The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-01-24
Ten To Twelve Inches Of Snow Fell
in Maine.
THUNDER AND LIGHTNING AT
EASTPORT AND ST. JOHN.

At Gloucester Tidal Wave Was the High
est Since Memorable Storm OF 81 and
$4,000 Worth of Property Was Des-
troyed-Serious Damage Done to Cot
eares and Other Property-Trains Have
Reen More or Less Delayed in Maine.
Boston, January 23. A storm Of con-
siderable severity and attended with rath
er exceptional phenomena, passed over
New England today. causing heavy rains
in the southern portions, 10 to 10 inches
Of snow in Maine and New Hampshire,
thunder and lightning in the extreme
northwest and practically tidal wave
on the coast from Cape Cod to Portland.
Tonight it is blowing gale east of
Portland and the storm seems likely
to increase in force as it passes over the
provinces While the heavy SHOWS in
Maine caused some delay in railroad
traffic, and the severe rains in the south
were responsible for numerous washouts,
the most destructive feature of the storm
seems to shave been tremendous tide
which swept in from the sea at noon,
inundating q greater portion of the
coast and causing heavy loss of property
along the water front and at thu beaches.
At Gloucester, 1.-The tide, according to
some records. was the highest since the
memorable storm of 1851, and caused an
estimated loss to property situated on the
water front of over $4,000. Cellars were
flooded, and as the owners of stores which
suffered, were absent, scarcely any
goods were saved from the water. Fortu-
nately the easterly wind which during the
night blew quite strong, subsided be-
fore noon, for had it increased tide of
tremendous proportions would un-
doubtedly have caused far greater dam
age not only in Gloucester, but to the
cottages on Cape Ann. At Hull and
along Nantasket beach, the tide swept
far above the usual mark carrying away
a nnmber Of small houses on the beach,
wrecking. verandas of other larger dwell
Iings and. causing loss to the cottagers
of some hundreds OF dollars. Other 1ocali-
ties along shore reported losses from the
tide of more or less extent. Reports to-
night from Maine and New Hampshire
show that the storm has been severe
throughout that region. More snow has
fallen in some places today in Maine,
than has been seen all winter, and trains
from the north and east into Portland
have all been moro OF less delayed. An
other peculiar feature of the storm was
the electric phenomena this afternoon at
Eastport and St. John. For half an
hour it thundered and lightened and this
was followed by a shift of wind to the
northeast, and nearly blizzard tonight
The wind at one time today at Eastport
reached velocity of 60 miles an hour.
Altogether the storm has been rather a
peculiar and remarkable one in New
England.
SWEPT UP THE SAUGUS.
Lynn, Mass, January 23.-The tremen-
dous high tide in Lynn harbor today
swept up Saugus river and completely
submerged the streets along the banks
in that portion of the city known as West
Lynn. For two hours the inhabitants
of Cooper, River and Hampden streets,
vert from house to house in boats and
over 800 cellars were flooded. causing a
total loss of thousands of dollars. The
tracks of the Boston, Revere Beach &
Lynn railroad, were also submerged and
q washout occurred near the Thompson
& Houston works, but was fortunately
repaired without causing any great delay
of traffic. The marshes toward Revere
were completely covered and created the
appearance of vast lake. The water
in theLynn turnpike came up to within a
few inches of the electric car tracks. The
tide is said to have been the highest
for over 80 years,
SALEM CELLARS FLOODED.
Salem, Mass, January 23.-UnusUally
high tides, together with sudden and
copious down fall of rain Sunday morn
ing wrought havoc with Salem's electric
car service. AT the power hou 80 of the
Lynn and Boston street railroad company
the boiler room was flooded, and the en-
gines and dynamos were stopped, staliing
every car on the local division. All the
wharves were covered by the tide, which
old longshoremen declared was the high