The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-16

News OF a disastrous wind storm at
Nome. beginning August and lasting UNI
III August T. was brought to this city
by the steamer Centennial yesterday.
Great damage was done TO shipping, and
many steamers. sail boats. launches and
lighters came TO grief. The storm began
as gentle breeze, but toward evening
the wind freshened until on the night or
August II had become hurricane. The
surf rolled mountain high and all the
big vessels in the harbor hoisted anchors
and put out to sea.
The smaller craft did not dare attempt
such a course The wind was from the
southwest and struck the coast on the
most unprotected quarter. When the
Centennial left, hundreds OF men were
out on the beach picking up wreckage
from the unfortunate mosquito fleet. To
add to the discomfort OF the storm-tossed
Mariners light. drizzlng rain began
TO fall. which drenched the watchers and
partly shut off from view the struggling
boats. BY good luck. almost miraculous.
no lives were lost, SO far as was known
when the Centennial left for Seattle.
The beach was then covered with small
vessels for a distance of several miles.
Lighters were pounding themselves TO
pieces against one another, and there was
no means of saving them. on account of
the heavy sea running All communica-
ton between the shore and the boats
still at anchor was cut or. The wind.
however. was fast undertaking.
The first steamer to meet disaster was
the Yukon river steamer. w. X. Merwin,
formerly In Puget sound waters. She
had just come from st. Michael and was
anchored OF the mouth of Snake river.
She was not blown ashore. but foundered
In the heavy seas. She snrang a leak
about midnight. and before her crew
what b She uss
put out to the rescue, and by the greatest
difficulty the whole crew were saved.
The son OF the engineer Of the Gem
the beach and preserves 1t as a relic
OF the terrible storm. 1t is thought that
the Merwin will be total loss.
size TO meet destruction was the tug
Effort, OF Seattle. She parted her an
Choir chains, and despite the efforts OF
was slowly driven ashore and turned over
on her beam ends. The belief OF the
CentenniaFs passengers Is that she was
pounded so hard that she is also a total
A third wreck was the schooner Teaser.
She broke from her moorings and drifted
rapidly on to the beach She struck and
her masts fell like ninepins. She swung
around In the shadows and keeled over
on her side. II Is said that her keel was
broken at the. FIRST impact. Her cargo,
loss. She was sold by her owners only
a few hours before the storm arose.
Besides the three vessels named a large
number OF launches and lighters were
washed ashore and. for the most part,
destroyed. Their anchor chains and ca
bles could not Withstand the force of the
seas. and one after another they broke
away and we're cast up on the shore.
There they lay pounding to pieces until
the storm subsidized. The loss Is estimated
at many thousands OF dollars. including
the merchandise with which many of the
boats were loaded
The big barge Skookum rode out the
storm safely. although breakers washed
over her for hours. She was securely
anchored. All the large vessels put out
to sea and were saved. The wrecks are
said TO line the beach for a mile or more.
A. far AS is known. no lives were lost,
although the Centennial sailed before re-
ports could be obtained from points along
the coast on either side OF Nome All
along the beach large numbers of men
were given temporary employment at
good wages pilng goods back beyond the
reach OF the breakers. Considerable mer-
chandise was lost by being swept out
10 sea.
The havoc wrought by the storm was
not a surprise TO the people of Nome,
who had been daily expecting 1t. Thou
sands OF dollars worth Of goods were
piled within reach Of even a moderately
high surf. Fortunately. the work OF
. moving the goods back had progressed
rapidly for several weeks before the storm
at last came.