The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1898-12-07
NONE SAVED
OiPaSsengers andrew
Of the Portland.
Steamer Buffeted to Pieces
on Cape Cod Shore.
Struck Some Time Sunday In
Height of The Gale.
Probably Blown Out of Her Course
While Seeking Shelter
Struck Some Time Sunday In
Height of The Gale.
Probably Blown Out of Her Course
While Seeking Shelter.
Coast From Highland Light 10 Race Poln
Light Uttered With Her Cargo

Highland Light, Mass, Nov So
Steamer Portland of the Boston and
Portland line has been lost on Cape Cod
with all on board The life saving men.
through the binding storm of Sunday
morning, at o'clock heard the distress
whistle of a steamer. and Sunday night,
at midnight, the body of man washed
ashore. On the body of the man was
q Hfebelt marked Steamer Portland, Of
Portland" A gold watch in his pocket
had stopped at 10 o'clock. The man
was we'll dressed. wore black clothes and
tan shoes, had light hair and mustache,
and piece of card in his pocket bore
the words John W. Congress street,
Portland" The body of large woman.
without covering of any kind, washed
ashore at Pamet river, but there was
no means of Identifying 1t.
Another body at High Head Is that of
young man. evidently a passenger.
Another at Cahoon's Hollow is that Of
large man. not identified
Boxes. trunks and merchandise have
been picked UP all along the shore.
1t is believed that the steamer Portland
was disabled by the storm at 10 o'clock
Sunday night. being unable longer to
hold UP against the gale, an5 drifted
onto Peaked Hill bars, and went to
pieces. Boxes of tobacco, clothing.
cheese. oil. etc, have been washed
oil IL \
the words Steamer Portland"
No one will probably ever tell of the
experience of the steamer after she
bowled past Boston light, for, so far
as known, there are no survivors. She
was last sighted off Thatchers light Just
after o'clock by the schooner Maud S.
She was then all right. and was holding
her course. The storm then was filing
the air with snow and the wind was
gathering fresh fury with every blow
Still, 1t was as a Whit to a whirlwind
as compared with the gale that burst all
round after midnight
Captain H. II. Blanchard of the Port
hand was one of the veteran pilots of the
New England coast and his very con-
ndence in his own ability led him to
tempt the fortunes of night at sea
and binding snow. General Manager
Liscomb was uneasy over the weather
Indications and counselled the captain
not to make the trip, but to the "old sea
dog" the gathering clouds had no terror
and so the Portland went to sea-
The Portland was heavily laden. She
had a general cargo of all kinds of
merchandise and in the warmth of her
n pat n I,
The exact number is not now known.
The list lies somewhere along the sand
snares of the cape. There were IS Off
GERS and crew manning the steamer.
They are all gone. after battling all night
long with tempestuous seas that finally
succeeded in battsring their craft to
Eieces.
Brave wreckers who patrol the sand
dunes and treacherous beaches have been
busy since Sunday afternoon In the sor-
rowful duty of caring for bodies hurled
ashore by the breakers. They had gath
cred "a of these terrible reminders OF the
death-dealing storm up to a late hour
yesterday afternoon, They were also
busy In saving from the sea portions of
the $250000 worth Of cargo that came
within their reach.
The harbor of the town, felt to be
one of the best on the New England
coast, had. been robbed of it's safety
and where but a few hours before had
ridden laden schooners, now were dis
mantled and sunken hulks. But there
had been but little loss of life, and the
news of the sinking Of the Portland gave
a gloomy completeness to the stories of
90 wrecks already reported.
How the Portland came to be in q
position to go ashore where she did, en-
gagged the attention of the captains and
seamen who dwell along the cape. The
gale. which at times reached q velocity
of rs miles an hour, was blowing from
the northeast. 1t is conjectured by
them that Captain Blanchard, encoun.
tering the force of this gale after he
passed Thacher's, thought to ease his
vessel by heading off shore in an east.
northesaterly direction.
In favorable conditions his course
would have been directly northeast
This course Saturday night would hav'
been right in the teeth of the gale. With
such steamer as the Portland, setting
as she did so high above the water and
with side wheels to make her way, this
became an mpossibility and no CAPTAIN
would more quickly realize these con.
ditions than Captain Blanchard IA.