SATURDAY'S GALE.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5046, 16 March 1885, Page 2

SATURDAY'S GALE.

In our last issue we gave a resume of the damage done in the town by the heavy north-east gale, but owing to the telegraph line being down we were unable to receive any news of the effect it had elsewhere. The force of the wind was severely felt between here and Paeroa, several chimnies being levelled. Mr Phillips, of Shortland, is a loser, one of his cabs being considerably damaged by the fall of the shed in Willoughby street. The p.s. Enterprise, which w,as due early on Saturday morning, did not turn up till 5 a.m. yesterday, Capt. Miller having run into shelter at the Sandspit. The Rotomahana was advertised to leave Auckland on Saturday morning, but did not attempt the passage. She was to leave at 1.30 p.m. to-day. As will bo seen by the following report, the gale was severely felt> in Auckland: Messrs Targelt and Jennings, local fishermen, lost their smack Swallow, .valued at £50. Mr Jennings went to Auckland in her on Thursday, with a catch of fish, and on Saturday evening Mr Targett received a telegram stating that the boat had been destroyed by the gale. . ' ,

(Pee Pekss Association.)

Auckland, Saturday night. The gale has somewhat subsided,, after doing considerable damage to shipping and property. At Ponsonby ten pleasure boats have "been carried ashore,—among them the Masker, Alpha, Blut Billow, and Glance. The Cantero hulk dragged her anchors, and went ashore under the cliff at St. Mary's. The tide being then low, kept her from reaching the re3ks, and probably saved her from going to pieces. At Wynyard pier, the steamer Blanche, which was recently purchased by Captain Pratt for trawling purposes, dragged her anchors, got foul of the cutter Otahuhu, and forced her almost to the stone wall, and then wont broadside on herself. Both she and the cutter sustained considerable damage, and filled with water. The yacht Eita also dragged her anchor, but brought up aground a short distance from the wharf. A large chimney in Mr Seymour George's house was blown down, breaking through the roof. Mr Bloomfield's Arawa drew her moorings, and drifted past the Muntai, but was brought up by an extra anchor. The Wenona, another deep sea yacht, drifted a deal, but finally held; a small boat belonging to Mr A. D. Bennett smashed up like an eggshell under the cliffs ; while the cutter Rose Ann, belong to the same gentleman, was only saved by letting oat a second anchor. Several small yachts and boats foundered. The gale was at its highest from 10 a.m. till noon. Rumors were then circulated that the Brigantine Darcy Pratt was wrecked on " narrow neck " in Rangitoto Channel, but this proved incorrect. The vessel had dragged consider* ably, but brought up between two buoys with two anchors down.. About this time the wharves were peopled by some hundreds of persons, who,; while they could barely maintain a footing, eagerly watched the movements of the different vessels in danger of going ashore. A cutter belonging to Henderson—either the Harvest Home or Dusty Miller, picked up her anchor from the westward of. Queen street Wharf, and drifted in shore at the dock gates, where she rapidly filled. The old Customs launch, which was lying close by there, also appeared to be in a bad way. Scarceley a waterman's boat remained afloat. Several small craft were scuttled to . prevent their going ashore, while others succeeded in holding onto their anchors. The cutter Evening Star is reported ashore on the beach beyond the Lake in Rangitoto Channel. She is said to be high and dry but to have sustained apparently slight damage ; she is owned by 3. Keane, Henderson, and Spraggon^ The cutter Sovereign of the Seas, which was lying off Freeman's Bay with a full cargo of firewood, had her starboard bow severely damaged; she is owned by Messrs Henderson and Spraggon. The gale was felt severely in the suburbs, and a considerable amount of damage has been done to trees and fences and the like. A cottage at ParnelJ, the property of Mr Jones, saddler, was blown down. Perhaps, however the district which suffered most severely was Newton, where the full fury of the gale was felt. Several windows, in the new Forester's Hall, Karangahape road, were blown in. A block of shops which ire being erected to the order of Mr Wood in the same street received a considerable straining, and stays had to be ised to prevent them from collapsing, A rerandah attached to Mr Soir's boot shop ras blown violently down. In Pitt-street 1. rather serious accident ocourrod to a tf isu Pearson, who resides with, her nothor in Karangahape road. She waß >roceeding to town, and while patiing Mr§

Walter's millinery establishment in Pittstreet, the verandah was lifted bodily and came down with a crash. Miss Pearson

was struck by a portion of the falling timber, and sustained a compound fracture of

the leg just. above the ankle. The unfor-

tunate young woman was carried to s Dr. Purchas' residence, where the doctor set

the leg, and she was subsequently taken

home. In Queen-street, owing to its ' sheltered position, the damage done was slight, but severaf narrow escapes occurred

in the early part of the morning through the falling of slates from the roofs. These fell so thickly that it was found necessary to close up the passage leading through tho hotel yard connecting Queen and High streets. Two houses were blown

down on the Surrey Hills estate, and also a stable in course of erection by Mr Hast* ing. One of the houses was a two-storied

building in course of erection in MacXelvie

street, and tho other a three-roomed cot-

tage opposite King street, also in course of erection. A cottage in Parnell, occupied by Mr Hanson, of the Railway Department, was partially unroofed, and several windows blown ia. A stable belonging to Mr D. L. Murdoch, of Epsom, was blown down, his coachman sustaining a broken leg; the chimney of Mr Buchanan's house, Parnell Rise, was also blown down.

Sunday. Welsh, Mr D. L. Murdoch's coachman,' died of his injuries, received through/the 4 fall of the stable in the gale of yesterday, at the hospital this morning. This day. Wreck of the Thomas Russell and Narcow Escape of the Minnie CaseyThe steamer Thomas Russell was wrecked at Orete point, Bay of Plenty, on Saturday during the gale. The steamer is a total wreck, but all her crew hare been' landed in safety. Orete Point, upon . which the vessel struck, is about eight miles to the North-west of Cape Runaway. There is no doubt but that Captain Helander had been running for shelter at the time that the Thomas Russell was wrecked. She was almost a new vessel, having been built for the Waikato Coal and Steam Company by Messrs Forrest and Sons, London, in the latter part of 1883. She was built of steel, and was of 252 tons gross, with engines of 60 horse power nominal. The s.s. Minnie Caseyj a slout steamer of 74 tons, experienced the full force of the storm in Kaipara Harbour on Satur. day morning, and in crossing the Kaipara Heads was (when in a helpless condition) almost driven out to sea.- The steamer left Dargaville on Friday morning,'-.with fourteen passengers, of whom two were ladies, and in crossing the long reach above the pilot station several seas were shipped, and it was with difficulty that the pumps when worked kept the steamer clear. The storm had increased with such force that the only resource was to make for Hclensville as quickly as, possible. In crossing the Heads, the stea« mer was carried cut towards .the bar by tho force of the gale. The seas shipped had worked into cabin and hold to such - an extent that the fires were extinguished. An attempt was made to work the steamer under canvas, but the sails were blown to ribbons when bent.' To make matters more serious provisions ran short, as only sufficient had been taken at Dargaville for an ordinary run-to Helensvtlle, and the supply was exhausted on Friday night. The passengers worked with a will -in assisting the crew to keep the ' water down, but the pumps at length be* came unworkable, and buckets had to be used to reduce the water in the hold, which had risen to several feet. At- one time on Saturday forenoon, when the wind' was somewhat abated, canvas was set, and the steamer was enabled to arrive at HelSnsville at half-past four p.m. The passengers and crew were all much ex-

hausted from want of provisions, and the heavy work they had undergone in pump* ing the steamer. Laxeb. Nothing further is known of the wrack of the Thomas Russell. She waa insured for £8000 at Lloyd's, London, but • coat £10,000. Wellington, STesterday. The strong wind last night has blown Woodyear's Circus tent into ribbons. This day. Steamers arriving from Nelson report that the Jackson Head beacon has been carried away. New Plymouth, This day. j At Cape Egmont two settlers houses (Wallace and Harvey) were blown down, and the families had to seek refuge in a neighbor's house. At New Plymouth the gale was severe, but little damage wai done. The breakwater is uninjured, although the storm was the heaviest,ever known here. , , Dunedin, Yesterday. A heavy northerly gale blew for some hours yesterday, giving place to rain in the afternoon. Telegraphic communication was interrupted for some time on the North lines.

Opttnake, This day. The heaviest gale known in Opunake blew on Saturday. The Courtenay Hall has been destroyed, and there will probably be great damage'unless > the wind drops. The steamers Stella and Orete are in the bay for shelter. Several houses have been damaged. .■' ' . .- ; --: .':.'.;" ;':;='>:; :■'.' ■■ •