1886 - Major Storm

When a storm is brewing and extremely high winds are predicted to blow in from the notheast, that is when Hamilton residents brace for problems.

Such was the case on April 1,  1886 when a combined wind and snow storm, of significant proportions, reached Hamilton during the morning hours of the day. 

The Times coverage of the effects of the storm carried over two days. The first day's coverage was rather hastily pit together by a Times reporter who gathered in as much information as could be obtained before the afternoon edition of the paper had to be assembled.

The reporter did produce a lengthy column using reports that he had received about the effect of the storm in various parts of the city. This coverage was added to by his own gathering of information,  obtained when he walked through the wind and snow to the waterfront to assess the damage that the storm was causing.

The following day the Times was able to give full details of the effects of the storm with an emphasis on what happened on the Beach Strip.

The Weekly Times of April 8, 1886 reprinted the two columns together. 

That report, in full follows:

“The most destructive storm that has raged in this neighborhood for many years began to blow before seven o’clock this morning. The wind was then from the northeast, and it began to freshen and bring a little snow. All morning it increased in strength and before noon had damaged or destroyed almost everybody abutting the bay. The water rose several feet above the ordinary highwater mark and the howling wind beat it into great raging seas that overwhelmed with relentless force everything in their way. The muddy churned into foam under the lash of the wind and the rush of the seas at every dock along the bay, was a magnificent and terrible sight. A person uptown could have no idea of the tremendous force of the gale. Down at the bay, where it had swept the full length of Lake Ontario and broken only by the Beach, its real strength was felt. The wind there was violent enough to throw a man down and what was snow uptown was down there fierce, biting hail cutting the cheeks like flying pebbles.

                   Around the Docks

          RAILWAY DOCKS AND SIDINGS GONE.

“The Grand Trunk docks suffered severely and all the way above the elevator not a plank on it is left on the dock. The huge seas ripped off the planks fastened by six-inch spikes as though they were shingles. Lumber in piles along the docks and on flat cars flew about like straws. The old wharf at the west end of the yard was nothing but a row of spiles and a few straw timbers after the storm had worked it an hour or two. The siding nearest to it was undermined by the encroaching waters and the track fell into the bay. The Toronto branch track, which is at the water’s edge going out of the city to the junction was also washed out at one point and the trains going west went slowly and carefully till they had passed the exposed part of the line as far as the canal. Chief Engineer Hobson faced the storm all morning at this point, and everything was in readiness to repair any damage the storm might do to the main line, which so far has escaped injury.

                             A FLYING ROOF

“About 9 o’clock a large section of the roof of Walton’s big ice house at the foot of Strachan street was torn off and sailed away towards the railway track. As it fell it knocked down about twenty feet of the fence and smashed through the side of a new freight car just out of the shop. Beside the wrecked car stood a horse car containing the valuable trotting horse Rifleman, owned by Frank Martin, of Toronto, and bound for Philadelphia. Rifleman’s car was uninjured. The roof of the ice house was torn off for about sixty feet, and about twenty feet of the north end disappeared before the gale, which continued to rip off planks and shingles all day.

                   A WRECKED BOAT HOUSE

“Lake Thompson’s boat house at the foot of the big ice house was also badly wrecked, and his loss will amount up to several hundreds dollars. The walk by which the boathouse is reached was washed away shortly after the storm rose, and his last addition to the house, built a couple of years ago, was carried off and broken into fragments. About a dozen rowboats and canoes were fished out by friendly hands and hauled ashore badly damaged. As many more were dashed to pieces against the railway wharf.

                   BATIEN’S AND MARTIN’S

“Massie’s boathouse lost the front landing, but otherwise is not damaged, as it is in a sheltered position. At Bastien’s there is a great scene of wreck and disorder. The big standing keel yacht Idler lay at the west side of the wharf during the night, and when the storm arose she tugged and strained at her fastenings and dashed at the dock until she tore it down and continued pounding until she stove a hole in her hull and sank. The waves rushing in under the floor of the big boathouse ripped it off completely, but most of the boats were got out on the dock, which, with the Leander Rowing Club house at the head, is expected to withstand the storm. The first boat house after passing the shop where the boats are built was badly wrecked by 10 o’clock, and communication with the big boat house was cut off. In the first house were stored a number of new boats which were got out amid much danger and carried ashore. The Nautilus Rowing Club’s quarters at the further end of this building were reached and all the oars and one boat got out. Though the floor is gone, the building is thought to be able to stand the gale. The lapstreak four-oared boats and two old shells could not be got out, but are not likely to be damaged. All the oars and sculls belonging to the club were removed, and the new shells are safe in the big boat house.

                   STEAMERS AND SCHOONERS

“The steamer St. Magnus is lying snugly at her dock in the shipyard, though the water is higher than ever before known. The pier belonging to Zealand’s dock where the steamer Lake Michigan was tied up, disappeared before the waves, and the Lake Michigan drifted about a hundred feet to the west, where she is now hard aground. Unless she is got off before the water goes down, it will be a job of very great difficulty to get her afloat again. At Browne’s wharf, the schooner E.H. Rutherford is lying unhurt, but the North Star and the Undine lying at McIlwraith’s did not escape. The North Star was made fast to the dock and the other schooner to her. The Star broke away and tore out three spiles to which her lines were attached. Then she pounded against the Rutherford until she carried away jibboom and the bowsprit as far as the knight heads. The Undine tore herself against the stone work of the crib where the facing was worn off. About 100 feet of the roof of one of Mr. McIlwraith’s coal sheds were blown away, but the dock is little damaged. The propellor Canada, lying at the same dock, was not hurt, but her stern is very close to the wharf, and her rudder in danger.

                   THE GULNAIR ASHORE

“The schooner Gulnair broke from her fastenings at Myles’ dock and went ashore a hundred feet away. She is held by her big anchor, and while the wind holds in the present direction will not suffer any damage.

“The schooner Ella Murton, at Murton & Reid’s wharf, is pounding against the uncovered spiles, and is the wind shifts will be stove in and sunk.

                   COAL WHARVES SUFFER

“Murton & Reid’s wharf, at the foot of John street, being the most easterly of the city docks, received the first shock and suffered the greatest damage. ‘I saw $1,500 worth of dock disappear before the waves in half an hour,’ said Mr. Murton to a Times reporter this morning. Great planks and heavy timbers are piled up in the slip, grinding and tearing everything to pieces. The water is up in one of the coal sheds flooding the floors two feet deep, and but for the piling that protects it to the east there would not be a vestige of a dock remaining. Myles’ wharf is less damaged, but the roadway to the coal sheds was washed away and the wagons reached the shed only be knocking out the side and going in by way of Murton’s. All along the bay shore is ruin and desolation. Every slip is filled with floating timbers and planks, which threaten the destruction of the docks that remain.

                   IN THE EAST END

“Very little damage has resulted from the storm in the eastern portion of the city. Fences have suffered pretty severely and gates have been blown off their hinges, but that is about the extent of the damage.

“At Victoria Avenue School a few of the classes of the younger scholars were dismissed during the forenoon, owing to the cold and discomfort of the rooms. At West Avenue School, the scholars were able to stay it out until noon, but were told to stay at home in the afternoon, if they desired, should the storm not abate.

“At the corner of West avenue and Cannon street, a large picket fence was blown into the middle of the street.

                   IN THE WEST END

“Several casualties are reported. The roof of Mr. Joseph Faulkner’s house, corner of Napier and Pearl streets, was lifted off by the wind, but fortunately none of the inmates of the house were injured. The premises are three stories high and pretty old.

“The chimney of Mrs. Thos. Gillespy’s residence, No. 139 York street, was blown down. Several boards, carried by the gale from a neighboring lumber yard, lodged on the roof.

“The fence at the corner of Queen and Napier street has succumbed to the blast.

“A number of shutters in Sharpe’s block, York street, were torn from their fastenings and fell with a crash.

“A small portion of Dundurn fence is down, and the willow trees in the park have suffered.

                   AT THE BEACH

“Residents at the Hamilton Beach say that there never was such a storm for years. The waves of old Ontario are rolling fully as high as the lighthouse at the end of the piers, and at times the latter on both sides of the canal are completely covered with water. Considerable property has been destroyed along the Beach, as the inhabitants had taken no precautions, not having been advised of the approach of the gale. The N. & N.W. Railway track has been washed away on both sides of the swing bridge, and the morning train from the north managed to cross the bridge, but has to remain on this side, owing to the washout. The passengers, about fifty in number, spent several hours at the Lakeside Hotel and Ocean House, awaiting the arrival of a special train from Hamilton to bring them on their journey. They were obliged to walk up to Dynes’ crossing to embark on the special car.

                   NOTES

“The bridge over the Desjardins Canal appeared so shaky this morning that people driving into town were diffident in crossing it.

“Wild ducks and geese by thousands have sought shelter in Dundas marsh. The gulls are perfectly at home.

“The Valley Inn cellar is flooded, and the barrels are swimming around on the surface.

“Boathouses on the bay shore near the Desjardins Canal suffered severely.

“Fences were torn down on Burlington Heights.

“Many of the telephone wires are down, and the Chief of the Fire Department has considerable trouble with his system.

“The Great Northwestern Telegraph Company have had their repairers out all day mending breaks in the city. The damage outside is also considerable.

“A number of shade trees in various sections of the city have been completely ruined.

“A big ventilator on the roof of the Alexandra Arcade caused a good deal of anxiety to passers-by on James street this morning until it was blown over on the next roof and secured there.

          (From Wednesday’s DAILY TIMES.)

“The great storm subsided last evening and time was given today to the sufferers to look over the damage to their property. The wind still holds from the northeast, but abated very much during the night, and today, though there is still a heavy sea on Lake Ontario, the storm has spent its fury. About nine inches of heavy snow fell during yesterday and last night, and today the traffic in Hamilton, including that of the street cars, was on runners. The snow gave promise of disappearing in twenty-four hours, and the roads will be almost impassable.

                   At the Beach

“Great damage was done at the Beach, the Northwestern Railway Company being the chief sufferer. The train from the north due in Hamilton at 11:45 yesterday morning reached the Ocean House, when the engineer discovered that the track ahead of him was gone before the assaults of the fierce waves. The train backed up and crossed the bridge only to find that the track was washed away on the north side of the canal. The bridge was recrossed and the train pulled up on the high bank in front of the Ocean House. Raging waters were in front and behind and on all sides. The train had about 50 passengers, who had to content themselves at the Lakeside House, looked after by Mr. John McNeil. Conductor Darche walked down in the mud and water to the Beach Post Office and telephoned to Hamilton that the train was unable to move in either direction. A special train was made up and sent to the Beach, but could only get within about a mile of the delayed train. Two teams, all that could be raised on the Beach, were utilized to remove the passengers and their baggage from the regular train to the relief. Mr. W.J. Grant, city agent of the Northwestern, had an involuntary bath while engaged in furthering the transfer of the delayed passengers. He and Mr. Webster, whose team was drawing a load of baggage over the gap, sank into a gully made by the waters crossing the Beach and got chilled but unhurt.

                   The Transfer Was Completed.

about half-past eight, and the relief train started for Hamilton. Progress was so and cautious, and before the end of the Beach was reached two stops were made to allow the section men who came down with the relief train to strengthen so suspicious-looking places in the roadbed. The train reached Hamilton about five hours behind time, but the passengers were glad to get here at all. There is little or none of the road left from John Dynes’ hotel to the Ocean House, a distance of

                             OVER A MILE AND A HALF

          “Mr. Grant says that it will be two or three days before regular traffic across the Beach may be resumed. For the present, Northwestern trains for the north go from the King street station to the Grand Trunk and then by that road as far as Burlington. This will continue to be done until a large force of trackmen now at work on the Beach have that work finished.

                             A HOUSE IN DANGER

“A house belonging to Mr. J.B. Bishop, which stands on the lake shore road below the Beach, narrowly escaped destruction, though it had been expected all day to be demolished by the waves. The veranda was carried off and the house undermined in part, but it still stands. The house was unoccupied. On the same road, the sea washed out a gully about twenty feet wide, and Mr. David Fitch estimated the cost of repairing the damage at about $200.

                   SCHOOL CLOSED

“The school east of the Beach was closed early yesterday morning when a stream began to make its way across the road and threatening to cut off the children from reaching their homes. The stream rose very rapidly, but the larger children carried the little ones across and very soon the water of the lake was pouring into the bay.

                   BREACHES ON THE BEACH

“At several places on the Beach, breaches were made so that the lake and the bay were joined by channels four and six feet deep. A little distance south of John Dynes’ the whole beach for a hundred yards was two or three feet under water.

                   76 MILES AN HOUR

“Old sailors and fishermen put the velocity of the wind at from 60 to 75 miles an hour. The force of the seas was tremendous, and the waves rose at the end of the road beside Fitch’s until one sea knocked down John Dynes’ ball room and Mort. Corey’s ice house, not leaving a pound of ice.

                   AT THE WATERWORKS

“The filtering basins of the Waterworks are on the lake shore just where the Beach joins the main land. The old basin, about 1,500 feet in length, suffered somewhat from the furious assaults of the waves. About the middle a small breach was made in the sand, and towards the northern end the sea carried away about 75 feet of the bank and fence surrounding the basin. The sand, however, poured in quickly and filled up the breach made by the waves.