The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1888-08-08

dangerous rock and was extremely so before
IL was marked by a buoy by Capt Green
Walden of the revenue cutter, some Iiftv
years ago. He surveyed it out and found it
10 De IN two parts, neither showing above
the surface. In 1926, the brig Ceres, Capt
Blanchard ~ from St Ubes with $4,000 bush
els Of salt, struck on Alden's Rock in the
night, She went head on, beat over and
Went down bows first in thirteen fathoms of
water, the crew having only time to save
themselves in the boat. The first that was
known OF the wreck, was at sunrise next
morning, capt. blanchard's boat with about
twenty men, rowed in to the dock at Long
Mnari. the Ceres was very large double
uecked brig belonging to Warren q Hersey,
the latter the father of the city treasurer.
Alden's Rock was the cause Of another
wreck which was the most destructive to hui
man life of any which has occurred in this
vicinity. On the 22nd of February, 1864,
the Clyde built, iron steamship Bohemian, of
1000 tons, Capt Bcfland, belonging % the
pool to Portland. The ship had 10 cabin
and 1879 Storage passengers. She was sew
eral days over due. The weather was mild
and calm, with thick fog that occasionally
lifted. The captain attempted to enter the
sight of the proper landmarks to guide him.
At 81 O'Clock p. m, the ship struck on AL
Alden's rock, slid off and steamed Sc.
about half an hour. going slow, and
anchored with two anchors. The steer
age passengers were all in their hunks
at the time of the accident, which ere
ated the widest CONSERVATION. The boats
were got out, but were badly mana ged, and
several swamped by overlooking. La one
hour and thirty minutes the ship sunk at
her anchors, with her head OFF shore,
which was about one-fourth of mile dis
tant. The nearest point was Staples's Cove
about half mile north of the Cape Lights.
The ship stood upright in the sand, with the
al nat nylfh hA for hn chi
five years old, but was good vessel. There
was loss of 26 passengers and five of the
crew-31 in ALL Mr.. j. +. Chamberlain of
the Ocean House, with all the force at his
command, made every effort to make the suf-
ferers comfortable. They were removed to
Portland. and about 700 dollars. raised by
subscription for their necessities. A part of
the mails were lost. and much of the bale
and case goods of the cargo. For weeks in
rough weather people from far and near
dared the elements TO secure some waif from
the broken eases of goods, although the gov
eminent had an armed guard on duty.
When the weather was suitable divers
worked at the wreck securing the iron for
several years. When the Ceres was wrecked
on Alden's Rock in 1925 there was no buoy
on it. There is now black nun buoy on it,
properly marked.
Another dangerous ledge is Trundy's Reef
with black buoy on 1t marked Il. II. 1t is
one-third of mile north of the Cape Eliza
beth lights. Many vessels have been dam
aged more or less en- this reef and several
have gone to pieces there. have a record of
only one. the loss of a good ship and valua-
BILE cargo. In 1874 the bark Isidore, Capt.
Springer, was on her passage from Matanzas
to Cronstadt, with very valuable cargo Of
sugar. The vessel sprung aleak and put in
to Portland for repairs. When the repairs
were completedi and her cargo re-shipped,
she sailed August LIST on her voyage. She
went on to Trundy's Reef In fog, and the
vessel and cargo were a total loss. Capt
Seth b. Mcclellan was mate of the bark.
On the % of December 1886, the bark A. G +.
Mcguire, Capt. Guise of Quebec, in ballast
from Buenos Ayres, attempted to enter the
harbor in rainstorm. The heavy sea fore
ed her onto the rocks near Portland light.
She was an old vessel; she was stripped of
her rigging and finally went to pieces. Dur
ing the storm in which she was wrecked,
many people from the city and adjoining
towns visited the bark.
Between 80 and 60 years ago the ship Mac
edonian OF this port, was wrecked within a
ships length of the spot where the A. G. Me-
guire struck. The Macedonian was COM
manded by Capt Samuel Robinson.
In 1926 the Treasury Department Of the
United States sold the schooner Rapid. which
had been one of the first revenue cutters
built. She had all of the Baltimore points of
top gallant sail schooner, was very fast
and snowy. William q. Quincy and his bro
Their Charles, bachelors, both as snowy as
the schooner, bought her. They put Capt.
Maynard in command, and loaded her for
Cayenne. The schooner's guns were still in
position, and when she was ready to sail, her
owners directed the captain to get up all sail
and with .."Flaunting flags and banners
brave" to take turn or two up and down
the harbor with gun at each tack, after the
manner OF priyateers Of 1872, The schooner
did not draw much water, and could at high
water go nearly to Portland bridge before
making a tack. Several times the handsome
little craft made her obeisance to her audi
ence collected by the report of her guns show
ing her bright copper to the strong west wind
like the belly Of a salmon. Finally she miss
ed stays and struck on Stanford's ledge, where
the bug light now is There was no tug to
pull her OFF, and she ANONYMOUSLY heeled
over and remained there. The cannsns and
bunting were taken in, and no gun was fired
on that tack The Rapid was got off after
discharging her cargo, and made several voy-
ages after The story of the wreck of the
Rapid brings US very near to the frowning
castle which seems to have been built for
show, like the schooner. 1t is valuable as an
ornament to the harbor if not for defense.
Here, also was a wreck, but so recent that
people do not require to be reminded of it.
and the ship laid there long enough to i'm
press her image on every citizen on their pas
sage to and from the islands. The iron
Steamship preeklyn Capt Gibsen of the Do
mlnion line with pilot on board and bound
to Liverpool, left her wharf at about ten
o'clock on the night Of April 9th 1853. Soon
struck on Hog Island ledge abreast of Fort
Georges. The ship was of $500 tons and had a
full cargo, incluing 500 head of CATTLE
After laying many months on the ledge she
was, at great expense, foated to the dry dock
where temporary repairs of wood were made
and she sailed, with cargo of lumber. to
Europe where she was made seaworthy and
completed several voyages. She was finally
lost in the bay or river st. Lawrence.
While the Brooklyn was ON the ledge a
good story was told, which If true, shows the
confusion caused by the attempts to ignore
the established and to bestow fancy names
IN well known headlands, especially on
those borne on the government charts. A
passenger on the Brooklyn, on finding the
ship on the ledge, fastened to send a dis
patch on shore TO the telegraph Office for his
partner in Halifax, saying that the Brooklyn
was fast On Diamond Island Ledge, with no
explanation of the locality. L. was the first
news received at Halifax, of the wreck. The
recipient of the despatch looked in vain
through all the charts of the intervening
coast, and at last directed telegram to the
Brooklyn in reply, saying that he could not
find the locality on the charts, but he sup
| posed his partner would come on the return
| Of the steamer that was sure TO be sent from
| Halifax to the relief of the Brooklyn, sup
| posing the wreck was near Halifax. This