Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-16
SIX LIVES LOST.
Schooner Susan B. ThurIow
Wrecked in Portland Harbor.
The Captain, Mate, Cook and Three
Seamen Are Drowned.
One Sailor Survives and Tells the story Of
the Disaster.

Portland, Me-, Dec. 15.-The schooner
susan z. Thurlow, AGO tons, went
ashore on the rocks near Cape Cottage
cape Elizabeth, about O'clock Tues
day night
The schooner went to pieces and a
single survivor, a German, who spent
the night at Cape farm house
Wednesday night, found his way to the
custom house and told the story Of the
wreck as well as he could in his broken
English.
The schooner was loaded with plase
ter from Hillsboro, N. B., to New York,
where she was owned. She was bull:
in Harrington, Me.
The single survivor of the wrecked
schooner Susan B. Thurlow, told the
following story of the disaster: The
sea was extremely rough, Tuesday
night and it was decided to make
Portland harbor and remain during the
storm. The course was laid out all
right and the vessel was on the right
course, according to the best informa-
ton at command. when the rudder
ropes broke and the schooner was at
the mercy of the wildly raging wind
and sea. She tossed about for a little
time. when she suddenly struck on the
reef off Cushings island at about s
o'clock
The mast broke like tOothpicks and one
in falling. struck the captain and crushed
his leg. A frightful cry went up from the
officers to the men to jump for their lives.
when this survivor, who is a German
named Charles Raimann. overcome with
fright and hardly knowing what to do,
was caught by a huge wave and hurled
into the sea.
Three times was he washed upon the
beach and taken back in the undertow
but he managed to get a piece of spar
and to this he desperately chung. At last
he was carried up on the beach so far
that the receding waves did not carry
him back. Wet, benumbed and weak from
his desperate fight with the waves. he
crept little further from the water
edge and waited to rest himself.
Not sound of life could he hear. and
when he had sufficient breath. he walked
about on the island until he found a
house that was inhabited. Here he told
his story, and was taken care of for the
night.
In the morning. his host, Eden Smith
came with him to Portland, but not until
everything had been done that could be
the rest of the crew.
Mr. Smith and Raimann went to the
scene of the wreck and found the dead
body of the captain and two of the sail
OrS. The others are still missing. though
they are no doubt drowned.
Raimann sreakes but lit lie English. ami
he doesn't know the name of his captain
or any of his shipmates, except the mate
who was known as Mike" McLain.
The vessel was owned by Capt J. w.
Wheeler of New York
Further details of the wreck We're SO
meagre that the Express chartered the
tug c. A. Dickey and sent man to the
scene of the wreck. When he arrived the
life saving crew from Cape Elizabeth was
on hand and had found the bodies of two
more men. and. shortly after, the fifth
body was recovered. Two of the bodies
We're naked and all were terribly bruised
and cut by being washed against the
sharp rocks. One of the last bodies re-
covered is supposed to be that of Mate
McIain. as the letters &c. M. Mel are
tattooed on the arm.
The vessel is total wreck, having gone
completely to pieces in the terrific north
east gale which prevailed during the
early part of the night The bodies of the
drowned men were brought to Portland
by Captain Trundy of the life saving ser
vice and turned over to the undertaken.
The harbor is mass of wreckage
boxes, pieces of spars and masts floating
about. most of which is gradually collect
ing on the Cape shore.
The Susan B. Thurlow was three
masted schooner 126 feet in length. and
Is feet in depth. Her crew was shipped
at philadelphia Nov. ID.
She sailed from Philadelphia to Boston
and thence to Hilsboro. N. B., where her
last cargo was taken aboard.
Reimann was made the recipient of
generous purse made up by customs Off
Gals and sympathetic citizens and he will
return to Philadelphia.