The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-30
TALES OF DEATH AND RUIN
FROM The EASTERN COAST
Steamer Portland a Total Wreck and Ninety-ninf
People Drowned.
Went Ashore On Cape Cod In the Terrible Storm Of Satur-
day Night-LiSt of Victims,

Boston, Nov. 29.-The passing hours
do not bring an end to the reports Of
wrecks and loss of life I'D and down
the New England coast, as the outcome
of Saturdays terrific storm. From Cape
Cod the most terrible accounts of ruin
and death are coming, and of these the
loss Of the steamer Portland. with all
on board, nearly 100 souls, overshadows
all.
The graveyard of the coast, the
treacherous bars and rips on the out
side Of Cape Cod, claimed victims with
out number. Miles and miles of coast
line is piled high with wreckage, most
Of which is ground so fine by the waves
that Identification of helpless craft is
impossible. AS the fury Of the wind
was as great on the bleak sand hills
which make UP the cape, 1t viii be
many hours before all places are heard
from. Telegraph wires are down, and
railroads cannot break out s)f the snow
drifts, and this feature is distressing,
as much suffering from cold and hum
ger must ensue among the poorer peo-
pie in the nearby hamlets.
Tonight the only means of reaching
Cape Coo is by steamer across Massa-
chuSetts bay, a diSa greeable voyage, as
the sea is yet boisterous.
Word from Princetown tells of nearly
thirty total wrecks, with the number
Of lives lost unknown.
Matters are improving slightly along
Vineyard Sound, so far as means Of
communication is concerned. The best
summing uD Of the disasters in that
section is made by Captain Hard, jr.,
OF the revenue cutter Dexter, who has
cruised along the shore all day. lie
says that in Vineyard Haven hulls are
piled up on the shore, and those vessels
Which are afloat seem mere shells. The
Dexter reports possible additions to the
wreck list in two schoOners sunk off
Menemsha light, and two big ones, sunk
abreast PesQue Isle. The fate of their
crews is unknown. Three Wrecking
steamers are around the Fairfax,
ashore on Sow and Pigs reef.
The arrival in this city from Cape
Cod tonight of party of hunters has
added to the excitement attendant upon
the report that the steamer Portland
had been wrecked on Cape Cod, through
their reporting that 1t IS the belief Of
the life-saVers on the outer side of the
cape, south Of Nauset light, that a
Savannah line steamer had struck on
Peaked Hill Dar. Each member of the
party saw bodies washed ashore atNau-
set, and the life-savers claimed to have
seen a board in the surf bearing the
name Gate City"
The surf is full of articles from a yes
sells genral cargo. One of the hunters
b IN an interview tonight, says that there
IS a possibility that the Gate City was
only swept by the seas, and come Of hel
deck fittings were washed away. The
Gate City sailed from this port for the
south on Saturday.
The first advices since Saturday from
Highland light, on the extremity OF
Cape Cod, received at 2 a. m. this
"wednesday morning, do not indicate
that the Gate City was wrecked of
there Saturday night.
From the reports that have come by
wire, mail and messenger to the AsSO
ciated Press from New England points
it was difficult to estimate the tota
loss of life and damage to shipping
along this coast as the result Of tn,
recent storm. The list of disasters seen
10 grow every hour, and from dis
patches thus far received, it appear
that at least thirty schooners hav,
been wrecked at different points from
Eastport, Me, to New Haven, Conn
Eighty-siX schooners have been driver
ashore, and fourteen barges, loaded o
empty. are aground.
This list does not include the thirt,
vessels either wholly or PARTIAL.
wrecked IN Boston harbOr, nor half
dozen or more craft which are reported
missing, including the Wilson lin
freighter Ohio, which is ashore OF
Spectacle island. When these ar
added the list exceeds 110 vessels
Ihe loss OF life is hard to determine
It is known that about fifty people pe1
ished in and about Boston harbor Re
ports from other places, in some cases
state that the crew OF this or that yes
sci escaped, many, however, state tn
fate OF the crew is unknown. Som
survivors have turned up and life-sav
ing stations and incoming vessels hav
&s9ught few sailors from wrecks. PEI
Ams q score would cover those q
.AwAhom nothing is known, not includin
the siXty-five or more who We're o
1o-7.r7 tho Portland