New-York tribune., 1921-05-05
Hurt as Property Is
Wrecked by 'z5-Mile.a1,.
Hour Wind in the Worst
Storm Here iii 10 Years
Staten Island and
Beaches Hit Hard
Richmond Power Is Cut:
Car Lines Abandoned;
Ships Wrecked at Piers

Damage amounting to more than
S1,OOO,O00 was done and many persons
were injured by the worst wind and
rain. storm New York has experienced
in ten years, which began last night at
$3.50 o'clock.
While Staten Island suffered most
from the force Of the wind that swept
across 1t at seventy-five miles an hour,
the Bay Ridge and Fort Hamilton dis
tricts, Concy Island, Brooklyn Heights
and Brighton Beach were racked by the
gale, heavy damage being recorded to
beach and marine property.
All light and power wires on Staten
Island went down in the FIRST half hour
of the blow and towns from Totten-
vile to Mariners Harbor were in al
most total darkness throughout the
evening. Motion picture theaters and
stores closed at $3.50, as the force of
the wind increased momentarily. st.
George was without light throughout
the night except for few gas lamps.
All trolley lines went out of commits
sion before o'clock and commuters
pouring in on the Municipal Ferry line
from New York were blown about dark
ened streets. Houses and business
premises were thrown open to receive
them.
Streetcars Are Abandoned
For miles along the Amboy Road
trees were blown down and culverts
washed out The municipal streetcar
line reported cars abandoned along
the suburban route from end to end.
More than score of motor cars were
stalled by washouts on the Amboy
Road within mile of town and rescue
parties were sent to bring in their oc-
cupants who were trying to obtain
shelter beneath the useless vehicles.
When the wires began to go down
emergency crews were put out by the
Richmond Light and Power Company
IN an effort to resume trolley service.
but the increasing force of the storm
rendered repairs impossible. It is
probable that service on the trolIey
lines will be impaired for days.
With high tide at 9:16 last night
the wind drove an enormous volume
OF water on the Staten Island shore.
sixteen new concrete piers being built
Dy the government were awash and
tne lower stories of many large ware
houses on the south shore were full
or water. Recognizing the emergency,
owners OF exposed merchandise put
large forces of longshoremen at work
removing goods to the upper floors.
ny this means much damage was oh
waited, but in many warehouses VAL
uaD1e cargoes just landed were afioat.
twenty-five steam and sailing vessels
at anchor in New York Bay, because of
tne marine strike, began dragging their
anchors shortly after O'Clock. and
tug crews were hastily summoned ia
save them from destruction. DESPITE
extra anchors to windward the vessels
Gontinued to be driven toward shore.
rug men and 'longshore workers
worked desperately. They succeeded
N checklng the progress of all but
u Tnree nshlng vessels anchored off
Iompkinsville, which drove with terrific
force against concrete piers and for .
half an hour ground against the ma
sonry. The hulls of all were seriously
damaged before they were pulled out
into the bay.
Bungalows Threatened bv Sea
At Midland and Sonth be..h.s
Wnere 1900 summer bungalows lie
close TO the water, the high tide
threatened to sweep them away. Old
seamen declared that they had never
seen higher sea inside the bay than
was driving toward Staten Island be-
tween and 10:3O. Later the wind
moderated to sixty miles an hour and
the sea became calmer. Great damage
was done to summer residences. but
the total could not even be estimated.
The concrete walk at Midland and
South beaches was undermined and
partly wrecked. At Great Kills and
Princess Bay twenty small craft, yawls
and fishing boats were driven ashore
and wrecked
Municipal Ferry boats ran through
out the storm, but were tossed about
like chips. One boat was over half an
hour trying to make the st. George
slip, Rosedale, Annadale, New Dorp,
Graniteville, Mariners Harbor and
Tottenville suffered heavy damage to
buildings. and all were without light
tccntlnued on page sIx)