The Portland daily press., 1888-01-27
IN HALF BURIED PORTLAND.
Her Citizens Reminded Of the Great
Storm of '67.

Snow began falling at about o'clock We'd
nesday night but it did not begin showing in
earnest until near morning. The snow was
heavy and dry, and considerable hail was
mixed with it, and at nightfall yesterday,
much more than foot had fallen. The
streets were almost impossible, the wind
having blown the snow into deep, solid drifts
which, in many places. reached to the caves
of low buildings that were not more than
eight or ten feet high Superintendent Tash
struck the signal for no school, at s O'Clock,
and the pupils enjoyed holiday. The city
horse cars were unable to run to the Grand
Trunk depot after II o'clock in the forenoon,
but on the other routes they continued 20
make irregular trips, with four and six
horses and corps Of shovellers to each car,
until nightfall. The snow plows were run
constantly, and, although they were drawn
by twelve horses. they were stuck in the
drifts more than once. A team was stopped
in a drift on Commercial street, and, unable
to proceed farther, the driver took his horses
from the sled and abandoned the effort. The
sled was soon covered with snow.
On the side streets there was no attempt
made at shovelling, and number of persons
made their way through the snowy streets
on sn0wshoes.
At o'clock a. M, the wind blew 36 miles
per hour, and at 4 O'Clock in the afternoon it
blew "a miles per hour. From 20 O'Clock a.
m. until night, the average velocity was over
25 miles per hour.
In every direction damage was done, either
by the wind or by the enormous masses of
snow which accumulated on the roofs of
buildings. At about noon, one-half of the
Pnrflopd COmnqnU'G shed fell in with
tremendous crash, under the weight OF tons
of snow. Fortunately the men had just
gone home to dinner, and nobody was hurt.
For a good part of the day score OF men
were kept busy on the roof of the Grand
Trunk engine house shovelling of the snow,
which threatened to crush the strong timbers
of that part of the building. Sleighs were
tipped over, and their occupants thrown out,
and signs and awnings suffered. in the wind,
which increased somewhat as night came on.
Commercial street was entirely deserted, and
business was almost completely suspended.
The snow, on account OF its dryness, did not
derange the telephone nor telegraph wires.
The storm seemed little less than bllz-
zard.
THE HARBoR.
Shipping in the harbor was damaged only
by ice because the water was frozen over
and there were no waves. But for this it is
more than probable that extensive damage
would have been done. The brig George E.
Dale, in the lower harbor, dragged her an
ehor a long way as the ice came in with the
tide and wind, and forced her up toward the
city.
The high wind Wednesday night drove the
ice up above the breakwater, making it al
most impossible for navigation of any kind.
There was no communication by water with
South Portland. Not trip was made by
either ferry boat during the day. When the
men employed on the ferry boat Cornelia Ii.
came to board her yesterday forenoon, they
found her frozen stiff in the slip. All at
tempts to start her proved fruitless and an
attempt to make any trips in the forenoon was
abandoned. The ferry boat Mary W. Libby
started early yesterday morning to get across
and when half way over became stuck in the
thick ice. 1t was found impossible for her
to cross. so she was obliged to put back.
The many men and women employed
in the city and living at the Cape were una
BILE to reach their places of employment. The
road around the bride was almost impossible.
so the Cape, except by telephone, was cut off
from communication with the rest of the
world.
Portland line, left Boston on time Wednes-
dav night and reported the weather good at
that time. but off the coast during the early
hours of the morning the sea was extremely
rongh and the wind blew a hurricane. She
made her way with difficulty. The greatest
effect of the storm was experienced after
rounding the Cape and coming up the mar
The Forest City, which was to make the
trip to Boston Wednesday night, left her
dock. but when out beyond the breakwater
found that would be dangerous to proceed
to Boston. She accordingly put back
The steamer Gordon, Capt. Long, OF the
Harpswell line, arrived yesterday forenoon,
after hard passage. The Isteamer Forest
Queen, of the Forest City line, started early
Yesterday morning to make her trip to
| Peaks Island. She had one OF the toughest
| trips on record, but she made the round trip
| all right, although it took her three hours
| and a half to do 1t. The ice made sad havoc
| with the piles under the wharves and also
among the vessels that were between the
| wharves. At the head of Custom House
| Wharf the steps we're stove to pieces by the
| huge cakes of ice that were hurled against
them. The under-pinning Of several wharyes
were badly shaken.
ASHORE AT wILLARD's COVE.
Word was received at the tow boat office
yesterday, at about o'clock p. M, that the
schooner Estella, vessel of about 20 tons
burden, and heavily laden, bound for Boston
was ashore on the beach at Willard's Cove
At 8 o'clock, the tug Belknap, Capt. Griffin,
went to the assistance of the schooner