Painting the Light
The Story Behind the Story
FROM THE VINEYARD GAZETTE November 1898
Saturday night and most of Sunday the fiercest storm in many years prevailed over the northern and eastern part of the country.
The damage by the storm will aggregate several millions of dollars along the entire New England coast, not to mention the loss inland. Sea-faring men declare that not in the last half century has there been a gale so severe to shipping interests as this. All along the coast the shores are strewn with wrecks, and the loss of life is appalling. It is feared that the death list for the Massachusetts coast alone may reach three score, in addition to the terrible loss, 160, on Steamer Portland.
Every sea port has its own list of disasters to shipping and destruction ashore. But of all places along the New England coast south of Cape Cod, Vineyard Haven’s noble harbor presents the scene of direst disaster.
Sunday was the most eventful day that the town has known for 40 years. From early morning until late at night the water about the port was strewn with wreckage, and vessels were constantly driven ashore, many of them to be dashed to pieces.
It is known that at least ten men have perished, and it is very probable that as many more have lost their lives.
Twenty-one schooners, nearly all heavily laden, and one turkentine are ashore; four schooners now lying at anchor are totally dismasted; two others were sunk, and one bark is resting at the bottom, entirely submerged. Many other vessels were battered and partially striped of their rigging.
Many of the vessels driven ashore were obliged to part their cables, owing to the great danger of collision with other vessels which had broken adrift.
The vessels sunk, ashore or badly damaged at Vineyard Haven include the following:
Sch. Leora M. Thurlow, sunk.
“ Annie A. Booth, dismasted.
“ E.J. Hamilton, ashore.
“ M.E. Eldredge, ashore.
Bkn. Nellie M. Slade, ashore.
Sch. James A. Brown, ashore.
“ Newburgh, (Br.) ashore (in steamboat wharf.)
Sch. James Ponder, Jr., ashore.
“ Canaria, (Br.), ashore.
“ Rebecca W. Huddell, ashore.
“ Lucy Hammond, ashore.
“ Abby K. Bently, ashore.
“ Bertha E. Glover, ashore (on fire).
“ Sadie Willcult, ashore.
“ Marion Draper, ashore.
“ J.D. Ingraham, ashore.
“ Chas. E. Raymond, ashore.
“ Geo. H. Mills, ashore.
“ Quetay, (Br.), ashore.
“ Winnie Lawry, ashore.
“ Nellie Doe, ashore.
“ E.G. Willard, ashore, burned.
“ Edith McIntyre, ashore.
“ William Todd, sunk.
“ Caritu, (Br.), ashore.
“ Flora Condon, dismasted.
“ Hattie M. Howes, “
“ Tay, (Br.), “
“ Rondo, “
“ Pafetta, (Br.), waterlogged and badly damaged.
Sch. George, (Br.), bowsprit gone.
“ E. Waterman, dismasted.
“ Delta, (Br.), injured in collision.
Barges Falcon, Byssus and Beaver sunk, crews saved.
Of the vessels ashore some will be saved without much injury, while others are broken up in a manner that will render their repair expensive and in some cases impracticable.
One of the saddest disasters occurred at Cottage City, between the Oak Bluffs and Highland wharves. Sch. Island City went ashore early in the morning, and all hands perished.
Sch. Addie Sawyer, Calais for N.Y., with lumber, was wrecked on the north side of the island. Capt. Norwood, the cook, and seaman Ashley were lost. Mate Dudley and Herbert Tapley, sailor, were saved.
Sch. Lunet is sunken on the rocks near Tarpaulin Cove light.
Aside from the wholesale wreckage at Vineyard Haven, the most serious disaster resulting from the storm in this section of the state was the wreck of the big steamer Fairfax, 270 feet long and 2550 tons gross, which occurred on Sow and Pigs reef at 5 o’clock Sunday afternoon. The Fairfax now lies fast on the reef with little prospect of being released. Everybody on board the steamer was saved.
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