The Portland daily press., 1894-11-01

captain wallace Had No Intimation of 1t
Until the Masts Came Tumbling Down
About His Head-Similar Cases.
Yesterday morning the brigantine
Henry b. Cleaves arrived at this port
with her two top masts broken off and
presenting other evidences of vecy uu-
usual experience
The Henry B. Cleaves is Portland
vessel, Mr.. H. M. Sargent of Sargent.
Lord & Skillin being her managing
owner. She is 20 years old. having been
built by Hagan & Thurlow, at Bath.
Her tonnage is $40 tons.
The Cleaves left Machias Monday eve
ming, with load of lumber, bound for
Granada, West Indies. Her captain is
Thomas Wallace of Cape Elizabeth, her.
first mate John Whitten of Harrington
There are five others in the crew. When
the Cleaves left Machias she had a new
mains all and new foresail, and her
rigging was in other respects in first-class
shape. The same is true of her spars,
which were sound and strong. This
makes all the more remar kable the oc-
The brigantine left Machias in the
morning, with good breeze from the
northeast. ALI went well until O'Clock
on Tuesday morn ing. At that time
there was a fresh breze from the east.
with high sea running. But there was
nothing in these conditions to prevent
the brigantine bowling along under
al ho
off Mt. Desert Rock. Captain Wallace
was on deck at the time. On the fore
mast he was carrying the large foresail,
the upper and lower topsails, the top
gallant sail and the royal, Besides
these there were connected with the
foremast the three jibs and the fore
top mast staysail. On the mainmast
also all sail was set, viz, the mainsail
and the gaff topsail.
Under this cloud of canvass the Henry
B. Cleaves was bowling along comforsa-
bly,. with nothing to give Captains Wal
lace any anxiety. Suddenly, without
any warning whatever, there was a great
crash, and the top masts and sails went
overheard. All of the.foretopmast down to
the head was carried away, and the top
mast of the mainmast was .broken of.
All the connecting sails went with the
wreck. In the co nditions which fo,-
lowed there was as little as in those
that preceded to explain the wreck. Cap
tain Wallace saw no squall, nor did he
see the effec of any on the sea or on
the deck. But he thinks that there was
moving in the upper air squall or
whirlwind, which struck with great
force.
1t was necessary to cut away at once
the mass of wreckage which was now
dragging along. AS some of the
headstays were of iron wire, about four
hours were required to clear the wreck.
In this time the side of the brigantine
was chafed considerably. AS soon as
the wreck was cleared Captain Wallace
hoisted the mainsail and foresail and
two staysails, which alone had been
saved. He also managed to rig a jib.
With these he managed to reach Port
land without great difficulty.
The damage is probably about thou
sand dollars. Repairs will be made
here.
Such accidents are not entirely un-
known.
3 The brig William Mason of this port,
in coming here from voyage, was
struck by squall which travelled in
the upper air, and lost all her upper
masts. 1t is said that not breath
from this squall was felt on the deck.
But it happened in the daytime, and
the squall was visible like a white
cloud.