Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-05-19

George II. Harrington, the chief clerk in the
post office in this city. Yesterday morning,
about quarter to nine o'clock, Harrington
with one of his intimate friends, Mr.. Jabez B.
Fellows, started in a row boat from the west
side of the river, just south of Parrot, Brad
bury & Co.'S, for the purpose of taking short
sail for pleasure and exercise. They rowed
across the river and down nearly to the steam
mill of the Kennebec Land & Lumber Com
pany, and then returned safely to the place
from whence they started The morning
was very pleasant and the river, although
quite high, apparently undisturbed by the
wind. They continued their sail up river,
keeping near the western shore, and sailing
up stream about two-thirds of the way from
the Kennebec bridge to the railroad bridge,
when they changed their course with the in
tention of sailing directly across the river to
the east side. When about onethird of the
way across, Farrington's right hand, in which
he held one of the oars with which he was
rowing, dropped into the water. Instead of
letting go the oar, he chung to it, and there
was such a pressure from the water that the
row-l lock broke, and the boat was brought
round suddenly, capsizing it, and throwing
both of the young men into the river. They
chung to the boat and crawled upon the bottom
of it, neither Of them going entirely under
the water. Fellows first care was for Far
rington. He asked him if he could swim.
The answer was in the affirmative. Fellows
then told him to chang to the boat, and all
would be right" As they sat upon the boat
they were perfectly safe, and both the young
men were cool and collected. Although they
were under water a little above the waist,
there seemed to be no immediate danger and
no difficulty in remaining on the boat until
help came. As they neared the kennebec
bridge, and where the current is quite swift.
and where there are counter currents, Fell
lows remarked that he was afraid of striking
ed off from the pier, and they passed safely
under the bridge. Again Fellows repeated
the I'M unction-"All right, George, hang to
the boat" They were facing each other,
companion was creeping towards him causing
his end of the boat to sink until the water
came nearly to his arm pits. In minute
more, and when within five feet of Fellows,
George jumped from the boat and struck cut
for the western shore. He had made no sign
or intmation to Fellows that he designed
doing this. He was an expert swimmer, and
it is thought by some that he might have
been fearful of the results of remaining on
the boat, and that he made the venture of
swimming to the shore with the utmost con-
fidence of reaching it. Those who saw him
while swimming say that he swan very high
and energetically to within twenty feet of the
steamer Clarion, when he instantly sunk. 1t
was noticed that one hand was thrown above
the water as he went down. He did not rise
again, and although it may seem strange that
he should perish near help, the sorrow at
the loss which the community has sustained
is too great to now turn aside to suggest how
it might have been averted. After Earring
ton left the boat Fellows continued to drift
down stream, and was taken from the boat
when nearly opposite this office, by John
Phinney, who went in boat to his rescue.
The last that Fellows saw of George, he was
making for the shore and he supposed that he
had reached it until he heard some one say
that Farringtons hat was found Fellows
acted most nobly throughout the whole trans
action. His situation was seen by many on
kor hut ho tod IL,
personal safety, telling all within the reach
of his voice to go and look for George. The
boat is owned by Fellows; it is Is feet long
and feet wide, and is considered safe one
for the purpose for which it is used. Parties
of four or five persons have frequently used
it. Boats supplied with graphing irons were
in the river from the time of the occurrence
of the sad event, about nine o'clock, up to
dark last evening, but as we write the body
has not been recovered.
Tears glistened in many eyes yesterday
morning as the news went up and down the
streets that George Harrington was dead.
The sudden removal by death of any bust
ness man in the city would net have created
more profound sensation and deep feeling
than the sad and sudden announcement of
the event, the particulars of which we have
given. Connected with the post Office here
for six years as clerk, and for the last three
or four years as chief clerk, he has made the
acquaintance of a large number Of individu
ais, to whom his removal from earth will be
personal loss. Kind, gentle, affable, quick
to anticipate the demands made by the in
crease of the business in the office, and to
answer with promptness the opportunities of
the great public who daily visit the post office,
he possessed rare qualities for the position,
and the place he has left vacant is not easily
to be filled. The late postmaster and the
present incumbent of the Office had great con-
fidence in his ability and judgment, and ever
found him true and faithful. In the COM
munity and among the young men and youth
he was n general fayoritp His moral char