Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-12-03
VICTIMS OF WRECKS
Steamer Portland Lost With Over
Smxss a Hundred Souls
OFF THE NEW ENGLAND COAST.

ProbablyTwo Hundredw ere Drowned
During the Recent Terrific storm.
A Report That the Gate City, OF the
Savannah Line, Has Also Gone Down
Boston. Nov 30-The passing hours
do not bring an end to the reports of
wrecks and loss of life up and down
the New England coast as the out
come of Sundays terrific storm, such
a one as New England never had be-
fore. From Cape Cod the most terrible
accounts Of ruin and death are coming.
and of these the loss of the steamer
Portland, a side-wheeier plying be-
tween Boston and 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, have claimed vic
Tins without number. Miles and miles
of coast line are piled high with wreck
age. most of which is ground so fine
by the waves that identification Of hap
less craft is impossible.
The only means of reaching Cape Cod
Is by steamer across Massachusetts
bay. a disagreeable voyage, as the sea
is yet boisterous. Word from Province
town tells of nearly 80 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 up of the disasters in that
| section is made by Captain Hard, Jr.,
| of the revenue cutter Dexter, who has
cruised along shore. He says that in
Vineyard Haven many hulls are piled
upon the shore. and those vessels which
are afioat seem mere shells. The Dex-
ter reports possible additions to the
| wreck list of two schooners sunk off
| Menemisha Blight and two big ones sunk
abreast of Presoue Isle. The fate OF
their crews is unknown. Three wreck
ing steamers are around the Fairfax
ashore on Sow and Pigs Reef.
The Portland was totally wrecked al
! 10 O'Clock Sunday morning off High
land Light, and the entire crew and
passengers persisted within a short dis
lance of land. A large quantity o.
wreckage, including trunks and othel
material have come ashore, and s.
bodies have been recovered from TIT
surf by the life saving crew at Higl
Head station. One body was that of
woman.
The New England coast is strewi
with the wrecks of sailing vessels, a
many as 225 having been blown on tn
/
Nearly all of them will prove to b
total losses, and there has been an &C
companying great loss of life. In al
1t is believed that 200 lives have bee
. lost by shipwreck and there have bee
many deaths from cold and exposure
The damage to business interests
estimated at from $3.000.0o0 to $40. 900.
0o0. Eighty buildings have been blow
: down.
The arrival in this city from Cap
! Cod last night of a party OF hunters ma
added to- the excitement attendau
upon the report that the steamer Port
I land has been wrecked on Cape Co
through their reporting that It is tn
belief of the life savers on the cute
side of the cape, south of Nauset ligh
that a Savannah line steamer ha
struck on Peaked Hill bars. Fac
member OF the party saw bodies wash
: ed ashore at Nauset, and the life saver
claimed to have seen a board in til
surf bearing the name Gate City.
The surf is full of articles from a YES
r sells general cargo.