MASSACHUSETTS.
BOSTON, October 13.
TERRIBLE STORM.
The storm which raged from Tuesday to Wednesday morning last, is pronounced
by the oldest citizens to be the most severe and the most destructive of any
that has ever occurred in this place since the recollection of any one, and
without doubt has not been equalled since the first settlement of the country.
The town and harbour on them morning of Wednesday presented indeed a melancholy
spectacle. A large proportion of the beautiful trees which ornamented the town,
were torn up by the roots, and thrown across the streets. Bricks, slates, splinters,
&c. thrown from the neighbouring houses, covered the ground in many places,
and a number of valuable buildings were either unroofed, or entirely demolished.
The wharves presented a fight still more distressing. Several of the shipping
were sunk at the wharves, and others broke from their fastnings, and were driven
on shore. The sterns and sides of many others were beaten in, and their bowsprits
carried away; and very few escaped without considerable damage.
We give the following particulars of a small part of the ravages of this tremendous
hurricane Several of the new brick buildings are so twisted, as to render their
being wholly pulled down necessary. The battlements of Mr. E. Eaton's new house
fell upon a contiguous one, in which he lived, and entirely demolished a principal
part of it; burying in its ruins every person left in the house: among whom
was a servant woman by the name of Bennet, killed and another woman, with a
man badly wounded. The furnace of Messrs. Reveres was blown down. One of the
Western Stages, in passing West-Boston Bridge, was upset by the force of the
wind, and several of the passengers considerably hurt.- In Charlestown, the
Baptist meeting-house is partly unroofed, and the spire of the Rev. Dr. Morse's
meeting-house, very much bent. The new brick building in the U.S. Navy Yard,
is so far injured that it must be taken down, if it does not fall itself; a
large dwelling-house, belonging to Mr. John Harris, and another to Mr. Bolton,
are blown down.- The south meeting-house at Danvers was partly uprooted: the
Baptist meeting-house at the New Mills was uprooted, one side blown in, and
the pews ripped to pieces The spire of the Beverly East meeting-house was broken
off.- At Mary's wharf, the sloop Polly, belonging to Dea. John Waite, with lumber,
drifted against the wharf, bilged and sunk. A boat near this wharf upset and
two men who were on board drowned. At long wharf, schr. Dorcas, capt. Rider
of Chatham, loaded with fish, beat nearly to pieces, and sunk sloop Laura, capt.
Griffin of Cape Ann, nearly beat to pieces and cargo very much damaged. At Foster's
wharf, the brig Brilliant, (formerly the John) has bilged and sunk. At Fellow's
wharf, a ship belonging to Mr. Fellows, was drove from her fastening, upon Dorchester
flats, where she now lies high and dry. A sloop (lighter) belonging to Mr. Frank's
sunk near the channel; a lad, by the name of Smith, who had been attempting
to keep her free of water, finding the vessel sinking clung to a plank, from
which he was soon after washed off, and drowned. Several boats went off, and
attempted to save him, but their exertions were fruitless. The schr. Louisiana,
Lauster, and schr. Nancy, Perkins, of Penobscot, were drove from their anchorage,
and drifted to Dorcester flats, without receiving any material injury. Two schooners,
two sloops and two lighters, were also driven on shore near South Boston bridge.-
At Salem, every vessel in the harbour was driven on shore; but fortunately in
a situation, where they experienced but little damage.- At Gloucester, (Cape
Ann) near freshwater Cove, a Kennebunk sloop, loaded with rum, is entirely lost,
with a lady passenger on board, the master and crew saved. Four or five others
were driven out of the harbour, and it is supposed are lost, with their crews;
three small fishing schooners were driven from Manchester bay, and are probably
lost.- At Marblehead, it is feared the gale has proven fatal to a number of
vessels which were blown out of the harbour. Twenty or thirty, riding at anchor,
were driven ashore on the S.W. beach.- In the country, the fruit and other trees
have been generally blown down, the fences destroyed, and much damage done by
the heavy rain which fell during the storm.- The chain of mountains running
near Peterborough, Rindge, &c.. are covered with snow; and in many towns
adjacent, the SNOW is said to be from 4 inches to 2 and 3 feet.
Among the most melancholy disasters by the late hurricane, we have heard of,
is the loss on Cape Porpoise, of a Hallowell Packet, Capt.
Weston, which sailed from this port on the Monday preceding the storm,-
There were 20 passengers on board, 12 of whom were ladies;- and we learn that
all of them perished.- The body of Dr. APPLETON, of Waterville, his
wife and child, have been found. |
Send an e-Postcard of this object
