In September of 1906, a major hurricane swept through the Portersville Bay area, causing major property damage and
loss of life. In the second image, taken at the time of the 1915-1916 ICC survey and seen at center, above, the
station is seen with a different roof style that was almost certainly the result of repairs made nescessary by
hurricane damage. Notice also the missing schedule board, and that the paint job looks recent.
Ten years later, another hurricane plowed its way through the area, resulting in yet more damage. In this third image,
taken around 1919 and seen above right, the station is viewed from a slightly different angle, and from a greater
distance. Traces of the damage from the 1916 hurricane may still be evident, based on the rough condition of the paint
and some warping of the boards making up the siding.
Track details found in these images include the earthen style of ballast for the tracks. This method was popular for
branch and secondary lines around the turn of the century, and is called "crown ballast" for the method of laying down
a layer of earth on top of the ties between the rails, forming a 'crown'. In this form of construction the rails will
be set directly on the ties, with no tie plates, and two spikes per rail driven into each tie.
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