The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-02-03
NIGHT OF SUFFERING.
Terrible Experience Of Fishsrms n
on Dailey's Island.
rApT.IN,s WIFE NOW IN PRECA-
RIOUs CONDITION.

Fearful Story Of Captain sproul of the
Tobster Schooner Awilda Morse which
| Anchored in NIacksrei Cove.
| Captain A.. G. Sproul of Boothbay Har-
Dor who commands the Portland lobster
smack Alwilda Morse, together with his
wife and one member Of his crew passed
Monday night on Bailey island exposed
to the full fury of the terrible blizzard.
AS result Of this experience Mrs. Sproul
now lies in a very precarious condition in
a tisherman's house at Baileys island
with her arms, hands, feet and face
frozen and suffering otherwise from the
effects of her long night of exposure.
Captain Sproul also had his hands, feet,
face and ears frozen while the member of
his crew also suffered greatly. The story
of this wild night on Bailey's island
while the blizzard ragged about these
blinded and helpless people is thrilling,
and it will 20 down in history as one OF
the most terrible experiences of Monday
| big storm. 80,
| The Alwilda Morse is trim little
schooner owned by j. W. Trefethen & Co.
of Portland and employed in gathering
| Holsters along the coast and bringing
them to Portland. She is commanded by
Capt. A. G. Sproul of Boothbay Harbor,
| who is we'll known in this city where he
| Is generally respected. On Monday after
noon the Alwilda Morse put into Maokerel
cove, Bailey's island for shelter from the
threatening gale. This cove is generally
a fine shelter for small vessels and is SO
surrounded by the land that no matter
how the sea may rage about the island
vessel will usually ride in safety when
anchored there. When Captain Sproul
found himself in this cove, with the snow
coming down In binding cloud and the
wind bowling about the rigging with the
| fury of line gale he congratulated him-
self on his position and early in the even,
ling turned into his bunk In the cozy
cabin of the Morse without fear for her
safety. On the Morse with Capt. Sproul
OF this trip was his wife, woman of
robust health who is accustomed to the
sea and who frequently makes trips along
the coast with her husband. There were
also two or three members of the crew
but as the night set in all of these with
the exception of one man went ashore
where they were to pass the night with
friends.
Anchored further up the cove and TO
the windward of the Alwilda Morse was
the fishing schooner Boyd and Leeds OF
Beverly, Mass The crew of this vessel
all went on shore before dark and left her
to ride out the gale as best she might.
Some time about one O'Clock in the
morning, when the hurricane began to
get in its work in good shape, Captain
Sproul was awakened by the pitching and
tossing of his schooner as she tugged
away at her anchor and rolled about in
the sea. Captain Sproul turned out and
on going on deck found that the little
cove was about as rough as was the sea
| outside. Big waves were dashing them
selves to pieces on the Jagged rocks about
the cove and above the noise of the wind
the roar of the breakers oil about the
island was almost deafening. The captain
realized that his schooner might break
away from her anchorage or drag out to
| sea before the awful gale and he began to
get frightened.
IT was so dark that nothing could be
seen beyond the schooner and though she
was holding ON to her anchorage in good
shape, the sea was increasing every
moment and should the vessel once break
i away from her ground tackle and drift
out to sea she would not be able to live
half an hour.
Suddenly through the binding cloud
OF snow, Captain Sproul saw the outlines
of schooner rapidly bearing down upon
the Alwilda Morse. Before he had time
to realize what was about to happen this
schooner smashed into the Morse and with
each succeeding wave continued to crash
up against her with fearful impact. The
main rigging of the Morse was snapped
as if it had been made Of twine the rail
was carried away and the planking along
the sides splintered and broken and other
damage done to the schooner. The Boyd
and Leeds, which was the schooner which
!; had caused all of this damage had broken
away from her anchorage and was on her
way to the open sea when she collided
with the Morse. She also was somewhat
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