The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-09-05
Nearly 500 People Are
Thought to Have
Perished.
CAROLINA COAST
AT FURY OF GALE
Dozens of Towns Report Ire
mendous Losses, Damage in
Washington Amounting to
$1,000,00O and in Newbern
to$500, 0,00O-Water Waist
Deep in Both Cities.

Rnicigh, y. c., September 4-Appall-
Ing reports were received here to-
night of the disaster to connt towns
OF North Carolina. On the authority
of j. II. Blades, of Ncwbern, one of the
States leading lumber mill men, just
bnck from Washington, \. c., 1t is
stated TINT there In feeling of GER
tafnty TINT Ocracoke Island, ON the
coast, hnn been wavc-swept, and that
not IA living soul OF nearly 500 people
OF the island escaped. This is bused on
the high tide I'm Pamiico Sound md
ocenn inundutIon.
Great Losses Reported.
Morchcnd CITY. Beaufort, Newborn,
Washington. Hnyboro, Belhnvcn and
dozens OF small towns the const are
reported MS having great losses from
the fury Of the gale. At Washington,
the water wniKt deep in the
streets, two railroad bridges. one a
mile long. of the Norfolk-southcrn
line, were washed AWAY; docks, N
htcnmsh!p. large warehouses, residences
and n npirndid public building were
destroyed. and three people were
ported dend. The loss I'm Washington
Is estimated nj s1,OO0.OoO. with nbout
S2,SOO,OOO loss In Beaufort County.
In Newbern. the water WINS several
feet deep In the streets. and the loss
there 1. about n hnif million dollars, n
number of amnIi vessels being sunk,
public bridges destroyed. lumber mills
badly damaged md small houses
swept awny.
Loss tx Tremendous.
Especial 10 The Times -Dispatch.1
Washington, y. c., September -
Washington and vicinity yesterday suf-
fercd the most devastating wind and
rain storm that has ever occurred in
its history. Beginning about o'clock.
the storm broke over the city and CON
tInued until nearly noon. doing damage
that may exceed s2Oo0.0oo. The wind
1T times attained a velocity OF between
forty and sixty miles an hour. The
heavy winds blowing from the south
west caused Pamlico River to overflow
its banks and drove the water far up
into the city. the foods doing heavy
damage TO stores and warehouses along
the waterfront All OF these were sub
merged in water varying In depth from
six 10 ten feet or more, and practically
all their stocks of goods were totally
ruined Immense damage was done TO
the shipping and manufacturing plants
situated along the waterfront
The damage outside OF Washington
in this immediate section is expected 10
amount at least TO another S1,O00,000.
Bridges Swept Away.
The Norfolk-Southern bridge. span
OF a mile or more. was swept away, and
two other bridges belonging TO the
company crossing Jacks Creek and
Runyans Creek were total loss.
These bridges are on the main line OF
the Norfolk Southern. between Wash
ington and Norfolk. The company also
sustained heavy loss by its freight
sheds and freight on tho waterfront
being swept away. Trains from Ra-
leigh cannot reach here. having to stop
at Chocowinity. and the train from
Norfolk cannot get any closer than
miles.
Norfolk Southern officials estimate
their loss at least sl50,0o0, and tho At
lantic Coast Line Railway Company Is
also heavy loser. The bridge cross
ing Tar River al the west end of town
on the branch road between Washing
ton and Vandemere, as we'll as a tres
tie running several miles through Cho-
cowinity Swamp. were swept away, and
the entire roadbcd for distance
of thirty miles was put out OF
business. The company has also sus-
tanned heavy loss in the way of water
sheds freight being swept away, en-
failing a loss of 100000
The new steel bridge recently built
by the county over Pamlico River. at
a cost OF 5000 is gone.
Tug Boats Sunk.
Several tug boats belonging to the
Norfolk Dredging Company were sunk,
one of its steam dredges lost. and an
other blown ashore. Quite n number
Of gas boats. sailing vessels, fishing
boats and smaller craft were swept
away. The large lumber manufactur-
ing plant OF the Kugler Lumber Com
pany was devastated to the extent OF
$4,000, practically all Of its dry kilns
and lumber sheds being swept away.
Heavy damage was done the Moss plan
ing mill and lumber sheds. the losses
amounting to $4,000. The large mill
of S. r. Fowlc &c Son. on the other side
of the river also sustained heavy dam
age, all the stacks being levelcd, lum-
ber and timber swept away. and water
covering the whole plant. The loss
may exceed $4,000 Damage was also
sustained by the Havens Oil Company
to the extent of $4,000 at it's oil mill
situated on the waterfront; also the
grist mill of j. Havens in the sum of
$4,000. and the sheds and kilns OF the
Eureka Lumber Company. Several of
the stores on Main street had their
roofs blown off and their goods dam
aged BY the wind and rain. Among
these was the large department store
of j. X. Hoyt, where practically his
entire stock was completely ruined.
The heaviest loss to merchants oc-
CURED along the waterfront by floods,
and among these were JAS Ellison
Company, f. x. Willis, w. c. Willis,
A. j. Cox & Co.. Ellison Bros. Company,
e. r. Nixon e Co. Carolina Distribut-
ing Company, S. r. Fowle & Son, a. G.
Spencer, G. NJ. Little. and others. The
book store Of w. Is. Harding and the
Palace Barber Shop. both of which
were situated in basement, were to-
tally ruined by water. which completely
filled them and destroyed everything
contained In them.
Washington Is Isolated.
For past twenty-four hours Wash
ington has been cut Off from the out