There is no drought on Martha's Vineyard. While dry conditions
may continue in other parts of the Northeast, the Vineyard has had
healthy rainfall thus far this year.
But despite spring rains, Vineyard ground water levels are at or
near their 25-year low. This has raised concerns that homes in outlying
areas, those with wells near the coast, may be vulnerable to saltwater
intrusion.
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.
On Wednesday, the 19th about 1 o'clock p.m., there appeared over the waters of the sound, a wonderful phenomenon, such as only occurs but once in a life time, indeed, one may cross the ocean many times and not witness anything to compare with this. We refer to three water spouts, the second and grandest of which, we shall try to describe.
On Tuesday night it blew a violent gale from the southeast, for about ten hours. The U. States schr. Gallatin in attempting to get to the wharf, was driven on shore; her tender, the Gazelle, was driven high and dry upon the beach, and nearly all the copper on her starboard side washed off. The smack Bruce, in coming into the harbor, dropt her anchor, but as we understand did not have her cable secured, and consequently, went ashore between Coffin’s and Commercial wharf. She got off without much damage, yesterday.