A TERRIFIC STORM - Sweeps over the Vineyard Wednesday morning - Wind and rain unlimited - Chimneys, trees and fences laid low - No serious damage to shipping in this vicinity - The hardest storm known for 50 years up-island - Dams and Bridges swept away, and the elements playing havoc all through the west end.
The inclement, sultry weather of Sunday and Monday terminated Monday night in one of the severest gales ever known in this vicinity at this season of the year, accompanied by the highest tide in the memory of our residents, for many years. The gale, which was rotary, blew heavily from the southeast during the first part of the night, then moderated to nearly a calm, next springing up from the northwest with terrific violence, after which it veered to the west and toned down to a strong breeze.
A storm, the like of which in this vicinity the oldest inhabitant fails to remember, visited the Island last Saturday afternoon, and raged with steadily increasing fury till far into the night. On the morning of Sunday the appearance of the town was as if a light tornado had passed over it. Large trees were uprooted, chimneys “razeed,” fences down everywhere, windows in some instances forced in, a few old buildings utterly demolished, and the streets strewn with green leaves and branches wrenched from the unyielding trees.
We hardly need remind our readers of the gale which occurred on Saturday night last; it was palpable enough to fix itself in memory for some tine to come. It is only necessary for us to say that it has rarely, if ever, been surpassed in violence by any occurring: in this region.
In New York the storm was very severe - houses and churches were blown down, vessels were driven from their quays, the trees in the
streets, squares and parks were torn up by the roots, liberty poles, &c. &c., were prostrated before the breath of the storm.
Rev, Joseph Thaxter, in some notes, speaks of a great gale and rain storm Aug. 12, 1778, which caused terrible destruction of trees and injured the corn more than had ever been known, producing the greatest scarcity of bread ever known in New England.
Also, he speaks of very heavy rain August 23d, 1806, followed by a violent east wind the next day, which beat the corn down to the ground and stripped off the apples from the trees, doing much damage.
Swept by a hurricane the velocity of which has been estimated at a hundred miles an hour at brief periods, and which surpassed anything of the sort that has ever struck the Island from a southerly point, Martha’s Vineyard presented a scene of disaster on Wednesday night. There was one death. Several persons were injured and the storm caused a loss of property that may easily total half a million dollars.
The earliest hurricane in New England history roared up the East Coast Monday, plowing across Martha’s Vineyard with harbors full and seasonal population at its peak. Hurricane Bob lashed the Island with winds officially clocked at 98 miles per hour and reported in places as high as 110.
Drenching rains and gale-force winds marked the start of the weekend, but forecasters and emergency managers breathed a little easier over the powerful hurricane churning through the southern Atlantic.
A recent round of grants will help the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) manage and restore more than 230 acres of land affected by the 2010 hurricane, including the herring run between Menemsha and Squibnocket Ponds.
The Vineyard was lashed with wind and drenching rain and ferries were cancelled Friday evening as Hurricane Arthur passed offshore. By daybreak Saturday the storm had passed. Fourth of July festivities will be held in Edgartown tonight.
