The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-29
steamer Portland Supposed to Have
FOundered, and Possibly Ninety
Seven People Drowned.
MANY DEEDS OF HERoISM
PERFORMED BY THE LIFE SAVERS
AND CREWS OF TUGBOATs.
BOSTON, Gloucester and Other Harborm
of Disaster Not Yet Known.

BOSTON, Nov. 2S.-It is known definitely
tonight that more than seventy lives have
been lost in the wrecks of tugs, schooners
and coal barges during the storm Of Sat-
urday night and Sunday morning, and If the
steamer Portland has also gene down, as
now seems possible, the list of casualties will
rise to 17O, with over one hundred vessels
of all descriptions ashore. two score Of them
| total wrecks and an unknown number prob
ably beneath the waves Of Massachusetts,
bay. There is scarcely bay, harbor or
inlet from the Penobscot to New London
that has not on its shores the bones of some
stanch craft. while along Massachusetts, bay.
| and especially Boston harbor, the beaches
are piled high with the wreckage of schoon-
ers and coal barges. The record although
that ocean graveyard of Cape Cod is stIlI
to be heard from.
The annoyance and inconvenience OF the
railroad and street-car embargo covering
into insignifcance before the story Of de-
struction wrought by wind ana wave, yet 1t
will be many day before the full import OF
the disaster is known or even realized
The islands Of Boston harbor are, without
exception. strewn with wrecks and wreck
age No less than twenty-nine vessels are
ashore at Gloucester; over twenty in the
supposed safe harbor of Vineyard Haven
parted their anchor chains yesterday and
are high and dry on the beach; Nantaslxet
beach saw two schooners and coal barge
dashed to pieces on its sands, and the rocks
Of Cohasset claimed stanch fisherman;
Sctuate, well-known pilot boat; Manches-
ter, down-east lumberman, while one tug
and three barges known to have been be-
tween Cape Cod and Boston are unaccounted
for and probably lost. The upper harbors OF
Boston, Plymouth Salem, Portsmouth, Port
land and other places, where vessels were
supposed to be comparatively safe. were the
scenes of numerous collisions between the
ships and the wharves. Every Hfe-savnN
crew performed deeds of heroism in rescu-
ing crews from stranded vessels and tug-
boat captains rislxed life and property In
their endeavor to save life.
THE PORTLAND MISSING.
| The managers of the Boston and Port-
land Steamship Company stated tonight
that there are grave doubts as to the safe
| ty of the steamer Portland, which sailed
from here Saturday night. Every harbor
hNfxx
shore has been heard from, and one OF the
south shore. and in no case has the steamer
been seen. The only remaining harbor which
she could have reached is Provincetown, on
| Cape Cod, and news from that port is anx-
| iousy awaited, as it is still impossible to
reach that port by wire.
Arrangements have been made with the
government to dispatch the revenue cutters
| Dallas from this port and Woodbury. from
Portland to hunt up the steamer The Dali
| las will cruise along the south shore as far
| as Provincetown and the Woodbury. Will
make a long circuit from Portland around
Cape Ann If neither of these steamers
succeeds in locating the missing vessel there
| is little hope Of her ever being seen again.
| The passenger list is aboard the Portland.
| and at present there is no means of know
ing the names of those on board. The
| steamer had in all ninety-seven souls en-
board. The Portland is comparatively new,
a side-wheel steamer. Her length is 2SO feet
and she is valued at $25OOOO.
Not until daylight did the awful havoc
wrought by the storm in Boston harbor and
vicinity become apparent. Not since 1859
has storm caused such destruction OF
property and loss of life so near the city.
Tugs that started early to-day to explore
~. offov fefa -
was needed found a condition OF affairs al
most unprecedented in the marine history OF
Boston. On every shoal and reef I'm the
harbor was found some wrecked craft, over
| which wild sea dashed, carrying the ves-
| sci higher upon the shore or slowly grinding
| it to fragments. Many wrecks were COW
| cred with ice, and tnis and the fact that
a terrific sea was running made 1t impos-
sible to learn their names. The raging
waters prevented any attempt to recover
! bodies known to be In some of the wrecks,
and it is probable that 1t will be several
days before a complete list OF those lost
can be obtained
At Hull beach, where two barges ana
two schooners went ashore. moro than q
dozen bodies were visible in the surf, but IL
was impossible to get to them At shag
Rocks, between Boston light and the
Brewsters where the schooner Calvin r.
Baker was ashore. two sailors were taken
from the rigging by the life savers. nearly
exhausted and the dead body of anotheF
was recovered Three others from this ves-
sci were drowned. but their bodies could
not be found.
SOME OF THE DEAD.
The list OF dead as far as reported is an
| follows:
From the schooner Calvin l. Baker. ashore