The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-12-22
THE UN1oN-F FLAG.
Full Particulars of Her Loss.

Monday morning the PRESS announced
briefly tie loss of the schooner Union Flag
| from this city, although at the time on a trip
| from st. John to Philadelphia. The following
are the full particulars: The steamship Bristol
City sailed from Queenstown on Dec. 9Th, and
experienced strong southerly winds and foggy
weather until abreast of Sable Island. During
the remainder of her passage the wind blew
! heavily from the westward and the sea ran
very high. At 7.30 last Saturday morning
dismasted vessel was sighted, flying from the
stump of her mainmast an American flag
with the Union down. She was evidently UNI
manageable, and her crew seemed anxious to
abandon her. Her name was the Union Flag,
and she hailed from Portland. Capt. Sears
signalled that it would be impossible to save
her. 1t was blowing strongly from the west
ward, and heavy sea was running, but life
boat was lowered, manned by six picked men
under the command of one of the Bristol City's
| officers. After a hard struggle the boat was
brought around to leeward of the dismasted
vessel, and one by one the entire crew, six
men all told, sprang into the boat and were
taken aboard the steamer, which started again
after delay of about two hours.
Capt. Sears says he sailed from st. John, n.
B., abe ut a month ago, and at small port on
the coast took aboard quantity of laths con-
signed to Philadelphia. A series of violent
westerly gales set in, against which the Union
Flag was unable to hold her own. She was
driven out of her course and the heavy seas
tossed her about, badly straining her timbers
until leak was sprung. On the 10Th the
gale was very heavy and the sea extremely
confused. The storm continued during the
night and on the following morning the wind
suddenly increased in violence Although the
schooner had hardly any sail set, her foremost
was carried away and took with it the MAIN
topmast and mainmasthead. She now became
unmanageable, and the heavy waves swept
away the deck load. The work of cutting
away the broken spars was carried on while
the seas were making complete breach over
the vessel. When the wreck had been cleared
away piece of canvass was set on one of the
broken spars TO Keep the vessels head up to
the sea, as the huge waves threatened to
sweep the men overheard at any moment.
The well being sounded it was found thatthe
schooner was filing rapidly, and it was i'm
pOSSlDle 10 Tree Inc uOlu. 1i6f pumps were
choked and could not be made to work proper
ly. She drifted helplessly about during the
night On the following day heavy seas arose
to windward, and the vessel succeeded in
riding some Of them, but others swept over
her in torrents. During the day steamship
bound to the. eastward was sighted, but she
evidently had not observed the distressed
schooner. The pumps still worked badly and
brought up but little water. During the night
of the 18th the gale blew as heavily as before
Early on the following morning, however, the
wind went down somewhat, although the sea
continued to be extremely boisterous. Shortly
after daybreak the smoke of steamship was
discovered to the eastward, and the Bristol
City soon hove in sight. Capt. Sears and his
men all speak in the highest terms of the
gallant conduct of the crew of the life-boat
which went to their rescue, and say they
received the very kindest of treatment while
on board the Bristol City. The shipwrecked
sailors started for their homes in Maine. The
Union Flag was built at Waldoboro, in
1861, and registered 1877 TONS Her owners are
Maine men. 1t is supposed that she was
partially insured.