The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-01-10
THE ETNA WRECKED OFF CAPE
COTTAGE.
The Wind Blows Sixty Miles
an Hour.
DAMAGE DONE TO wNARvEs AND
VESSELS I'm THE HARBOR.

the southeast, accompanied by heavy rain.
At a. m. the wind was blowing at the rate
OF fifty miles an hour, aud so continued until
a. m..when it increased to fifty-six miles, and
at $50 a. N. 1t blew sixty miles an hour for
i've minutes. All these hours there was per-
fect downpour of rain, snow-slides were falling
from house-tops into the street with a eoliuty
that betokened the snow had turned to ice, and
made noise like an earthquake. The streets
ran rivers OF water and were as slippery as
glass. Take it all in all pedestrians had hard
time. To add to their tumbles there was dan
ger OF falling chimneys, and panes of broken
glass woald drop from windows smashed by
swinging blinds. At 0a. m. the storm was
virtually over.
Early in the morning the city was full of
ramors OF marine disasters Vessels were re-
ported ashore on the Cape, on Spring Point
Ledge, at Fort Preble, and on Fish Point.
Inc tugs Warren, Belknap. Phoebe and Ex-
press were out as soon as it was light to see
what aid they could render. The Express took
the Minnehaha's trips to Peaks Island and
reported all safe as far as she could ascertain
down the harbor in that direction. The Belk-
nap, Warren and Phoebe went out beyond the
Lights. Off Cape Cottage, q short distance,
the three-masted schooner Etna was discoy-
cred. She had sunk and only her forem ast.
rsmained above the water Near by, inside
the Cottage, within quarter of mile, the
brig Carrie Bertha, Captain Hall, and schoon-
ers Joseph Baker, Captain Kelly, of Boston,
Fannie Whitmore, Captain Whitmore, and an
English schooner were lying at anchor The
BaIkuQn fapzad thu or1
the others into Portland harbor to places OF
safety. The Warren also found the schooner
Elva Pettengill in a dangerous position off the
stone wall of the Portland Company's property
snd towed her off. The Joseph Baker had
coal Tor the Maine Central. These were all
the vessels discovered.
A reporter OF the PRESS learning that the
crew OF the EtDa were on board the carr;a
Bertha succeeded in procuring the following
Story OF their disaster from the mate and nor
ton of the crew. The Etna, Captain Collins,
left Portland Tuesday forenoon in tow of tug
She was loaded with rail load iron bound from
Bath to Wilminton, N G. The wind was
north, sea favorable, and weather clear When
sone fifteen miles from Cape Elizabeth-abcut
Up m.-the wind suddenly shifted to the east
and south, and the glass fell rapidly. The
schooner was instantly put about and headed
back to this port. The winds were light the
sea increased, and when off the Portland Light
at II p. M, the vessel was on lee shore, with
no chance OF the wind setting them out from
It, and the tides running very high and strong.
An anchor was dropped, dragged, and second
hove, but the vessel swung round, struck
rock, and being loaded with iron went down at
once. The men had only time TO lower boat,
save some clothing and the chronometer and
pull through the heavy sea to the Carrie Ber-
the where, at a. M, after nearly swapping
several times, they were taken aboard. The
| gale had net commenced at that time. The
EtDa was owned in Bath and Millbridge. j
B. Drake was her managing director. She
was about $50 tons.
| Captain Hall of the brig Carrie Bertha,
bound for Cuba, says he sailed Tuesday at 10
| a. m. He got 15 miles outside Cape Lights,
| when he struck southerly wind and started
back. Inside Bangs Island Point he hove
both anchors, 80 fathoms of chain on one, 40
on the other. The brig rode out the gale there
and only good anchors and chains saved her.
It was ebb tide and the wind was wrong to
bring the brig in farther. Capt. Hall says the
gale was one of the worst he ever experienced.
This was the sixth time in HE life he found
good anchors and chains had saved him.
| Capt. Littleiohn, of the n. S. Bridges, came
through the gale from Eastport to Portland.
That is she caught the gale this side OF Seguin
about 2 a. m. The captain says it was fearful.
The waves seemed mountains high, and the
crssts were sheet OF foam and spray that
dashed clear over the vessel. So violent was it
that it carried away the main boom, fore and
main gaffs, and sails, except the jib witt which
the vessel reached safe plasGs to anchor and
ride out the storm unliiit she was tueged 10. She
passed the Et.ss before she anchored.
IN Tue city the wharves suffered. At Frank
", Custom House, Portland Pier and Long
wharves the waves rolled the drift ice from the
docks way up 10 the middle OF the roadway.
At Grand Trunk wharf No. 3 the Allan steam
or Austrian broke her head moorings, and
swung over to the Sandman of the same line.
carrying away one of the latter vessels boats,
the davits, and about 80 feet of the railing.
Neither of the vessels was seriously injured.
At Franklin wharf the wharf was broken a
little aud the water backed into the Portla nd
Steam Packet Company's laundry, and put out
the fire under the boiler.
Merchants wharf had some of the piles
broken.
at Central wharf the schooner Mary Thomp-
son, Captain Harding, broke from her fasten-
inss and settled down on Long wharf, break
ing her bowsprit, jibboom. stanchions and rail.
The wharf suffered come. The George Will
Ia ri ola
the wharf where she was lying, and was towed
into the stream. The OVERLOOKING of the tide
tore the planking of Central wharf up, and
threw great blocks of ice up on to 1t from the
docks.
The schooner Denmark broke loose from the
Cape side, collided with the revenue steamer
Woodbury., carried away one OF the Wood
bury's davits, and broke her own jib-boom.
She was taken to Widgery's wharf and after
wards towed back to the Cape.
The Belknap towed the Lewis r. French in
from an exposed position near the rocks at
House Island, and the Phoebe brought in the
schooner Meganiic
Some anxiety was felt for the Ralph Sennett
by bCr owners, but the Elva Pettengill says
she was close by the latter vessel, and when
the gale threatened she probably made safe
port In Harpswell, where the captain belongs
large number of syrup barrels were re-
ported as drifting ashore at the Cape. The
Jennie M. Carter took deck load of syrup
barrels from Portland, and these were proba-
bly, washed off in the gale. The mate of the
Etna says the Carter was 80 far In advance of
them she probably made Portsmouth.
Schooner Ella Nash. lying at Custom House
wharf, lost her wheel-house by a wave wash
ing completely over her.
Schooner Tookollta, of Boothbay, lay at
Portland Pier. The waves dashed her against
the wharf and damaged her slightly. The sea
ran SO high that the water was thrown up
through the planking OF the pier over ten feet
The wharf was broken mp to small extent.
Steamer New York broke from her moorings
near the Dry Dock, and came near going
through Portland bridge. She was secured
without much damage.
Three fishing smacks and two dories were
washed ashore ON Peaks Island and the
wharves on the island were badly damaged.
The rainfall was about half an inch. The
barometer fell from 1928 to 1926 during the