The Portland daily press., 1897-04-03
HARBoR NEWS.
Items of Interest Picked Up Along the
Wharves.

A captain of coaster says that shoot
ing gulls for their feathers ia profitable
employment at this season OF the yea
down the coast. The birds gather together
in large numbers in the fields at the
west side of Petit Menan island, where
quantities of fish refuse have been spread.
In a field near Shackfor s Head one
morning recently Lewis Renouf In one
shot made from "blind' built for the
purpose, killed twenty of the birds, all
full grown, which will yield several
pounds of feathers, fos which a ready
market is found and good money is paid.
A collision was narrowly averted yes
terday afternoon just off Portland pier.
Ii was very squally and the wind was
blowing fresh. A small sailboat coming
in passed very close to large two masted
schooner going out when q sudden fierce
squall gave the small boat the choice Of
either capsizing or coming up into the
wind and possibly colliding with the
schooner. She chose to come around and
Just cleared the schooner by about foot.
~
the small boat for moment and two
hats were blown overheard, but nothing
more serious occurred and the boat was
safely docked.
The schooner Hannah Grant, Capt.
Strout, bouna from Maohias for Boston,
is In port and leak in the sfterpart of
her hull is being repaired. The Grant
was not in collision with any vessel,
though according to snperstitious sailors
she would probably have met with some
disaster ere her destination WAS reached,
for the reason that rodent tried to
make his escape from the craft. The story
told by several memb ers of the Grew has
salt sea air tinge to it, in fact several
grains of salt. They claim that rats
knawed hole in the stern of the craft
near the rudder post and the vessel began
to leak badly. That is the reason why
she put into this port where she will
make repairs and proceed.
Captain Charles Jacobs, for many years
the commander of the schooner Mary
Ellen Bowned that was lost of Cape
HatteFas years ago, was in the waiting
room at the ferryhouse on Portland pier
yesterday morning. He was bound for
the Cape to visit relatives that he had
not seen for over twenty years. Upon the
occasion of that wreck Captain Jacobs
lost two of his crew and was taken of
his vessel by a breeches' buoy.
The steamer Alice left Thursday after
noon for Falmouth Forsside for the first
time this season. She will make her
usual trips hereafter.
The steamer Sagadahoc will 30 on the
route from Bath to Boston next Thurs
day. 1t is expected by that date the Ken :
nebec river will be free from Toe to Au-
gusta. Several of the crew OF the Kenne-
bee will go on commission on the Sagada-
hoo until the Kennebec il running.
The English steamers are gradually
thinning again and the rush seems to be
over.
The Labrador, which arrived at Hall
fax last night has on board 81 cabin, "a
second and SS7 Storage passengers.
Among the latter are some children from
the homes OF DR.. Barnardo and DR..
Stephenson, while there are also some
practical farm hands from the Self Help
society.
The schooner Unison, Captain Kings.
bury, which has been laid up at Bath all
winter, arrived yesterday and will load
lumbe here for Boston.
The fishing Schooner Belle franklin
and Albert W. Black brought in about
10, 600 pounds each of mixed fish.
The name of the new steamer which Is
being built at South Portland for the
Harpswell bay line has finally been de-
cided upon. 1t will be called the
Auoocisco, an Indian name for Casco
by. This ia as euphoneous and odd as
the names of the other steamers OF the
Harpsweu bay line, and will undoubted-
lg prove very popular.
Mr.. Shea new gasoline launch was
put in the water yesterday after noon
from Larrabee's boat building shop on
Portland pier.
handsome little steamer. the Sylvia,
| steamd into the harbor at four O'Clock
yesterday afternoon. She runs during
the summer from North Haven to Rock
land. and has been wintering in New
York. She is now on her way to take
up her sum mer's work.
The schooner Mary f. ii. Dow arrived
from Louisburg yesterday afternoon after
a long and hard passage. She had con-
sidera ble trouble with ice, SO her captain
| reported.