The record-union., 1896-05-10
FIRST OF IRON STEAMSHIPS.
She Sailed on the PenObSCCt, After
ward Fitted Out for War.

She Sailed on the Penobscot, After
ward Fitted Out for War.
Many people will be surprised to know
that the first iron steamship ever built
in America was named for Bangor and
ran between this port and Boston-but
such is the fact
The steamer in question was owned by
the Bangor Steam Navigation Com
pany, of which Jacob Drummond was
President, and was about 25O tons, old
measurement.
The Bangor was built in 1874, at Will
mington, Del, by Belts, Harlan q Hol-
lingsworth. Her hull was Of iron, 12U
feet between perpendiculars. l3l feet
over all on deck, % feet beam and
feet hold. She had two independent
engines of the Loper type, with 22-inch
cylinders, "a inches stroke of piston.
She was constructed for the route be-
tween Boston and Bangor, and was the
first American sea-going steamer built
of iron. She had speed of about thir-
teen knots under steam alone and car
ried considerable sail. She was, 1t is to
be noted, a twin screw boat, showing
that the twin screw idea is nothing new.
The Bangor was rugged as a three
masted schooner, had a long house on
deck, and a roomy, well-lghted tween
decks. She had berths for eighty pas
sengers and under-deck carrying ca
pacity Of 1000 barrels. She arrived in
Boston on her way to Bangor in July,
1915, and was called the handsomest
vessel that had ever visited that port.
f@u
this steamer got an early taste Of bad
luck. On her second trip, in August,
1915, she took fire in the cargo and was
burned. She left Boston on a special
trip one Saturday night, and at 3
o'clock on Sunday afternoon, while run
ming up Penobscot Bay under a good
head of steam and all sail, fire was dis
covered in the hold, forward OF the
boilers and directly under the cabin. The
steamer was to have made a landing
at Castine, but 1t was decided to run for
Long Island Uslesboro), as it was found
that the fire could not be extinguished,
and she was beached at Pendleton' s
cove
AS soon as the situation was realized
the sails were lowered and the passen-
gers gathered on the forecastle deck.
The boats were lowered, four Of the
steamers srew dragging one of the life
boats from aft forward through the
flames, which had now burst through
| the deck, and dropping 1t overheard by
the fore throat halliards. The passen-
gers and crew were landed and were
kindly cared for by islanders through
the night
The steamer, which would have been
scuttled, We're such a thing possible
was burned to a shell, and all her cargo
destroyed. She was soon afterward re-
built at Bucksport and again placed on
the route. Late in 1916 she was sold
to the United States Government fol
10000, and went out, under the name
| of Scourge, to take part in the Mexican
| war. While on the Mexican coast she
| had an interesting and lively expert
ence.
Immediately after the surrender OF
Vera Cruz there started from that por:
the famous expedition to Alvarado
Two previous attempts had been made
upon Alvarado by the naval forces OF
the United States, but without success
and this third advance was made with a
great display of power. 1t left Vera
T..
army was represented by regiments oi
volunteers from Georgia. South Caro-
| lima and Alabama, a squadron of cav
airy and a section of light artillery
the whole under the command of Gen
eral Quitman, while the naval forces
consisted of the following vessels: Frig-
ate Potomac, steamer Mississippi
sloop- war st. Mary's, steamers Spit
fire. Vixen and Waterwitch, brig Por-
poise, one bomb ketch, five small gun
schooners, the sloop-of-war Albany and
/ the steamer Scourge Bangor), which
was sent on some days in advance.
When the expedition reached its des-
| tination it was met by messengers who
brought the information that the
stronghold of Alvarado, which had
twice withstood the assaults of the
navy, had surrendered to Lieutenant
| Hunter of the Scourge, without loss OF
| damage, this brave officer thus win
ming laurels that might have gone tc
| Commodore Conley of the fleet and the
! other officers.
But the Lieutenant's triumph was
| shortlived. For having thus too plainly
shown the inefficiency of his command
er, who had twice failed, even with a
! large force, to accomplish what his
| junior had done so easily, he (the Lieu
| tenanD was arrested, court-martialed
and virtually dismissed from the serv-
| ice. All this was remedied afterward
| however, by the President, prompted
| by vigorous expressions of public opin-
/ ion on the subject. Thus was the old
/ Bangor connected with one of the most
/ stirring episodes of the Mexican coast