The Portland daily press., 1896-10-13
THE WATER FRONT.

With the wind blowing twenty miles an
hour nearly all dny yesterday from the
north or north northeast, the sea out
side OF the harbor was runpiug at great
helght ana the scene looking towards
Half Way rock from Portland Head light
on the Cape was a wild and awe inspir-
ing one. Huge rollers, mountains
high" as a novelist would say. were
dashing on. the reefs of Junk O'Pork
ledge and the rocky headlands of Cush-
ing's island, throwing clouds of white
foam skyward to the height Of twenty
five or thirty feet and keeping the shore
line of the islands and the cape coast al
most continually concealed from view by
deep white border of foam and spray.
So grsat was the sea that looking over
House island with glass from the barge
office. ssthe monster breakers could be seen
dashing themselves Ito pieces on the
farther side of Peaks and Cushing's
islands. A gentleman who had been out
to the Two Lights during the afternoon
told PRESS reporter that the breakers
at that point were the most beautiful he
had ever seen and that mary people had
taken advantage of the fine afternoon to
drive cut along the Cape to witness
them. For the afternoon was a beautiful
one despite the heavy wind and while an
overcoat was necessity, it was not SO
very cold after all.
Combined with the heavy sea. the tide
was the highest of the year and along the
water front approached within two feet
Of the tops Of the wharves. The ferry
boat on her trips to and from South
Portland rolled and pitched about as if
she had been at sea and her landings
were made with difficulty. The harbor
was as rough as it has ever been and the
vessels at anchor rolled and tossed about
break water.
At Willard beach the combers came
rolling in far above the ordinary high
water mark. A big platform which had
been erected at low water mark Mt this
place from which to display the fire
works of last July Fourth and which
has never been submerged during the
summer even BY the highest tides was
completely hidden from sis ht aud about
two O'Clock was broken up and the
wrsckage narrowly escaped carrying
away the water toboggan shute as it
washed ashore.
There was only one large vessel arrival
during the day, and that was the big
schooner Mary e. Palmer, which left
Louisburg with coal at nine O'Clock
Friday morning and come down to Port
land before the wind in just 65H hours,
the quickest run from that port to this
place on record. Her cargo is consigned
to the Maine Central and she was towed
to the railroad docks to discharge early
in the morning by the tug Belknap.
Two big coal laden four masters, the
James e. Campbell and the e. J. Dow,
come in here Sunday afternoon for
shelter and remained at anchor in the
lower harbor during yesterday, and will
probably stay here until the wind
changes and the sea goes down.
During the early morning yesterday,
and the afternoon there came into tho
Dor the largest amount of fish that
has bsen received here for months.
Among other vessels to come In was the
schooner Martha d. Mclean with her
fore topnast and main boom carried
away, and her sails badly torn. She had
a rough time of 1t on her trip here from
the fishing grounds. but landed fare of
10. 900 fish safely.
About four O'Clock the fishing schooner
Josephine Swanton came into port under
double reefed faresail and jib. Her
main gaff was carried away Sunday
night and her mainsail badly torn and
damaged by the heavy wind. The captain
said 1t was terribly rough outside, but
that his vessel had made good weather of
1t. The Swanton put into Boothbay
harbor the other day after tussel with
the easterly gale In leaking condition,
but was quickly repaired and proceeded
on her way to the Banks. She brought
into Portland yesterday 10, 600 halibut.
During the afternoon yesterday the
fishing schoonsrs Robert L. Carr, Minette
and Ella NJ. Doughty cast loose from
their moorings and with all sail set, ex-
cepting their topsails, started out for
ports down the bay. They made fine
appearance as they few out OF the harbor
in the very teeth Of the wind and heeling
over so that the copper on their bottoms
could be plainly seen. 1t takes more
than a..twenty mile breeze and heavy
sea to keep these fishermen in port.
The other fish arrivals yesterday were
the schooners Lila B. Ferneld with 49,
600, Uncle Joe with 10000, Forest Maid
with s]t0, the Evelyn Smi tn with 80, 600,
the Lettie May with 700 and the G. NJ.
Gilmore and Emma Jane with salt fish.
The Birnis and Bessie also brought in
700 Holsters for J. w. Trefethen.
A PORTLAND VESSEL SAFE.
]. S. Winslow & Co., received a tele-
gram yesterday afternoon from the
master of one of their vessels, the
Gertrude L. Trundy, announcing his