast Worst
Sufferers.

RALEIGH. n. c., September s.-No
lives were lost ON OcracOke Island in
Wednesdays. storm. according to ad-
vices reaching here from Hntteras thi.
afternoon. 1t was first reported that
500 had been lost.
Unsubstantiated rumors continued to
be current early today that all inhabi-
tants of the island persisted when heavy
waves swept their homes Wednesday,
Efforts to reach even the coast towns
near Ocracoke failed, wires being down
over the adjacent section, and wireless
stations. presumably wrecked by the
storm, irresponsible to their calls
One estimate Of the property and
crop loss in this state as the result of
the great storm places the damage at
$4,000, 900.
Delayed messages from Washington,
\. c., Newburn and other towns near
the coast told of floods that surpassed all
previous records. Every stream in the
storm-swept section was swollen by the
torrential rains. and incalculable damage
to crops is expected to result. Many
bridges have been swept away
Towns Damaged by Wind.
Iodays meager dispatches from the
stricken district say that many small
towns along the coast reported severe
damage from wind and heavy rainfall
several were flooded by swollen streams
Inc collapse of a tobacco warehouse
az Fe-mville resulted in the death of
two employees and injuries to seven
others.
NORFOLK, Va, September 5.-With
the telegraph wires still down 1t was
impossible today to get detailed informa-
ton on the havoc wrought by Wednes-
DAY storm OF the North Carolina coast
between Cape Hatteras and Ocracoke
on the lower coast. The six-masted
schooner George w. Wells went ashore
south OF Hatteras and has gone to pieces.
Wenty men, two women and two in
rants were rescued from the schooner
wells after great difficulty by the life
savers. and are being temporarily cared
Tor IN the vicinity OF the Ocracoke inlet
and Durant life-saving stations.
Reports Are Meaeer.
reports coming up the coast bear
Ing on the loss OF the George w. Wells
are very meager. The United States
seacoast telegraph service, over which
the nrst news was flashed. sought today
for detailed information on the loss
of the Wells, but little was available.
1t was in gale blowing seventy miles
an hour. much like the storm Of fifteen
years ago. when several coasting
schooners were lost on Hatteras. the
graveyard of ships. that the schooner
Wells. bound from New York to Fer
nandina, Fla. light, was driven ashore
after having been practically stripped
of masts and sails in the hurricane
The Wells, one Of the largest vessels
of her type afioat. was 319 feet long,
and her loss is heavy one.
Rescue Is Threatening.
The rescue of the twenty men, two
women and two babes was a thrilling
one. The life savers fought against
great odds, but won, and all the souls
that were aboard the Wells are now
safe on land.
A three-masted schooner reported
ashore three miles north of Ocracoke
turns out to have been a four-masted
schooner sighted in distress twelve miles
on shore with her main topmast and
bowsprit gone. This vessel Is believed to
nave been the schooner Annie r. Held
ritter, heretofore reported drifting help
lessly eight miles southwest of Diamond
shoals with her rudder broken and other
wise disabled. The revenue cutter Semi
mole is proceeding to the disabled schoon-
er's assistance.
Oil Ship Goes Ashore.
nil oh lArta
below Ocracoke was today still unidenti-
Ned. The United States seacoast tele-
graphic lines from Cape Henry are work
ing only as far south as Hatteras, and
no information had reached that point
today which would lead to the Identity Of
the steamer.
The storm on the Carolina coast was
the most severe in many years. and the
damage done was large. The waters which
flooded the country for many miles have
for the most part subsidized, and the wreck
age Is now being cleared as fast as pos
sible In order to restore railroad traffic,
which has been paralyzed throughout the
extreme eastern section.
The Norfolk Southern now is able to
operate trains only between Norfolk and
Pinetown. n. c.. twelve miles north of
Washington, n. c.
Unless the Ocracoke disaster is con-
frmed. the loss of life appears to have
been very small.
Loss Will Reach So, OOO, 900.
A special from Washington, N. c.. by
way OF Parmele, says that the loss to
Beaufort county alone will amount to
upward Of $2,O0O.O0o, while the loss from
other sections will amount to a million
more. The wind attained a velocity OF
ninety to one hundred miles an hour
uprooting trees and telegraph poles and
piling up debris in the streets of Wash
ington. The streams swollen from the
heavy rainfall washed away bridges and
flooded cellars all over the city
The city OF Washington was in total
darkness all night scarcely pole being
left standing, while household goods and
merchandise were scattered through the
streets. The Norfolk Southern railroad
bridge spanning the Pamlico river on the
main line from Washington to Norfolk
was swept away The railway officials
estimate their loss from the washing
away Of bridges. damage to warehouses
on water front and damage to tracks al
least $4,000.
Roadbed Torn Up.
The Atlantic Coast Line railway is
also a heavy loser. the bridge across
Tar river being washed away, as was
the trestle running several miles into
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