The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1898-12-08
LOSS OF the PORTLAND.
Coast Steamer Sunk and All on
Board Doomed.

(O1St SteAmer Sunk ana AL on
Board Doomed.
MORE THAI A HUNDRED vICTINa
Many DoA1es washed Ashore - CaDe
CeS. hst Few Are Vet IAssssaeA.
The Beach stPewn with WreekaSe.
The Captain DisobeyeA Orders.
Provincetown. Masa. Dec. 3-The -
alone knows how the steamer Portland
erous waters which continually threat
en- the very existence Of Cape Cod and
which cover the most dreaded ocean
graveyard on the entire Atlantic coast.
for Of all the ships company of over 100
people not one has lived. As the surges
roll In from the broad Atlantic they
bring the evidences Of the tribute de-
manded by the furies. Ground into
fragments were the tmbers Of the
strong craft. 50 feet being the largest
piece cast ashore. while the bodies Of
the greater number Of the victims are
likely Z be disintegrated by the force
- ...e waves. and few II any others in
addition to the 16 already recovered
will be secured. The laundering of the
Portland-for 1t seems impossible that
she struck on the rocks-eclipsed two
other fearful wrecks on this coast-the
steamer City Of Columbus. on Devils
bridge in 1884, when 100 lives were lost.
and the ship Jason. in 1893. when %
persons were swept away.
The steamer Portland left Boston for
urday night in the face Of a storm
which was then raging. 1t Is asserted
that Captain Blanchard was instructed
by the manager Of the steamship COM
pany not to sail that evening. and in
doing 80 he disobeyed orders. The
Portland probably went down of High
land light about 10 o'clock on Sunday
morning. as indicated by the stopping
at that time of a watch found on the
body of one OF the victims.
For two days Cape Cod was isolated
from the outside world, and when the
railroad was opened the devastation
which followed Sundays storm became
fully known. Besides the Portland VIC
Tins at least 20 lives were lost in a
host Of other craft. chief Of which was
, the big schooner King Philip.
The cause Of the Portland's fate, aside
from the force of the elements. is a
mystery which will probably never be
probed. Every mariner has a theory,
and all agree that when buffeted by the
storm off Cape Ann the big side Wheel
er was disabled and before the blast
was driven over 40 miles to leeward.
the waves slowly demolishing the upper
structure until the hull alone remained,
Nd MI ho
face. The vessel disappeared some dis
is now carrying wreckSAe and bodies
southwark, and much of it may be
: found on Nantucket's shoals. Wednes-
! day another fierce northeaster set in,
again lashing the waves into a frenzy
and giving small hope to scores of
broken hearted relatives and friends OF
the victims that their bodies will be
found on the shores.
The Number of Victims Unknown.
The exact number Of persons who
were carried away from Boston by the
steamer Portland will probably never
be known, as no list Of passengers was
retained on shore when the vessel sail.
ed on Saturday. Many estimates Of the
number on board have been made. but
the estimates have seldom agreed. G.
F. Williams, Boston agent Of the Port
land Steamship company. who came
here on the tug WILLIAM H. Smith
places the total number Of persons OF
the steamer at 100 or possibly los. Thi.
estimate. however. is generally regard
ed as rather small. 1t has been statet
that the number was as high as 1855, bu
. Mr.. Williams denies that so many sail
! "a %hA 10 hi <11n
, 120, including passengers and crew. Il
/ near the correct number.
| Yesterday was a day Of constan
, watching Of more than 30 miles Of coas
, line, and the sea grudgingly held it
, victims within its depths, only surren
dering meager five. These. with tn
, 16 previously found, make a total Of on
ly 81 out Of the entire passenger an,
crew list, the exact number Of which 1
still unknown. The number Of peopl
who went to their death on the Portlan
} will never be known, but almost hourl
: missing persons are reported from diff
ferent places in New England, unit
2 now 1t seems probable that the numbe
t was over $50.
e The prospects are now favorable tina
e the incoming tide will be accompanie
e by an undertow which will be likely t
: cast up great quantities Of wreckag
: along the coast. This will be favorabl
8 to the recovery Of bodies not only a
y Cape Cod, but at other places where 8
many sailors went to their death.
OF the bodies recovered hereabouts. !
have been identified and eight renal
: to be named. The identified are.
: Hon. E Dudley Freeman, yarmouth
a Me-
g George W. Delaney, shawmut avenu
r Boston.
e ton.
: Mrs. Cornelia Mitchell. Northeastern
Miss Madge Ingraham, colored, Wood
fords, Me.
George Graham, colored, porter O
= steamer Portland.
# Deckhand on steamer Portland. nan
a unknown to Agent Williams, but ider
J. titled by him as an employee on tt
"a Portland.
"a = Jones. second cook, identified /
II Agent Williams.
n Solomon Cohen, junk dealer, Portlan
Me-
Miss Elizabeth NJ Collins Portland.
QI Susan E. Kelly Of Boston.
VI Walter L. Bemis Of Auburn, Me-. four
= of Chatham.
An attempt to fix the financial To-
Of Sundays storm in and around Pro
incetown and including the steam
Portland wreck has been made by Sc
eral men who have large interests
|, coastwise shipping. The tabulatiol
reached were as follows:
- Loss Of property on land. SO, 900: 10
, Of marine property, not including t
steamer Portland, $500. 900; the Por
"A. 1@.~ To-
Of passengers and sailors. Sc, 900: tot,
$4,000. Lives lost, probably $50.