The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-11-29
A VIOLENT NOVEMBER GALE
Plays Wild Antics In the City and
Vicinity.
The Rain Pours Down in Torrents for
Hours.
Pond Cove at Cape Elizabeth a
Raging Flood.

~-~~-~t sAA"e6A uAoo6kCCduiCs las uOL VlOlenC.
Before daylight. however, the storm in
creased In intensity. accompanied by gale
which increased in velocity, until it almost
approached the dimensions of hurricane,
while the rain poured in torrents.
The Signal Service reports that the highest
velocity Of the wind was about As miles per
hour. The exact velocity cannot be stated,
as the thermometer at the time was ice-coy-
cred. From a. m. TO 11.30 a. NJ, there was
steady velocity of "a miles an hour, and
lew moments after the latter time the velocity
rose to IS miles per hour. The rainfall be-
tween and II. 80 a. m. was 1.7S inches, and
from the beginning Of the storm on Wednes-
day night to yesterday noon the precipitation
was about three inches. The storms vio-
lence was subdued at noon, when the wind,
at p. m. shifted to southwest. The sun
showed through the mist and yapor for a lit
tie while about 8 p. m.
During the heavy gale of the morning,
quantities of Ice coated branches of trees
were broken off and fell in the streets. The
snow fall. of about an inch and half in
depth, under the influence of the heavy rain
fall, choked the cutters and culyerts and
OSAamAoohohOi IVY % db dn gal ~ AOuE Idu
men at work clearing the culverts and cross
walks The walking was vile.
The storm played havoc with telephone
and telegraph wires. The fire alarm, for in
stance, had not closed circuit, and theMayor
ordered the Electric Light Company not to
turn on their lights in the evening until the
lire alarm was repaired. About D. m. the
incandescent lights were turned on. The
electric lights were all right, but it was feared
that If the arc lights were turned on broken
telephone or telegraph wire might foul an
electric wire and damage ensue. Some were
turned on, however, at about half-past five.
and no trouble followed.
All through the morning pedestrianism was
attended with great difficulties As the
masses OF snow. thoroughly saturated with
water, slid from the roofs of dwellings, the
heavy icy material fell with terrible forcs to
the sidewalks, and there were many narrow
escapes. A lady in front of the Park street
block was struck by an avalanche on her
umbrella, hoisted over her head, and thrown
In heap to the ground. Her umbrella was
broken to fragments but it broke the force of
the snow and she escaped with severe cuts.
Many people were struck by falling branches
OF trees and received bruises, but no serious
injuries are reported. A large pine tree near
the foot of High street came to the ground
with crash.
The swell in the harbor was tremendous at
times breaking clean over the breakwater
from end to end, and covering the lighthouse
with flying spray. Outside the sea ran
mountains high, the booming of the surf
being distinctly audible in the city.
The Allan coal steamer Acadian rolled SO
badly that 1t was feared she would be dam
aged by coming in contact with the wharf
and she was placed out In the channel at an
chr where her rolling and pitching could do
no harm.
The Eleanora, lying at Franklin wharf
loaded with Christmas trees also rolled and
pitched at an alarming rate, but no damage
was done. The waves came over the sea-
wall at the Grand Trunk and the wharf at
the smelling works but did no particular
damage.
Fhe surf stirred up acres of grass and sea-
weed, and wrenched timbers loose from
many of the wharves so that the harbor pre-
sented very dirty appearance as they were
soooSu &Oout VI Vic ouEidco Vi L16 wafer,
The schooner Maggie j. Chadwick, Capt.
Kerrigan, from st. John to New York, load
ed with piles and laths. ran into a terrible
gale and snow storm off Mt. Desert. She
ran for Portland harbor but about a. m, in
the thick fog and heavy rain, ran ashore
near Indian Cove. below Fort Preble. Tide
rising she pounded very cavity, and her
keel was knocked out.Anchors were dropped
but 1t seemed as il nothing could save her
when Capt. Matthews came along in the tug
Salem, and managed to get The vessel off and
tow her into port at p. m. 1t was a good
job quickly performed. The vessel is half
full of water.
The Maud Muller, a fisherman was carried
by the storm over on to the bank, on the
Cape side, opposite Browns wharf, and
there she lay sideways, expecting to go to
pieces when the Salem managed to tow her
of also.
There was report that the schooner Ari-
IONA had gone ashore on Hog Island reef,
loaded with pig iron, but the rumor could
not be substantiated.
The storm over at the Cape is reported as
something grand and terrible. The wire to
s.S AaAS So'Ah6 oeaetVh VOC uOW III CdItf 81 10
communication could be had there. Parties
who attempted to drive from the city had to
give up the job. Near Walkers cottage the
road was covered with water. When Della
no Park was reached a great sight was pre-
sented. The road for 800 feet was covered
with water two feet deep, the lowlands were
under water and the torrent rushed along at
terrible speed. At Pond Cove farther pro.
gress was checked. Here brook usually
crosses the road and flows into the sea. 1t is
fed by the swamp way up in the woods, be-
longing to Mr. Henry st. John Smiths prop
erty. This brook was turned into an ugly
roaring torrent, 10 feet wide and at least
seven if not eight feet deep. 1t was unford-
able. In the distance at Milton Overs, the
tall columns of spray could be seen as the
surf struck the cliffs with noise like the
booming of cannons, while the rocks of Pond
Cove bore as well the brunt of the striking
breakers, with their loud echoing roar. 1t
was fearful yet magnificent sight.
The new one stored dwelling being erect
ed on Broadway by Mr.. John B. Chase di-
rectly opposite the residence of Mr.. Harmon
was blown down and crushed into a shape.
N~So AAi"oo Wy VIZ SdiC w CuuCoudy lU6
house was all boarded in and the acciden. is
grievous loss to Mr.. Chase.
Limbs of trees were blown down in vari-
GUS parts of the city and the surrounding
towns. They were, for the most part, small,
dead branches, but on Spring street, near
Bracket, a part of tree 10 inches in diam
eter, was split off and fell across the horse
car track. A telegraph pole was blown
down at the corner of Pine and Vaughan
Streets
The police signal service was annihilated,
and very little reporting was done last night.
The eastern end of the city was left in al
most total darkness, as the wires could not
be re-arranged before nightfall.
The fields near st. John street were con-
verted into ponds by the rain, and will prob
ably remain so until spring.
The houses of several residents on vii.
liam street, Oakdale, were flooded In the GEL
lars, owing to the culvert lunder the Roches-
ter railroad not being large enough to carry
off the surface water.
The storm was very severe along the line