Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-08-18
THE STORM.

The late storm though very light i'll this
latitude, was heavy in places south and west.
In Boston and vicinity it severely felt,
though not destructive. "Along the coast"
says the Advertiser, cas- it would naturally be
expected, the wind blew great guns The
placid countenance which the harbor has
worn of late was deeply furrowed. These
lines continually kept changing into great
mountains of water which rolled up one upon
another, until they broke with deafening
roar upon the shores. Between White Head
and the Mount Pleasant beach the water ran
unusually high, and an old seaman said that
q boat of any kind could not live in it for
over five minutes. In the harbor the water
did little damage, precautions being taken
early in the day to prevent a repetition of the
gale of September, 1870, when many vessels
broke from their moorings and came into con-
tact with each other.
The railroad trains experienced but little
trouble. On the Eastern, the most exposed,
there was no delay of account. The water, at
one time, threatened to cut into the embank-
ment near the long bridge, this side of West
Lynn, but did not. The trains were not
more than ten minutes late, in any instance. "
In New York the gale was more severe
Sandy Hook pilots say the sea beyond the
narrows has not beer so rough in great
number of years. Some disasters to vessels
occurred in the harbor, and considerable So
licitude was felt for vessels outside.
On the coast of New Jersey the storm was
the heaviest. The guests at Long Branch
were awakened by the roar of the elements
AS the daylight increased the tempest grew
! fiercer, says the New York Times CORES
pendent, raising u heavy sea all along the
coast from Sandy Hook to the Point. III,
surf dashed the shore with its terrible white
crested ROLES so violently that it piled the
sand up in heaps here and there, and dug out
new channels on the strand.
The roar of the rushing wind and the beat
ing OF the waves as they dashed against the
embankment aroused everybody in the hotels
who, on opening their windows, saw a very
bleak prospect for the day, and before long
feeling of dread was manifested by many of
the ladies. SO grand and sublime was the
| scene at the breakfast hour that many of the
gentlemen stopping at ,the hotels ventured
out and crossed the road to the embankment
overlooking the water. Groups of men gath
cred in front of the Ocean House, Mansion
House, Howland's, the United States, Metro
poltan, Clarendon and West End hotels,
: gazing out upon the ocean as it was dashed
into toaming pillows by the furious gale But
they were soon driven back from the cliff by
the storm, and the heavy beating rain which
y began to fall during the forenoon. All
a through this part of the day only the male
portion OF the guests were to be seen abroad
! and even then they seldom ventured beyond
the piazzas. The ladies wisely remained in
; doors, and contented themselves with watch
!, ing the heaving Of the immense pillows from
u the windows OF their rooms or the hotel par
: lors, all of them in great wonderment at the
9 unusual display OF the elements. The morn
ing tide had at an early hour risen to great
er height than it has been before on this coas,
for several years, SO that what had been
dry and safe promenade on the strand in this
and many previous seasons, was soon sub
merged and washed by the long rollers and
gigantic waves as they beat on the sands at
the foot of the embankment in unceasing sue
cession. The day was a very cherries one,
indeed; the terrible aspect OF the sea became
awe-lnsplrlng, even to those who are accus-
toned to these storms. In the offing, vessels
uhuer Ciose-IeeIeu canvas WailOWed in the
trough of the sea, and ever and anon became
completely hidden from view. Timid persons
watched them anXiously as they struggled to
keep off shore, or, as they finally had to do.
ran before the gale to Sandy Hook, inside of
which they came to anchor to wait the end of
the storm. All sorts of rumors were of
course, afloat in the corridors of the hotels TO
the effect that there were frightful accidents
along the line OF the New Jersey Southern
Railroad, all occasioned, it was said, by the
E high tide and the washing away of the track
All the time the rain came down in torrents
and the gale grew fiercer hour by hour. Win
dows ratified, doors banged and trees fell
fences. were blown down, and the flower
gardens were nearly destroyed People had
no heart for amusements in presence of the
storm, so they lounged about the hotel cor
ridors and billiard rooms discussing the tenn
pest and its probable effects, all evidently
expecting intelligence of disasters from some
quarters. Later in the day, as the different
startling rumors Of disasters were contradict
ed and the passengers from New York arrived
safely, the feeling of alarm abated, and after
tea the various hotel bands played, according
to custom, in the parlors, and the guests en-
Joyed their evening dance while the winds
and waves ragged without. The damage to
} the cottages and frame outhouses, which
stand along the shore between the hotels in
unsheltered locations, must be considerable
POLITICAL.