The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-11-29
DEATH IN THE DEEP
More Than Seventy Lives
Lost in Storm.
WRECKS ON THE COAST
NEW ENGLAND'S LIFE SAVERS
HEROIC WORK.
lis THE STEAMER PORTLAND LOST
Every Harbor Between Boston and Portland has
been Heard from and in Meme OF them
has the Vessel been Seen.

Boston. Mass, Nov. 2S.-It is known
definitely tonight that more than seven
ty lives have been lost in the wrecks of
tugs. schooners and coal barges during
the storm Saturday night and Sunday
morning, and if the steamer Portland
has also gone down. as now seems pos
sible, the list of casualties will rise TO
hundred and forty, with over 100 vessels
of Il descriptions ashore.
There is scarcely bay, harbor or in
let from the Penobscot, Maine, to New
London, Conn.,, that has not on it's shores
the bones of some staunch craft, while
along Massachusetts Bay, and especially
Boston Harbor. the beaches are piled
high with the wreckagc Of schoOners and
coal barges. The record, although hour
ly lengthening, is still incomplete for that
ocean graveyard of Cape Cod is yet to
be heard from and as it has never failed
TO give up some grim tale at such time,
will not be found lacking on such acca
sionS ms this.
The islands of Boston harbor are,
without exception. strewn with wrecks
and wreckage. No less than % vessels
are ashore ut Gloucester; over 20 in the
supposed safe harbor of Vineyard Haven
parted their anchor chains yesterday and
are high and dry on the beach.
Every life-saving crew performed
deeds of heroism III rescuing crews of
seamcn from stranded vessels and tug
boat captains risked life and property in
their endeavor to save life.
Among the rugs which started down
the harbor as soon as daylight came was
the police boat Guardian. which last
night was caught in the thick weather off
Deer Island while endeayoring to ascer-
tain the meaning of distress signals fly
ing in the lighthouse. She made for the
tiny beacon which marks the inner har-
Dor channel again this morning and with
a tossing sea and strong incoming tide,
tried to answer signals. Finally il was
learned that the lght-ohues6K615 61566
learned that the lighthouse had no fresh
water. for the heavy seas had broken
in the bulkheads and spoiled the water
stored there. There We're five men in
the lighthouse. The two boats which
usually hang from the davits had been
splintered by the force of the waves and
the sea dashing over the lighthouse with
such force that there was little hope of
reaching there Beyond Deer Island lies
the big Wilson liner Ohio and the
steamer C. a. White, of Taunton, on
Spectacle Island. 1t is matter of SUR
prise TO harb0r pilots how the Ohio
reached her present berth. She stands
up boldly without the senlblance of a list,
on a hard gravel bottom, in water which
at flood tide this morning hardly came to
the level of the propeller shaft
According to some of the wrecking
masters, the only way to save the liner
is by dredging a channel from the Ohio
10 deep water, but even this must be
done quickly, as another gale would do
incalculable damange.
The White evidently lies on rocks. and
while she can be pulled into deep water
with her heavy cargo would scarcely
keep afloat
The schooner p r. Woodside. from
orfolk for Boston. with a cargo of
piling. is ashore off Hull.
The managers of the Boston and Port
land Steamship Company sated tonight
that there are grave doubts as to the
safety of the steamer Portland, which
sailed from here Saturday night. Every
harbor between here and Portland on
the north shore has been heard from,
and one on the south shore, and in no
case has the steamer been seen. The
only remaining harbor which she could
Ave reached is Provincetown. on Cape
Cod and news from that port is anxious
ly awaited. as it is still impossible to
reach that port by wire.
She carried siXty-fve passengers and
crew of fifteen men.
SHIPS BROKEN TO ATHOMS.
Vineyard Haven. Mass, Nov. 2S.-
Sunday was the most eventful day that
Vineyard Haven has known for forty
years. From early morning until late at|
night the water was strewn with wreck
age and vessels were constantly driven
ashore, many of them to be dashed to
pieces. A large fleet of coasting schOon-
ers from st. John and other ports in
the provinces of Maine. were battered
to fragments. Most of the vessels driven
ashore were obliged to part their ca
bles owing to the great danger from col
lision with other vessels which hadI
broken adrift.
The driving snow storm prevented the
life savers from keeping good lookout
for distress signals. Of the fleet of twoI
score of vessels that came to anchor be-
fore the storm, hardly one escaped
damage
The barkentine Nellie NJ. Slade. ofl
Boston, Captain Montgomery, from
Charleston, S. c., for Portland, Maine,
with cargo of clay, parted both
chains and fouled the British schooner
Delta. The Slade had all her head
gear and royal masts carried away. Herl
crew was unable to hold her and sheI
was driven ashore on the west side of
the harbor.
1t is thought she will be foated.