Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-12-27
Highest Tides Since 1851--Man and Wife Drowned
In Bed in Everett--Chld Drowned in Chelsea
Million Dollar Damage in BoSton--TrainS
Stalled, WiresDoWn, LightingP|antsCrppbd.

Boston, Dec. 26.-Grim winter swept
into New England today on the wings
of northeast storm with such terrible
energy as to cause great damage much
inconvenience, not a little suffering
and few deaths.
The gale drove a tide into Massachu-
sets bay which nearly equalled that
of the famous storm Of 1851 A heavy,
wet snow Frustrated all wires through
out the southeastern sections, railroad
trains We're stalled and three persons
lost their lives in Everett and Chelsea
by the sudden rise of the tide.
The big tide was the feature of the
storm. Coming on q full moon, the
gale rolled a wave along the coast
which, in some places, reached a height
of over IA feet above low water mark,
only being exceeded by that which
swept the coast at the time Minot's
light was destroyed in April in 1851.
In this city the tide went across
Atlantic avenue, filling hundreds of
cellars and causing an estimated dam
age of over 81 100000.
In Everett, Cornelius Hartain and
his wife We're caught in their beds and
FAINT lost its life in Chelsea under SINH
lar conditions. In many places along
the coast persons were taken from
their homes in boats. Hundreds OF
summer cottages We're undermined,
bulkheads were destroyed, and persons
living some distance from the coast
found themselves looking over the
open ocean.
The prostration of the wire service,
especially in southwestern New Eng
land, was more extensive than for
many years.
1t is years since the railroads and
street railway companies have been 50
badly blocked. The wet snow proved
less of a handicap than the fallen
wires and telegraph poles for the steam
railroads, but the street railroads could
make but little progress.
Fallen wires around Boston and
throughout southeastern Massachu-
sets and Rhode Island made it neces
sary to cut out completely electric
lighting plants in those communities
that We're served by the overhead sys-
TENS. Large cities such as Cambridge,
Somerville, Lynn, Brockton, Provi-
dence, Fall River and New Bedford
We're in darkness.
In Everett and Chelsea hundreds of
persons were driven from their homes
by a flood resulting from the breaking
of dam gate at place known as the
Dyke in Chelsea just over the Everett
line Tonight the homeless We're
housed with friends or cared for by the
municipal authorities of the cities.
In Everett boats from the Chelsea
Naval hospital were used to rescue
families from the upper stories of
their houses.
A wireless message from Highland
Light says an S4-mile gale swept Cape
Cod for two hours this afternoon, We
locitv which has not been exceeded
since 1898. The tide went completely
over Main street in ProvincetoWn,
flooding the cellars of all the houses on
the water front and undermining many
summer residences. At Lynn. the time
made q clean sweep across the narrow
isthmus which connects Nahant with
the mainland. Fifty families IN the VI
cinitv of Saugus river We're driven
from their homes by the tide and many
were taken out of their houses in boats.
on Nantaskct Beach in Hull all the
bulkhcads from Pemberton to the At
lantic House were either washed away
or badly damaged, while every summer
residence between Point Allerton ana
fro Nantasket House lost it's piazza
and MANY of the structures were I'M
dcrnined. 1t is estimated that the dam
age to property in that town alone
viii ,aoch 800 600
Beverly, the summer home OF Pres
ident Taft, was cut off from communl-
cation with the outside world by the
te,enhone and telegraph The cottage
at woodbury. point, however IS
thought to be sufficiently elevated 70
prevent the high water from DONG
damage. . ,,o,,
PETALS of militiamen from Maiden,
1vnn. Everett and Marblehead were sent
70 Chelsea tonight with blankets and mat
tresses by order of Gov. Eben 5. Draper.
II is estimated that the number of people
driven by the flood from their homes IN
tho city, which was fire swept three years
ago, will reach $500