Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1886-12-23

THE Alaskan.

The Alaskan
The weather at Sitka, the early part
Of the present week, gave signs OF
agitation which could but excite stir
ring "reminiscences among the older
inhabitants of our city. The week
came IN on the gath, and Tuesday. the
26th. was remembered IS the ami
versary of two remarkably violent
storms along this portion OF the
coast, since the transfer of the Ter
ritory to the United States. On the
26th of October, 1867. just week
and q day after Gen. Rousseau had
received the keys of the public build
ings from Prince Maksoutoff, and the
double headed eagle had folded his
wings and dropped down IRON the
staff on Castle Hill to make room for
the star-spangled banner, furious
gale swooped suddenly down and
ragged with fearful violence for three
days. Considerable damage was
done to the buildings in sitka, and to
the shipping in the harbor. The
United States steamer Ossipee mad
just fairly rounded Cape 0mmaney.
on her way TO Sitka from the south,
when she was caught by the storm,
and despite her steam power driven
far out to sea, where she was tossed
at the mercy of the wind and waves
till the fury of the gale was spent.
The Russian inhabitants were struck
with the supersiitious belief that the
storm was q manifestation of Divine
wrath at their abandonment by their
government.
On the 26th OF October, 1880, a
fierce cyclone, or something of the
kind, prevailed for five or six hours
along this coast. The U. ). S. James
town, which was moored in the har-
Dor At the Pinta's present moorings,
psrted several of her heavy cables,
was driven to the northward and
would have stranded In front of the
Indian village but for the sudden
subsistence Of the storm. A schoo.
Der which was anchored in the upper
anchorage bore down upon the wharf.
which was undergoing repairs, sud
crushed 10 q part OF il. 4 pile driv-
er moored against the wharf was
driven ever in q western course TO
the shore of Japansky Island and
wrecked there. A portion Of the
roof of the castle was lifted and strew-
ed along the beach to the eastward,
and other damage was done to build
ings. The force Of the gale seemed
to fiy In all directions, except that
its prevailing source seemed 10 be
from the south. All at once, the
storm ceased, and q hush OF q most
ominous silence fell upon the lsad.
While all were wondering at the
strange suddenness Of the calm, a
sensation of something still more ap-
pAlling began TO make itself felt. Il
came with q feeling of undesirable
fear, the cause of which could not
be at irst determined, and then, as It
took more form IL could be traced to
q most singular tremulousness in the
elements. Those In the vessels felt
shiver pass through them; those
upon the solid land felt il quivering
beneath their feet; those ia the houses
felt them tremble and shake for q mo
ment and then they seemed TO thump
up and down with q most vigorous
aud awful motion, The inhabitants
poured out of their doors with ghast-
ly faces, children were seen cliRging
to their parents skirts in the agony
of q nameless fear, and our gallant
captain Of the Sitka volunteers, who
had gOEe up TO the castle 10 iRvesti-
gate the damage 10 the roof was seen
coming down the lofty fight OF stairs
about sixteen steps at time, and
making the fastest record Of his life
TO secure the open space Ia the mid
die OF the parade ground. That
earthquake was 8 memorable one 10
all who experienced il, and the stories
told Of IL. effect 10 some of the parts
adjacent 70 SiikA, by men who hap
pened TO be out prospecting alone
when Ii overlook them, would make
most interesting volume. Accord
ing 10 some Of them il plowed up
the waters In great fuFrows, and laid
the forests down in mighty swAlhs as
il advanced.
There were some who predicted q
repetition of the cyclone OF former
years during the past week, but.
although the omens and indications
were Al times very alarming. we are
happy 10 say thai the week has pas
sed, aud though there has been q lit
tie rain fall and stroke or two Of
lightning, yet there has been mo
great shower after all