The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-02-09
TuE NORTH pACIrlc CoAsT.
Recent storms In the Northwest-De.
seFiptiou by an Eyewitness.
VANCOUVER, w. TY., Jan. 90, 1880.

seFtpttou by an Eye WitnesA'
VANCOUVER, W. TY., Jan. %, 1880.
Editors IntelligOneer
This is not a country Of terrific wind
storms. The winds blow pretty steadily
all winter, but not violently; but on the
9th Of this month we experienced wind
storm, think more violent than l ever
saw any where. Early in the day the ba-
rometer showed unmistakable signs of the
approach OF sunderland severe change.
Few Of us thought much about 1t, and
generally the people went on in their
usual avocations OF life. But before noon
the wind blew a hurricane such as was
never known before by the Oldest inhabi'
tant. The Columbia river, which runs
close at the foot OF our little city, was
subljmely 1grand. Its width, about zone
and half miles, and the absence OF high
hills on the south, afforded the winds an
opportunity OF playing with Its waters.
The waves ran fifteen or twenty feet high
and broke. into foam and spray on the
shore. The river steamers had 70 seek
shelter behind islands and timbered points
until 1t had subsidized, which was not until
about4 o'clock in the afternoon.
The damages were immense. at Fort
land Oregon, on the Willamette, great
many buildings were blown down and
houses unrooied. In South Portland the
Episcopal chapel was demolished. Mrs
Simpson was teaching public school in
the building, when she felt 1t shaking and
saw signs OF its yielding she dismissed heI
school. When all had gotten out and on
their way home. terrible crash wa:
heard and the building lay in ruins. The
spire OF the First Presbyterian Church
was blown Of, turning u complete sum
mersault, In East Portland the Baptis
Church was moved from its foundation
and the Catholic chapel blown down. A
Mount Labor, about three miles from
East Portland, the new Methodist Church
which was almost ready for dedication
was tumbled thirty yards down the hill
side. 49,
Here at Vancouver City we didn't sus
tain very great loss. Several houses were
unroofed and many chimneys were blown
of, but little damage beside that was done
At the garrison Of the United State
troops here, there was very narrow es
cape, A company OF men was drilling II
a long building that had been formerl!
used for stables. One OF the mel
saw the roof swaying and gave the alarm
They all ran out, when the whole struC
ture came down with crash. A minute
later, and whole company would hav'
been crushed.
But now must tell the saddest story
At La Center, in this (Clarke) county, a
the teacher and children OF the publi
school we're eating their dinners, a grea
tree blew down across the schoolhouse
killing two children instantly, and wound
ing and mangling several others: Tn
alarm spread, aud the citizens, frantic
with grief gathered at the scene to res
cue their children from the wreck.
The damage to timber in this count.
and Multnomah county, in Oregon, can
not be estimated. The trees here are no
provided against such storms. They havl
fno tap-root running down into the ground
and the roots generally run out just beloV
the surface OF the ground. In many place
all the large timber was swept down be
fore the storm. The roads through tn
country are filled with trees, something
as we used to see them in Virginia whel
they were blockaded during the war. !
hundred miles north OF here, instead OF
wind storm the country was visited a
that time by one OF the greatest snow
storms ever known in that region. Says
correspondent from Seattle to the Ore
gonidn, OF date January 10th:
The heavy and unprecedented snowfall
oithis week has taken the Oldest inhabitan
completely by surprise. Nothing oil tn
kind has ever been experienced here
Even the memory OF the old Hudson ba'
royngeurS runneth not back to time whei
over four feet OF snow lay upon the grount
on Puget sound, and still 1t comes, Will
no prospect Of letting up. What the out
come may be no one can predict. Should
the snow go off with heavy rain tn
damage to the farming community, espe
cially along the river bottoms, will b,
great. Already the damages done by tn,
caving in OF roofs is considerable. In THU
city business for the most part has beer
suspended, and things generally are at I
deadlock.
The snow ceased falling at something
over four feet deep. And now after read
ing what l have written, feel that have
given you but a faint hint OF what saw
and heard about the great storm. But
will close this letter, hoping that when
write you again l may be able TO tell yot
something about our pleasant sprinl
weather, which We hope soon to have, anC
Of the prosperity OF our pleasant country
VIDI.