A Terrific Storm.

Hastings Standard, Issue 235, 1 February 1897, Page 3

A Terrific Storm.

THE WORFT GALE FOR YEARS

CAPT. TOTTINGER GETS

KILLED. THE BREAKWATER CONSIDERABLY DAMAGED. [Fr.oii Our Own Correspondent] Napier, This Day. The gale which broke upon us on Friday has left its mark behind, and evidences of the work of destruction are apparent on all sides. Chimneys have been razed, windows in great numbers have been blown in, iron roofs have been carried away in places, and telegraph poles have been snapped ofi' in all directions, stopping the transit of messages from either north or south. It is generally conceded that the gale was the severest remembered by the oldest inhabitants. Mountainous seas swept the breakwater, and it was believed by many that the outer portion had disappeared altogether, so high were the waves. As it is considerable damage has been wrought, and it is distressing that such a violent storm should be experienced immediately after the damage by a former storm was completed. These repairs, not having had time to set, have again been carried away, and all work of a recent date succumbed to the terrific force of the gale. It is stated that ten monoliths are washed away and five others damaged, while the extent of the injuries to the end work cannot be gauged. It was confidently expected that a spell of fine weather was in store for the contractors, which would have given the structure time to set before the approach of winter, and thus have enabled a fair test of the permanency of the work to be obtained, but these hopes have been dissipated, and a lot of dead work again presents itself. A number of venturesome people were attracted to the breakwater to witness the breakers rolling in, and with companions, Captain Smith, of the schooner Orpheus, was daring enough to sit on a pile of sleepers, and were struck by a heavy sea, Captain Smith having one of his legs broken. He was subsequently taken to the hospital. Unfortunately it is to be regretted thatjlossjof life is recorded in connection with the storm, Captain Pottinger, the popular skipper of the Rangitikei, while discharging his duties, being hurled to the deck by a huge wave that swept- the deck and killed almost instnataneously. It seems that those on board the N.Z. Co.'s barque Rangitikei spent an anxious time during Friday night and Saturday morning, the vessel being continuously swept by mountainous sea, and to add to the discomforture of those on board the barque began to drag her anchor at 1 o'clock on Saturday morning. "When the dawn appeared and she was still dragging, signals for assistance were made, but the howling nature of the gale and the haze prevented it from being understood. At about 12o'clock on Saturday the vessel had got within 800 yams of the Petane Beach, in a line where a previous wreck had taken place, and matters began to assume a serious aspect. It was at this time that Captain Pottinger, who had given instructions to pay out more cable and which ultimately held her, lost his life. All hands were on deck at the time, and the Captain had barely time to give warning to the men when an unusually heavy sea came over, sweeping the captain from the main hatch right to the break of the poop into the lee scuppers. Borne of the men rushed to his assistance, but Pottinger was unconscious when picked up, and had received serious injuries all over his body. He was immediately removed to his berth, but never regained consciousness. The wave left Bft. or -Ift. of water on the deck, and some, of the seamen received a good shaking. Signals of the accident were at once put up, but it wasn't till 1 p.m., when the Dingadee—which went to the vessel—arrived, that particulars of the acdent became known. The s.s. Weka subsequently brought the body ashore after a perilous adventure. Captain I'ottniger, was a native of the Orkney Islands, .">1 years of age, and a widower. The' deceased has b< en about 81 years at sea and was a capable seaman and much liked. He had a son on board at the time of the accident, .John I'ottinger, A.J>. The s.s. Dingadee- experienced the full force of the gale on her trip from Wellington, and Captain Adams says that he has never before experienced such a storm. The s.s. Ohati, from Oamaru and Timani, arrived on Saturday afternoon, looking little the worse for thu gale. She had number of prize sheep on board, and, strange to say, not a single one was 10-t. although at times they were swimming about the deck. Considerable damage lias p ul:♦ <I to fishermen's boats and private yachts.