The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-01-05
SEABRIGHT FIGHTS
FOR ITS EXISTENCE
Herculcan Struggle to Stop In
roads Of Ocean That
Threaten Resort.
HOTEL DROPS INTO SEA
OctagOn Crumblcs Under Blows
Of Waves-MOre Houses
Carried Away.
HOTEL DROPS INTO Sc!

SrADRiGHr, Jan. <.-Seabright, storm
ridden and dsmantled. was struggling
against the Atlantic yesterday for its very
existence.
All that fringe OF nne summer cottages
on the oceans edge Is In peril OF de-
struct!on. II the ocean has Its way the
town will 90 back to the fishing hamlet
from which IL sprang.
A half dozen houses and the Octagon
Hotel crumpied up into wave washed
splinters this morning. The Peninsula
Hotel. the only other large one In town.
was In danger. One OF the bigger houses
that OF Mrs. Louis Fitzgerald. widow Of
Gen Fitzgerald. 10 total loss.
While the ocean Numbered At the shore
and ate II out by the half acre the
Shrewsbury River. with a silent but ever
rising tide. backed up into the business
part of the village. flooding cellars. barns
garages and even houses. and contributing
at least half OF the big loss.
Nobody went TO sleep last night. When
morning came and showed a shift OF wind
there was something close to rejoicing on
the part OF every one But It seemed as
II the offshore wind served only to make
the ocean more savage.
Move Houses 10 Save Them.
Houses down below the railroad station
began 10 20. All the able bodied men who
could be found were put to work as house
movers. Dozens OF long skids were slid
under fishermen's cottages and one or two
were moved inshore before tho surf could
undermine them. Others were simply
moved or their foundations ana left on
skids ready to be pulled out of the
breakers clutch later. To DO this work
the streets were blocked. Some houses
could not be moved lnshore at all because
other houses stood In the way. But all
that were in any peril were dismantled.
and shivering families CROPPED through the
lower part OF town carrying chairs, tables,
clothing. bundles or struggling with dis
membered beds and bureaus.
At Galilee the fine house OF Dr. ], H
Knapp Of New York-three stories and
an attic-toppled halfway over the wall.
collaps!ng and tho framework twisting
beyond repair
Bricks Go, Piles still Stand.
The next house north but one Is the
Green Cottage OF the Miramar Inn. BY
noon tho sea had swept half way under II.
Strong piles. or puncheons. In the foun-
dations Of several big houses withstood
the surf after the brick foundations had
dissolved.
Dr, Benjamin Van Brunt, working with
life savers from the Galilee Life Saving
Station, who were headed by Keeper q
w. Green and aided by many Of the fish.
ermen. succeeded In saving the little
church of st. Peter OF Galilee after the
ocean had washed on three sides OF It,
The life savers and others vino were ur
all night got no rest to-day. Twenty and
thirty foot waves broke offshore. When
they struck against the sagging buikheads
the spray leaped as high as the attlcs OF
the houses they menaced--forty feet In
the air.
So terrific were these merged waves
the result of a head wind against Il heavy
headon sea, that II was possible to see
them bite away the green lawns OF the
country houses or with one smashing
blow wrench away yards Of heavy. cribbed
| spiling.
The house OF George @. tMcKesson OF
Mckesson . Robbins. Mel Yosk ~