Government of New Brunswick
Moncton
Sackville
Middle Sackville
Wood Point
Saint John
Hillsborough
Heavy rain
Waves
High tides
$121,000.00

Affected Areas


Saxby Gale - Saint John Area: At Saint John, the bottom floor of the Beacon Light, at the mouth of the harbour, was inundated for several hours causing much damage and isolating the light keeper. The battery, stockade and earthworks at the mouth of the harbour were also flooded. Several ships were torn from their moorings and at least one sank. Wharves and buildings were inundated and the resultant damage was stated "to be great". Petitcodiac River Basin: Along the Petitcodiac River and its tributaries, the water rose to a height causing extensive property damage. Bridges along the Eastern Extension Railway sustained damage, including some washouts of the rails and sleepers along the marsh. Communications were also interrupted. At Moncton, a house at the foot of Church Street was reported as having five feet [1.5m]of water over the main floor. On the Halls Creek Marsh, hay was lost and some cattle were reported to have drowned. At Hillsborough, the Albert Manufacturing Company was reported to have four feet [1.2m] of water in the shop. Both bridges on Lake Road were washed out. Stores, dwellings and barns were flooded or swept away. The coal wharf, including 363-636 lbs [400 tons] of coal, was washed away and some horses drowned. Tantramar River Basin: The Tantramar Marsh was invaded by the rush of water, destroying cattle, barns, haystacks, fences, and inundating houses. At least one home at the landing below Sackville was inundated and the family rescued by boat. At Middle Sackville, the Morice Lake Dam was overtopped. A ledger entry recorded "The storm commenced at 9 o'clock in the evening. In the morning all was quiet but rather foggy; people looked toward their marshes with silent amazement." Later research unearthed the following anecdotes from area residents: "A resident of Wood Point recalled her father had stated that haystacks were carried, from the marsh, up Wood Creek estimated to be about 0.5 to 0.75km west of Route #935 at Wood Creek". "A farmer on Anderson Marsh Road recalled his father had 'gotten into water from the Saxby tide on his way to the barn from the house'. The house and barn are situated on a small hill in the middle of the marsh". "A resident of Sackville recalled a story that his grandfather had been stranded in Fort Lawrence during the Saxby Gale, unable to cross the marsh to Sackville or Amherst".
"Saxby Gale". The tides in the Bay of Fundy had risen to a height of four feet [1.2m] higher than any other known time and were coupled with high winds and heavy rains.
At Hillsborough, the tide was reported as having risen eight feet [2.4m] in ten minutes. At Sackville, the tide wave was estimated to be six feet [1.8m] above the highest spring tide ever known. The station house floor was reported to be flooded to a depth of six inches [approximately 0.15m].
The estimates of damage to the Eastern Extension Railway was reported as being in the vicinity of $20,000. The losses to the Albert Manufacturing Company plant at Hillsborough was reported as being $20,000. About 121 vessels were driven ashore along the Bay of Fundy and the rivers of southern New Brunswick. A woman was also reported to have drowned on Lake Road at Hillsborough. At Upper Coverdale, four children were drowned in an attempt by the family to evacuate their small home by raft. On the Tantramar Marshes near Sackville, at least three lives were lost due to drowning during the flooding. Damages to crops, dykes, barns, fences, wharves and the loss of livestock were estimated to be in the order of $81,000.