Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-04-29


considerable feeling on the subject, changed
the time of leaving Boston from Saturday to
Friday night
At this accident, one man, passenger, was
killed by being jammed between the steamer
and vessel. The passengers. officers and
crew were safely transferred to the Carlew,
which landed them at Portsmouth, N. II. the
next day The wreck was subsequently
towed into Portsmouth, bottom up, by fish
ing smack. Upon news reaching Gardiner OF
the loss of the steamer, Hon. Parker Sheldon
| Immediately started for Portsmouth, where
he was joined by Capt. Kimball, and the two
proceeded to Norwich and chartered the new
steamer Hnnlress, to which the crew of the
lost boat were transferred, who brought her
tn Gardiner, where she arrived Sunday morn
! ing about the 18th of the same mouth. Capt.
| X. returned to Portsmouth to look after the
wreck of the New England, but joined the
Huntress on her first trip. Mr.. Sheldon
came on in the Huntress, and with much
| pleasure, and perhaps grain of Justifiable
| pride, escorted his numerous friends through
this new and elegant boat The Huntress
was not fully completed when she left Nor
WITCH and the joiners and painters came with
her. and continued work for several weeks
before she received the finishing touch.
Very soon after the Huntress came, the
small steamer. Clifton, was placed on the
route from Hallowell to Portland. under CON-
mand of Capt. A. Brown, by Commodore
Vanderbilt of New York, as an opposition
boat. Capt. Brown made but a few trips in
this steamer when he was transferred to the
new steamer Augusta, of about the same size
as the Huntress. The Augusta not proving
fast enough to compete with the Huntress
successfully, Commodore Vanderbilt with
drew her, putting in her place his ''crack
boat" built expressly for speed and bearing
his own name. The C. Vanderbilt, under
Capt Brown, arrived at Hallowell on the
morning of September 3D. and left Gardiner
in company with the Huntress the next day
From certain circumstances Capt Kimball
became convinced that his engineer was either
incompetent, or in the interest of the opposi-
ton, and put another one in his place. An
examination of the engine showed it to be in
such bad condition that it was not consid-
cred prudent to run it longer without a thor
ough overhauling. Notice was given and the
boat laid over at Gardiner one night when
by working night and day, everything was got
in order and she resumed her trips as before
Up to this time there had been no real trial
of speed between the boats, notwithstanding
there was strong feeling as to which should
first reach the landings on the river, as both
boats stopped at the same wharf, and the last
conner must wait, or transport her passengers
and freight over the decks of her opponent
An accident which took place about this
time may be worth relating as showing the
character and ability of the man. A few miles
above Bath the river is divided by an
island, the main river sweeping around to the
west, with shorter. but almost unused chan
mel known as "Burnt Jacket passage" to the
east of the island. At the head of the island
this pbopual is md
owing to sunken rocks and strong currents,
and is only considered navigsble by small
crafts with good pilots. The
two steamers side by side were quietly
passing down through Merrvmeetng
Bay, one pleasant afternoon, when the
Vanderbilt, being on the west SIDE of
the Huntress, gradually crowded. favor-
lite joke of Capt Browns-her opponent in
t, the eddy, aud passed on, leaving her some
two or three lengths behind. At this trick
those on the Vanderbilt began to cheer, which
rather vexed ''Uncle SOL" the more so, per-
haps, when his assistant pilot reminded him
that the opposition boat would make the land
ing at Bath first. "Not if nv name is
Blanchard, and this the Huntress," when
with sharp and decisive "hard a-starbard"
followed almost Immediately by ''hard-a
port" the noble steamer had shot like an
arrow between the rocks, and was safely fv-
ing down the passage to the east of Burnt
Jacket, feat never performed before by
steamer of this class. AS the boat shot out
into the main channel a few minutes later
and fully quarter of a mile ahead of her
antagonist. cheers rent the air, but this time
from the deck of a different steamer
The next morning at about ten O'clock, and
while Capt. Kimball was quietly pacing the
upper deck of his boat at Boston, a messen
ger came to him bearing the compliments of
the captain of the G.. Vanderbilt, and inform
ing him that the steamer under his charge
"would arrive at Bath, at Gardiner, at Hal
lowell and at Augusta, ahead of any steamer
leaving Boston that night Capt. Kimball
smlingly received the challenge and in reply
said, would the Vanderbilt be kind enough
to inform the citizens of the Kennebec valley
that the Huntress would be along sometime
during the day?' With this the messenger
departed and Capt Kimball went to his office
and called his officers about him, to whom he
communicated the purpOrt of tie message
from the other boat, and gave orders as fol-
lows: Notice to be given to all passengers
that the boats were to race that night. Not a
pound of freight to be taken on board The
pilot and clerk to 60 Immediately and secure
sufficient quantity of dry pitch pine wood,
steamers at that time did not burn coal
l ne Indte anu engineer TO see everything
ready for any emergency, while the captain
would personally see that the boat was in
proper trim
Five o'clock came, but each waited for the
other until long past the hour of starting,
when the Vanderbilt led off, follow ed closely
by the Huntress, and as the boats plowed
their way down the harbor and out to sea.
trembling in every joint, with the bright
blaze rising high above their smoke stacks,
the excitement on board each steamer became
intense, and but few passengers sought their
pillows during the night. Neither captain
left his post during the entire passage, and
seldom spoke except to give an occasional
order, both intent on making the best time
possible And thus they kept on. the noble
Huntress slowly but surely gaining on her
antagonist, coming inch by inch toward her.
abre asst of her. and ahead of her, pass.
| ing Seguin Observation-Disclosures, l2O
miles from starting point eight
minutes before, and arriving at Gardi-
ner less than one mile ahead of her antagon
ist. The Huntress' time, from Boston to
Gardiner on this occasion, has never vet been
beaten. This was the great event of the sea-
son. and people at this day can scarcely mag
inc the intense excitement it created all IN
and down the river, or the feeling in the
breasts of all classes of people at the time
Concluded Tomorrow
According to the Hartford Evening Post,