The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-01-09

Narrow Escape From a Serious Disss-
ter-A Full Account eff the Accident
what Capt. Homer and Captain Wood
bury Have TO Say.


A Narrow Escape From a Serious Disss-
tcr-A Fnli Account eff the Accident
what Capt. Homer and Captain Wood
bury Have 10 Say.
The hatahdin, Capt. Homer, OF the Bangor
and Boston line Of steamers arrived in this har.
DOT yesterday afternoon about two O'Clock, in
disabled condition. Capt. Homer, in CONVEX
saaon with reporter for the Press, stated
that the steamer left Boston Monday at 5.04
p m. She had pleasant passage, all going
well, until she reached Boone Island at lila
p. m, when she blew out cylinder head, dis
aol'Dg her. The passengers (of whom there
were quite number though not as many as
usual) were perfectly calm and collected eyin-
cling no anxiety. The sea was smooth and it
was bright night. There was considerable
Vapor from the water, and the captain feared
the vessel might have to go into deep water ia,
order TO avoid the land. He sent beat under
charge of Mr.. Patterson, the clerk. at $50 a.
M, to Cape Porpoise, ga miles southwest of
Portiand) distant twelve miles, with order to
telegraph the superintendent at Boston what
the condition OF the vessel was, and also to the
revenue steamer at Portland. Mr.. Patterson
reached Cape Porpoise at $50 a. M. and tele-
graphed from Kennebnnk as ordered at
o'clock as follows:
Katahdin broke down bearing Cape Porpniss
n. By II. u miles; wind N. W.
AT b.5o o'clock yesterday morning the Ka-
tandln having repaired the cylinder head as
Wesl as possible with iron bars and chains, got
under way, and going very slow managed to
reach this harbor abont Q p. N. Mr.. Patterson
came through from Kennebunk by train to
Portland and arrived here yesterday noon
Captain Homer said he thought ali was done
that could have bsen done under the circum.
stances by anybody, to aid the vessel. He
said he telegrsped TO the revenue steamer
here because he knew Captain Abbey, aud
that tho Captain had always been prompt to
aid when needed. II he had wanted tugs it
would have been his-Captain Homer's-duty
to telegraph for them. b. aacf
Captain Abbey, of the revenue steamer
Woodbury., said that about 10 a. m. yesterday
he received the following despatch .
KENNEBuNK, January Sth.
Steamer Katshdin disabled twenty miles eff
Cape Porpoise bearing north by east.
F.C. HOMER
This despatch he showed the reporter. BY
this despatch the position of the Katahdin
would have been not much over thirteen miles
from Portsmouth, where aid could be moro
readily obtained than from Portland. He
however made all preparations to go to the
rescue. His crank pin brasses needed repairs
and they we've at the Portland Company's
shop. He sent for them, but ii took several
hours to get ready for sea. The revenue steamer
Dallas was not here or she could have taken
the Woodbury's place. The Dallas was on a
cruise to the eastward. To make sure his tel
egram from Kennebunk was correct he made
the operator there repeat it, and it came back
as printed above. He also telegraphed the
eompanY's agent at Boston for information
ana reoeived answer:
Boston, Jan. s, 1884. ].
Katahdin broke down off Cape Porpoise
bearing north by east 20 miles, n
CALVIN AUSTIN.
While taking his dinner at the hotel Just be.
fora the Woodbury. was ready to start for this
Katahdin, young man came to him and said
he was the person who teleeraphed him -f0s
aid. That when he left Cape Porpolse he
could Isee tho steamer under way at "slow
speed" When Capt. Abbey was leaving the
hotel the announcement came that the steamer
was entering the harbor.
The Cambridge, of the same liGe, arrived
from Boston at IL p. m. to take passengers,
freight and baggage to Bangor, and Snperiu-
terdent Littlefed arrived from Boston, by
train, at p. m. to superintend operations. The
Katah0in will have 10 be repsired hera =