Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1896-04-09
THE "HECTOR."
The New Steamer Has Commenced
Business on the Rixar

Business on the River.
The little steamer Hector" whose ar
rival Wednesday OF last week WAS briefly
noted n THE AMERICAN, has commenced
business on the river, and the merry toot
OF her whistle is already becoming a Ia
miliar sound.
The crew OF the Hector" consists OF
Benjamin Il. Arey, jr., captain and
owner; Charles Douglass, OF Bangor
engineer, and Albert Marcel, OF Els
worth, crew Capt. Arey is an ex-
j perienced captain, and has a license to
+ pilot any steamer in any river or port
+ from Portsmouth to Mt. Desert. Capt.
Arey for many years was master 81
coasters sailing out OF Bangor, but fer
several years past he has been steam
boating.
The Electors" length is forty-eieh ut
feet, idth, fifteen feet She draws four
+ and one-half feet OF water. She :
furnished with compound engine de-
yelopinG tsirty- horse power. She i a
new steamer having been built for Capt.
Arey three years ago. She recently uHde,-
Went extensive alterations at Bucksport
10 lit her for the business here.
The Hector : here 10 do business in
three Notwithstanding freight, tow
ing, and as an excursion boat.
As freight boat she Will connect With
the Bluehll line at the Contention cove
wharf, Heretofore but little Ellsworth
freight has been shipped by this line,
owing TO the expense OF hauling from the
" harf TO the city, five miles or more over
a rough road. With the boat connect ing
direct 10 this city, this difficulty viii be
overcome, and much freight which has
been coming by rail Will now come by
boat.
To the business men, who have long
chaied under high freight rates, the
cheapening OF rates which will un-
doubtedly result from this competition,
will be direct benefit, and indirectly a
benefit to consumers. The through rate
by boat from Boston has not vet been
determined, but Will be announced in a
few days.
Besides the advantage of cheaper
freights will be the still further ad-
vantage OF greater promptness. Goods
shipped by freight from Boston by rail
must be on board the cars at 3 o'clock in
the afternoon, and reach here on the
second day following. Goods leaving
Boston by boat al =. M, viii reac h
Ellsworth the following afternoon. This
saving OF time j. an important item to
merchants. Take, for instance. in the
matter OF perishabIe fruits. Heretofore
+ merchants have found IL necessary to
have berries shipped by express, at in
creased expense, owing TO slowness Of
freights.
For the handling OF freight at this end
OF the route, Capt. Arey has leased the
wharf and building of VI hat is known as
the Jordan property. The building will
undergo certain repairs, among them the
placing of double doors in the end toward
/ the river. Other repairs will be made on
the " harf. No more suitable wharf for
freight business could be found. There
Is very easy grade from the wharf to
Water street. K. +. Morsng wiA act as
freight agent for the boat at his store on
Water street.
As to her seryiceability for towing, the
Hector" has yet failed TO realize the
predictions OF those " no declared she was
not large enough for the work. She has
already towed several schooners in and
out OF the river, and apparently handles
them easily. Last Saturday the Hector"
brought up two vessels on one tide. 1t is
true she has not yet taken any deeply
loaded schooners, and il remains to be
seen " hat she can do with them.
Capt. Arey says that he does not wish it
to be understood that he is here to run
opposition to the Little Round Top or
to cut rates. When he WAS in Ellsworth
In the winter he received the impression
that the tug would not be put in commits
sion this summer. But the Hector" is
here TO do whatever business comes her
way. II this includes towing she will do
II, and charge fair price for it. She has
fixed her rates at five cents per ton light,
and ten cents loaded.
As an excursion boat the Hector
promises to afford much pleasure TO the
people OF Ellsworth during the summer.
She Is licensed to carry fifty passengers
The upper deck Will be filled with camp
chairs. In case OF sudden shower the
cabin, l2N30 feet. will afford place Of
refuge. Moonlight sails down the bay in
the Hector" will be one OF the attrsc-
tions in Ellsworth during the summer
The light drsught OF the Hector
greatly increases her usefulness on the
Union river. With an excursion party
she can go out OF the river at half food
tide and return at half ebb, giving the
eNcursionists long sail.
Capt. Arey expects TO move his family
to Ellsworth from Brewer soon a. the
weather becomes more settled Engineer
Douglass also expects TO move his family
here from Bang 5r.
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