Year: 1869

iul gale which, although of short duration, caused
an immense destruction of property and sad
( loss of life. The weather had been ftful and
| squally all day, with rain ut intervals. About
} four O'clock the wind increased to n hurricane,
from the southeast and for rn hour spread
havoc and devastation on every side. Old citl-
zens who recollect the "great gale of 1915, tell
us that the force of wind yesterday seemed fully
{ equal to that remarkable tempest the only
( difference being in the duration of the storm.
The tide fortunately was out when the gale COM
menced its severity; but the wind sent the
surges up through the Great Bridge with the ra-
pidty of a torrent.


For more than an hour the tide rose a foot
;, every ten minutes, until, three hours before the
time for high tide, the water stood within few
inches of the floor of the horse railroad depot
on Weybosset bridge At this time the wind
shifted to the westward and abated its fury, and
soon the flood began to subside. Had the gale
continued another hour at its highest force, we
see no reason why the water would not have
touched as high point rs at the great Hood of
1915. As it happily proved, the tide came no
nearer than about six feet of that famous high
water mark. TheIgale yesterday continued about
one hour; that in 1915 continued its fearful
severity for three hours. We fear that the
loss of life yesterday was much more serious
than in the previous gale. We have the record
of several fatal casualties, and hear of others
not yet authenticated The loss of property has
also been very great Every citizen suffers in
the loss of hundreds of beautiful trees in the
the streets; while scarcely garden or orchard
has escaped. The loss in buildings is large, and
much pershable merchandise has been sub
merged and ruined. The reports from the grow
ing crops in the country round about we may be
sure will be sad one; and we shall look with
dismal forebodings for news from those who go
down to the sea in ships. Our accounts embrace
little beyond our own immediate vicinity. The
telegraph is entirely prostrated in every direc-
ton. Since o'clock yesterday afternoon not
signal has been received from anywhere, and
much labor must be requisite to restore the
ample communication with the great world
which we have heretofore enjoyed.


The Gale in the City of Providence.


The tide rose very rapidly from to o'clock,
when the gale was at the highest, and soon after
5 il overhowed the wharves and filled the cellars
on Dyer street. and the other buildings and
stores as far up as Weylosset street, the flood
increasing every mement and extending from
the wharves nearly to Broad street on Dorrance,
and Overtiowing the large area from Market
square to the Rhode Island Bleachery, just below
the screw factory and the Providence Machine
ComLany's works, extending westward to Eddy
street and overfowing that for most of the dis
tance, until the wind lulled, at about o'clock,
and at half-past the water began TO recede and
fell rapidly from that time although 1t was not
high water until quarter past 9. OF course, the
damage in this district was immense, of which
we can give only a partial account or estimate
this evening. All persnable goods in the cellars
of the warehouses were ruined, the streets were
washed and quilted in many places, the build
ings on the wharves at the coal-yards and the
wharves, too, were more or less injured; every
thing that would float was washed away or
moved from its place. The large platforms of
the coal-scales were tioated off and lodged on
Dyer and Dorrance streets, and all the streets in
that vicinity were more or less strewn with the
wrecks and debris of the gale. The employees of
the lumber and coal-yards were very busy re-
; moving the horses from the stables, all of which
[ were saved though some had to swim short
distance to reach II safe place. Chimneys were
blown down. houses unroofed and trees up
rooted, in this vicinity well as all other parts
nf no pit ". a
( we can only make this general allusion to it at
/ this time.


On the east side the water reached the lime in
| the storehouse George W. Hall ~ Co. s
wharf, where some $50 barrels were stored and
the lime Stacked and set the building on fire,
which was soon put out by steamer No. 2, with
out greatly damaging the building, and the
balance of the lime was then removed. The
larger part of the east wall, above Weeden's
block of the new Atlantic Insurance Co.'S block,
corner of Exchange and Westminster streets,
fell about AZ o'clock, with loud crash, and
crushed in about forty feet OF the roof of
Weeden's block, nearly running Odd Fellows
Hall in the upper story, The Odd Fellows lose
about $500.


The freight depot of the Hartford, Providence
and Fishkill Railroad Company was completely
blown down about o'clock There were three
men in the depot at the time, and one of them,
Mr.. ID. b. Fisher, the night watchman, was con-
siderably, though not dangerously injured. The
depot was of brick, and OF the greater portion of
the line of the south wall, there is nothing left
but the granite foundation. Three cars and
some freight were in the depot and are consi-
derably damaged.


Part of the roof and fourth story of Mcssrs.
Rose q Walkers tannery under the brow of
Federal Hill was blown over about half past
in the afternoon; and the one-story hidehouse
was also demolished. Mr. Walker and three
Others were in the attic of the building, and four
men were in the hidehouse at the time of the
accident but none of them were injured. Mr..
Rose estimated the damage to the buildings and
stock at from $1,000 to $4,000


We are especially sorry 10 announce that the
roof of the Home for Aged Women was taken
off, and much damage done The Hutchinson
Family were at that time in the home delighting
the old ladies with their pleasant songs. Just
AS one of the gratfed old ladies had asked to
hear the Hutchinson Family Song, the crash
came.


One wing of the Oriental Mill, in North
Providence, was unroofed and the wall on the
gable end blown in, iniuring several persons.
Two boys were covered with the falling bricks
and mortar one of them named Henry Stanley,
received compound fracture of the pevs and
some severe flesh wounds, and is in critical
condition.


The roofs of the towers on the Stewart Street
Baptist Church were blown off. One landed on
the new st. Stephens Church building The
other was carried with great force across Hioh
street, taking in its course portion of the root
of Mr. N. +. Potter's house, and landing i'm the
front window of Willoughbys dry goods store.


A Young girl, aged about fourteen was thrown
down by the gale, on Valley street Olneyyille
and so badly injured that she lived but a few
moments afterwards. II Is also reported tina