Daily Kennebec journal., 1898-09-06
LEWISTON ASHORE.
Had Sick Massachusetts, Sol
diers on Board.
Troops Taken to Shore In An Open
Lighter Which Was Near.
Fatal Results Expected from Exposure Underl
gone in Going Ashore.

Newport, r. L., Sept. G.-The steamer
Lewiston. chartered by the Massachu-
setts Volunteer Aid Association with
nearly 200 sick soldiers on board, bound
from Mnntauk Point to Boston, ran
ashore near Point Judith. last night,
and narrowly escaped being wrecked
one hundred and thirty-five of the
men were placed in lighter wnich
fortunately was in the breakwater and
brought to this city by tug, landing
at the FAN River Line dock. at ab)lt
midnight.
The sick soldiers were In such an
exposed place on the bare deck OF the
lighter during the trip Of 10 miles
across the bay from Point Judith that
4 number of them are not expected 10
reach Boston alive. AS many as posi-
BILE viii be sent to Boston by special
train, reaching that city at about day
light.
The Lewiston left Montauk Poin.,
yesterday morning. with as many
Massachusetts soldiers on board as she
could carry. Her captain ran across
the sound to New London. where
large quantity of fresh milk was OBJ
tanned, and then early in the after
noon she started for Boston.
A heavy fog shut in while the steamer
was off Watch Hin, and she slowly pro-
ceeded along the shore. blowing her whis-
tie frequently and getting replies from
many of the fog stations. By some means
her captain missed the fog whistle on
Point Judith and about 3 o'clock last
night, she brought up on shore.
Fortunately the tug John T. Gaynor was
behind the breakwater at Point Judith nj
the time with a small lighter. and after
her captain had been notified of the acci-
dent he Immediately towed the barge
alongside the steamer.
Ii was also fortunate that there was
little sea at the time the steamer went
ashore, so that the work of transferring
the, men was carried on with compara-
lively little danger of any being lost by
drowning.
In the course of half an hour. 1aJ poor,
weak, fever-stricken soldiers, some utter
ly unable to stand. were taken from their
hunks and cots, wrapped in blankets and
placed upon the exposed decks of the
lighter.
A few Of the very sick. and only few. |
were accommodated in the tiny cabin of
The tug. and when the deck of the lighter
was crowded with the shverng men and
no more could be taken aboard the tug
started off for Newport. 1t was long |
and terrible sail across the bay and up
Inc harbor to the wharf here. not that the |
wind was high or the sea boisterous. hut |
the fog very quickly penetrated the scant |
clothing of the men and il was not long |
before everyone was quaking with the
cold.
DIR. Shea of Boston. who was one of the |
physicians that went around with the |
Lewiston, came up on the lighter with the |
men and with one or two physicians and
nurses did everything possible to alleviate |
their sufferings. The tug steamed into
the harbor shortly after midnight and ran
up to the Fall River Line wharf where
one of the crew was landed and the po
lice of the city notified
Within a remarkably short time the en- |
tire force was at the wharf with every |
ambulance in the city, and large corps |
of physicians were on hand to assist the |
helpless ones. The New York, New Iia-
ven 4 Hartford Railroad officials were
also notified and within an hour or two a |
special train was made up to carry the
men to Boston.
In the meantime the greater portion of
the city had been aroused and large guam
titles of blankets. mattresses and other
bedding. besides overcoats. etc, had been
taken to the wharf. Hot coffee. warm
milk and everything that would warm the
chilled soldiers were also brought down
to the wharf and every possible effort
made to make the men comfortable.
AS soon the Gaynor had landed the
men and taken aboard n fresh supply of
Blankets and provisions. she started off
again with her lighter for the wreck, on
which there had been left so or more who
were unable to find room on the lighter.
1t is expected that ali will be moved early
IN the morning and landed here
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