Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1869-09-15
A TERRIFIC GALE.
Great Loss of Property in
Boston and Vicinity.
The Hurricane and the
Flood in Rhode Island
and Maine.
Sad Loss OF Life and Great
Destruction OF Property.

The Boston papers come filled witt
details Of the great damage done in thai
city by a terrific gale on WEDNESDAY
evening, Sept. s. Certainly nothing
equal to it has been experienced there
since the great storm in 1851, when
MInot's Ledge Lighthouse was DESTROYED
and by many it is commended that the
gale on Wednesday was even more
severe than thai. 1t began 10 rain
in Boston shortly after 4 O'Clock, and con-
tinued until about Z. For two hours,
from 5 till 7, the wind ragged with tre-
mendous fury, while the rain came down
in torrents. Amid thissnzd fury of the
elements, buildings were blown down,
signs were torn from their fastenings and
chimneys were Frustrated with frightful
violence. Early in the evening the tele-
graph wires in every direction were
Frustrated, and it was impossible to send
or obtain news. From the reports we
quote the following, giving accounts of the
most serious disasters experienced in
the city:
PARTIAL DESTRUCTION OF THE COLISEUM,
This once imposing building is now
little better than mere wreck, and its
rulnous and dismantled condition gives a
more striking proof Of the fury Of the
storm and the havoc which it wrought
than any other instance that can be
cited. Shortly before 6 O'Clock furious
gust of wind struck upon the orchestral
end of the building "like hammer" as
sailors say. In few minutes the large
circular window. which is twenty feet in
diameter, yielded to the blast, and the
wind getting inside, the building quiV-
cred like reed. The whole orchestral
end now crashed in, and the blast sweep.
ing with resistless fury to the other ex.
tremity as speedily forced out the other
end. In few moments the whole edi,
flee seemed to be the sport of the ele~
ments, and the wind getting under
meath the ROOT, playfully lifted it
off piece by piece until the whole
of the transept was Entirely I'M
rooted. The air was darkened with
falling and flying timbers, which were
tossed and blown about like shavings.
The crash was tremendous and struck
awe into all beholders. The organ was
speedily leveled to the ground and buried
in chaotic mass of timbers. The big
drum was also laid fat and pierced in
several places by the falling timbers. I'm
mense pieces of the roof were carried
distances and fell on every
side. At the time Of the gale there were
ten visitors within the building, seven of |
whom were ladies. There were also two |
boys working, and Samuel Wilson, the |
1oorkeeper, and a dog. Directly the end |
window was forced in, the ladies rushed |
but in state of the greatest terror and |
Oewllderment, and some Of them made |
their way amid shower Of falling tim
bers to the open ground. One or two of
them turned back into the building, but |
were urged to 60 out again by the door
keeper, who feared that they might be |
killed, as the whole structure seemed as
t it would come down, The dog was
and would not move.
no one was hurt. The catase
rophe was witnessed by several persons.
A car was brought to stand-still on
Berkeley street, and some men getting /
)ut in state Of alarm were speedily |
blown to the ground.
'KATING RINK AND NORMAL SCHOOL HOUSE
The Boston Skating Ring was exposed
o the full strength Of the blast, which /
partially dismantled the ventilatiDg ap-
,aratus running along the roof, but did
lot in the least degree affect the general
'olidity of the building. The roof and
me side of the Ventilating apparatus was
,arTied away for three.fourths of its en-,
ire length, and the fragments Of plankA
ng were hurled alolt like sheets of
,aper, and forced against the city gas
house near the spot. The ventilator in
alling forced hole through the northern
.orner of the roof.
The Normal school house on Pembroke
md Newton streets, which is now being
erected by Mr.. w. Sayward, and which
10 soon promised to become stately,
spacious and handsome building, has been
damaged. The wind, finding
odgment in the unfinished building,
orced out some Of the party walls, which,
alling, carried with them several Of the
loors. A portion of the walls were
'esdy to receive the beams, but the blast
n some instances blew down two stories
If them. A large amount of brick work
md scatlolding was displaced, and the
rash of the falling ruins was deafening.
The damage may be estimated at be
ween $1,000 and $4,000. Some win
lows of the adjoining church were broken
~ the falling bricks.
OTHER DAMAGE.
In very many portions Of the city
houses were unrooled, chimneys blown
over, trees Frustrated, and in some cases
lprOoted, and there was a state of disOr-
I a., op1 W.