The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-03-12
WIGGINS..
His Great Storm Fails to Put ir an
Appearance.
Nothing Worse than a March Blow
Along the Atlantic.

---eS Wy LIZ OtOAO W NA66AAob SthpAOhO-
mer OF the Canadian finance department, for
tne storm that was going TO shake the universe
mas passed and nothing has occurred worse
than an ordinary March blow, and even this
has been confined to a small area, both of
space and time. A brisk gale of few hours
duration did prevail on the Atlantic coast and
the tide under the combined influence of the
sun and moon, which happened to be in con-
Junction, was at some points unusually high,
but not approaching even remotely the altitude
tnat virgins predicted. With the exception
OF narrow strip on the Atlantic the weather
was generally fair. On the Pacific and in the
Gulf OF Mexico, where a tidal wave some
sixty feet in height was predicted, the weather
was unusually calm. Nothing approaching
the storm prophesied by Virgins occurred any
where except at Halifax, and even there it fell
lar snort of the prediction. If any more Ca
madam lunatics are meditating weather proph-
ecies they should be warned by the fate Of
Virgins, who is just now the most ridiculous
figure on the Western Continent, and forbear
The following dispatches show how far Wig
gins prediction was fulfilled.
HALIFAX, March 10.--The day dawned with
and mild temperature. 1t continued in this
state until shortly after noon, when the breeze
shifted over to southeast quarter and gradu-
ally grew in force. At few minutes after
4.o'cloek the storm signal was up at Citadel
station, and people then began to prepare for a
storm. Many still stuck to the belief that it
would be only an ordinary March blow, but
the majority now began to doubt this, and ac-
cordingly made preparations for what they ex-
pected would soon turn out to be the fulfill
ment OF Virgins warning. The steamers and
sailing vessels in the docks were secured to
their wharves with extra hawsers, and mer-
chandise in places of danger was moved to
higher and safer quarters. No remarkable
change occurred throughout the following two
hours, but about O'Clock the wind quickened.
light rain and hail commenced TO fall and
clouds overhead grew ominously dark. Half
an hour later the wind had increased doubly
and rain and hail were falling quite heavily
The following two hours this state of affairs
continued, the breeze increasing to gale. The
alarm began to become greater among wharf
owners and proprietors of property on the
water line and great excitement was created.
At o'clock the ferry steamers to Dartmouth
ceased their trips, the last one occupying four
times the usual time and being made with
great difficulty. From that hour until 8 O'Clock
the gale blew with terrible fury, causing YES
sels in the dock to strain their fastenings and
almost break from them Only one is reported
to have broken from her moorlngs. The
schooner Four Brothers, lying at Market
wharf, with cargo of potatoes and oats, be-
tween and o'clock, in violent blast of
wind, suddenly tore from her bow hawser and
swinging around struck City wharf, on the
other side Of the dock, with great violence,
smashing her bowsprit tearing some planking
from the wharf. With some difficulty she was
again secured with extra chains and safely
moored between two wharves.
The tide rose during the blow the highest
known since the Saxby gale. At S o'clock it
was nearly on level with the wharves. At
o'clock the highest sea washed over many
barrels of -four, meal and other merchandise
in exposed places. These were swept about,
but no serious damage has resulted.
The steamers in the port held well to their
fastenings. and weathered the flood without
injury. The steamer Sandman delayed sail
ing on the storm being discovered coming on,
and will not now likely proceed before morn
ing
About o'clock, however, the wind calmed
suddenly down and the feelings of property
owners and people began to become more coufi-
dent, but the breeze again sprang up, from
more easterly direction, though not with as
great strength as before.
HALIFAX, March 1.-THE effect of last
evenings storm, reports of the violence of
which are now coming in from all parts of
Nova Scotia prove not to have been so serious
as was expected. AT the south end of this city
a. past- of a-Wharf was blown away but t1o
other wnaryes sufrefod on1y slightly. Chatting
of vessels and heaving up of few planks in
the wharves make up almost all other damage
reported. Steamers Sarmatian and New
foundland, which arrived today report hav-
ing felt the blow only lightly and were caused
no anxiety. The Gloucester fishing schooner
Admiral which put in here today to land
sick man, had to lay to during the gale,
which struck her with great violence.
ST. JOHN, March 1.-THE storm which pre-.
vailed last night subsided about O'Clock this
ma Tho ti1p fOdaU us hi0har hon
ual and the sea broke over several wharves,
doing little damage however. Tonight the
wind is blowing strongly from the west, with
snow squalls. Though the weather is stormy
it would attract no attention but for Virgins
prediction.
MONTREAL, March 1.-THE heaviest fall of
snow this season commenced here yesterday
and only ceased at o'clock this afternoon.
There was no sudden rise in the st. Lawrence
river and there was no wind storm here.
WATERLOO, Que, March 1.-THE severest
storm known for years is now in progress.
The wind has been blowing gale all day and
snow is piled mountain high Between 10 and
IL O'Clock this morning two distinct shocks of
earthquake were felt, the waves passing from
east to west causing great alarm. The country
roads will be impossible for days. The Gem
tral Vermont and Southeastern railways are
making superhuman efforts to get their trains
through.
Prof. Virgins, announcing floods on the At
lantic coast of Long Island, was partially re-
allied today. In Jamaica, Hampstead and
the great South bay the tide was higher at
noon today than has been known for many
years. The low lands were covered with
water. So far as could be learned there has
been no serious damage to property or loss of
life. At Flushing the water was three feet
deep in the streets.
BANGOR, March 10.-Snow storm to-day up
to o'clock. There were five inches on the
ground, and it was then showing fast The
wind was strong from the northwest.
Boston, March Ill A. M.-The extraordi-
nary high tide expected at 1916 a. m. did not
arrive. The weather here is clear with steady
barometer.
New YORK, March lilo A. M.-The
weather here is clear and pleasant. There is
no gale nor indications of any aeral or aque-
GUS disturbance.
NEW ORLEANS, March 10.-At 10 o'clock to-
night the weather is clear and pleasant with
no indications of a storm,
SAN FRANCISCO. March 10.-No signs of a
storm on the Pacific coast. Virgins prophecy
frightened some persons. German resident
has built small ark and placed it on his roof
ready for the tidal wave.
WHITEHALL, N. ", March 11.-Twelve
inches of snow fell here yesterday. The storm
extended the whole length of Lake Champlain
Heavy north winds prevail this evening.
LONG BRANCH, N. j., March 1.-THE
weather along the coast of New Jersey is bright
and sunny with strong and cold wind from the
northwest. No signs of storm reported. |
MAcHIAs, Me-, March 11.-There was a
southeast storm Saturday blowing 40 miles an
hour, but no damage to the shipping has been
reported.
The FLOODS.
The Situation on the Mississippi lmprov-