The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-12-07

decided to do what they say they would
do, that is. seek the open sea and try to
weather the storm.
From 8 o'clock until possibly about II
O'clock the steamer was able to make
some Roadway on her new course.
Then the storm became so powerful
that the Portland could not make head
way, and began to drift rapidly 60 the
leeward until the early hours OF the
mornng, when the gale was at its height
and forced her, with her engines work
ing fully, astern and to eeward, until
she struck on the sand bars off Cape Cod
on Sunday morning at 10 o'clock.
The Portland was by this time natu-
rally pretty well strained and battered,
and could not, therefore, present any, or
but little, resistance to the terrific
grounding Of the waves. which were
running mountain high and with un-
precedented velocity.
The sand bar furnished a good founda-
ton upon which she probably crushed
! like an egg shell, and was Immediately
! broken up.
The old sea veterans hold that the
| steamer was well torn long before she
| struck the sand. SO long as she was
| able to keep into the face of the wind
she probably suffered little, but as soon
as the gale commenced to drive the
struggling craft backward, and the cap
! tain was forced to shift. perhaps half
point, the powerful waves wrenched
away her paddle boxes and tore the
guard to pieces.
| Taking into consideration the time
of the Portland being reported at Thach-
cr's island and the time of her final dis
solution near Highland light, she must
have made gallant fight, but losing
one. against wind and wave. 1t is the
almost unanimous opinion of seafaling
men here that at no time did Captain
Blanchard give up the struggle. and
they judge from the place where the
steamer went ashore that he was MAX
ing an effort to either weather the cape
entirely, or to seek the shelter of Cape
Cod bay. If he desired to do the former
1t is evident that the engines were not
strong enough to contend against the
elements, and if he were endeavoring to
make the shelter of the cape. it may be
that he mistook Highland light for the
| Race Point light.
And yet it would have been an i'm.
possibility for the captain to have seer
much of Highland light on that night
for the snow was binding. 1t is. there
fore. believed to be theory worthy OF
consideration that the Portland made
an uneven fight to keep out at sea, but
was driven to disaster despite all the
power of her engines and the skill of 9
trained and veteran seaman like Cap.
tain blanchard.
no uu1a for.
rible one, as broken and battered. with
top carried away, and the waves fore.
ing their way in steadily, filling her W
and rendering her harder to manage
and reducing her power of resistance
she still staggered on and struck the
sand, with engines still working anC
fighting for the lives Of those on board
That her boilers and her engines wer,
still in good condition and working
agrees with the reports from the scenl
of the wreck of her whistling for hell
being heard Taking into considerati oi
the way the steamer struck, and con
eidering the possibility of her being
disabled and drifting, it does not seen
probable that her machinery gave out
If at all, until she had reached some
point about northeast from Highland
/
to the northward of such a point sh'
would in all probability have beer
driven ashore somewhere between Ply
mouth and Nantasket and at mucl
earlier hour than 10 o'clock.
The beach for 10 miles between High
land light and Race Point is covered
with wreckage of every description, ant
includes cigars tobacco, barrels and tubs
s.1rx ,g.f =.
and wine and kegs of varnish, loose
vegetables. etc Mingled with the cargo
are all sorts of cabin furnishings, con
sisting of stair ratings, stateroom doors
berth boards and fancy woodwork, anC
also a large number Of life belts marked
steamer Portland.
Rufus T.. Snow of Orleans, Mass.
picked I'D the steering wheel of the Port
land. The wheel was tangled up in {
mass of wires. The bodies found wer,
distributed all the way from Race Poin
to Orleans station, a distance of 60 miles;
All the bodies appeared to come from
the Portland.
The Portland carried 16 lifeboats an,
RATS, and had 800 life preservers oil
board. 1t may be that some Of the pas
sengers made the attempt to reach shor,
| on the anu IN tHe DOdtS out IL II
hardly possible that either could live II
such a sea- Nothing has been heard o
the landing of any parties, and not
vesuge of either raft or boat has beef
seen.
A dispatch from Portland says that Mr.
Liscomb says that the responsibility TO
the disaster must rest with Captain
Blanchard. He was ordered to stay II
port, but instead put to sea
He knew that other steamers had gon-
out and returned. but he kept on. WI,
he took this course will never be known
but it is supposed that he thought h,
could go through all right. and that Mr.
Liscomb was over cautious
Mr.. Liscomb tried to get Captain Blan
chard himself by telephone that even
Ing, but failed, and then gave POSITIVE
orders to him through Mr. Williams no
to go out. That order was dsregarded
The Portland cost $3.50, 600 and was in
sured for 1000