The Portland daily press., 1895-11-14
A WEI RD TALE.
CONGRESSMAN MiIliken Recalls an Interest,
ing Story of Maine Shipping.
ESPECIAL TO THE PREss.l

ESPECIAL TO IHE RhEoS.J
Belfast, November 13.-The funeral of
Austin Carter, a much respected citizen
ana lifelong resident, took place today,
and as mark of respect the flags on all
vessels in port were at half mast during
the day. MI Carter was once a MEM
ber of the shipbuilding firm of Columbus
p. Carter & Co., that built exactly 100
large vessels.
Hon. Seth L. Milliken this afternoon
said that the death of Mr.. Carter recalled
very strange story connected with the
last of the 100 vessels built by his firm
1t was q large vessel and cost when COM
pleted about S125, GOO. 1t was ship, and
was regarded as one of the best, if not
the best, turned out by the famous firm
of ship builders.
She was on the stocks at the time of
the death of Mr.. Columbus p. Carter,
and he had intended that she should bear
his name, but after his death his interest
was purchased by B. r. Hazelton, and
was named after him. The command
was given to Capt Hartman, Zone of
4! the best sea captains" said Congress
man Milliken, fwho ever sailed from this
port.'
From the first day of the voyage the
| ship was unlucky. She went on d rock
| her way out. and again on her voyage
home. The same ill luck went with her
on her second "trip, and on his return the
captain said to Mr. MilIiken, 'The ship
is bound to be unluoky. There's dead
man at the Wheel and he's steering her
for every rock in the ocean. Pm going
to take her one more trip and then leave
her.
He started, but the same i'll LUCK went
with him. When off South American
port the ship, struckra rock laid down in
no chart and went down. The crew had
just time to take to the boats, saving
nothing. Capt Hartman was in charge
of one boat, his son of a second, and
the mate of the third. The captain and
mate reached the shore in safety, but the
young man was not heard from for
months, and then only when he reached
Portland, Oregon.
Capt. Hartman returned home, and
while some of the owners blamed him
for the loss of the ship, the late Mr.. Aus
tin Carter did not, insisting that he was
net To blame for not knowing the loca-
tion of rock laid down in no chart.
The cargo of the ship was valued at
S40O, 600, and the captain went down to
South America in the hope of raising
her He took with him a wrecker, who
thought there was more money to be
made by blowing her open and getting
at her cargo, and SO, it was alleged. ar
ranged with diver they sent down, to
make false report, of the condition of
the ship. Capt Hartman had set his
heart on taking her back to Belfast, and
when he was told that she could not be
raised, he threw up his hands, gave one
cry, and then those who were with him
were struggling with man violently
insane and insane he remained until his
death. He was taken to England, and
then back to the United States, and died
in all asylum for tho insane.
Mrs. Hartman died, and so did their
daughter and there remained but one in
the family. the son who escaped when
the ship went down, and who with great
difficulty reached home, having been
picked up after the B. r. Hazelton found
cred, but not until all in the boat had un-
dergone all but the last extreme of suff-
ering. He went to sea again this time
with Capt. Snow of Buxport, and cap
tain, crew and vessel, were never heard
from after they sailed
sCertainly,'' said Congressman Mill
ken, "a long train of disasters followed
everyone who had anything to do with
the Tooth vessel built by the firm. In
Austin Carter, Belfast has lost good
citizen and good man."