Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1920-02-06
ATLANTIC CITY LASHEO
AID FLOODED BY STORM
Heavy Losses Sustained Also at
ventnor, Margatc City and
Longport; Danger Past.

Atlantic CITY Feb. CIV hippcd to fury
hy a gale blowing at 40 mile an hour, tho
highest tides experienced in recent years
battered tho entir. beachfront of Absecon
Island Wednesday night and yesterday
morning, causing considerable damage
here, in Vcntnor. Margate City and Long
port. 1t began receding yesterday after
noon. At several points along it's eight
miles the Boardwalk is broken and twisted
and its supports carried away by the tides.
Rough estimates of the damage caused by
the storm here and at other points on
Absecon Island fix it ut 100000.
In Longport the great seawall designed
10 protect that resort from the oceans
fury succunibed at one point for distance
Of about 20u feet and crumbled befors the
smashing waves that have continued two
days. But the wall at other points held
firm and probably saved the city from
being wiped out. Two houses on Eleventh
avenue were practically l9veled and lesser
damage is reported to several other sstrue-
lures. Since yesterday afternoon Long
port has been completely isolated, trolley
traffic having suspended.
Along the Atlantic City bcach-front
sections Of the Boardwalk were torn away
ut Vermont, Annapolis and Baton Rouge
avenues, and the Walk approaches at
other points wcro washed away. The
greatest damage was done in the Inlet
section, where homes were flooded over
areas Of several squares, cxtinguishing
the fires and imprisoning the occupants.
Trolley service was reduced n minimum
throughout the resort and WAS cut off
entirely In the Inlet, section while the
tides were at their height.
In Ventnor City practically the entire
Boardwalk has been either washed away
do hat - {o fny
TRANS, and the section of the walk running
through MArTate City has been almost
completely demolished. Heavy iron stan
dArds bearing arc lights along the Board
walk hero and in Nentnor were twisted
and warped and in many instances felled
TO the planking, throwing large areas of ,
the Boardwalk into darkness while the
storm and tides were at their heights.
The damage on the Nentnor Boardwalk
is estimated at $4,000. Heavy planks,
torn from the Boardwalk, were whirled
on the tide into the basement windows of
beach front cottages, flooding the cellars
and doing great damage
Trolley service to the mainland WAS dis
continued on the Suburban line, the tracks
across the meadows being completely
submerged. and cars on the Shore Fast
Linz were reduced to an hourly schedule,
causing many residents of the mainland
to he delayed for hours IN reaching their
business here.
The Yachtsmen's Dock at the Inlet,
whence pleasure yachts set out for tips to
the open sea during the summer months,
was practically demolished by the tides.
To add to the danger and discomfort
prevailing during the night q heavy fall OF
slcet, driven by gale. swept across the
resort bastering in bulk windows and
)Cx~, IL 4,.xIt
lions of the city v,re plunged into dark |
ness- and fallen wires constituted q menace |
that was averted only by the vigilance Of |
the police.
During the highest Of the tides there |
was water over the LonRort-Somer's
Point boulevard and the new Absccon- |
Atlantic City boulevard. The new boule- |
ward Is In the most exposed position SO |
fN as s northeast storm Is concerned, |
and the fact that there Is water on it during |
the abnormal tides Is not surprising TO |
the county officials who built IL The /
roadbed is seven feet above mean tide, |
but is not sufficiently high TO escape in |
undation under such abnormal weather !,
conditions
The greatest damage done in the Inlet |
section, which suffered most from the |
effects OF the storm, many Easements being |
flooded was sustained by the Inlet Pavilion |
Also. by singular freak of the elements, !
the most damage was done to the defunct |
bsrroom. The whole first floor, on n |
level with the pavilion decking. sgainst |
which the heavy seas and ice foes were |
hurled before the gale was damaged. but !
the upper story, where dances are held, |
was untouched and is securely held by |
the strong pillars and studdine.
Federal coast guards are unanimous |
in their opinion that the tides are the most |
severe since stations were established !.
on Absecon Island. No estimates are |
given on the damag, done the Boardwalk. |
but at one point, between Vermont and |
Seaside avenues, the structure has been |
damaged to the extent of more thin 81 900 |
The tide began receding late Yesterday |
afternoon and no further damage is ex- |
pected.