Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-02

that the vessel fOundered hull intact
it is probable that many bodies are
confined in the sunken vessel. The evil
dence at hand is likely to indicate that
after hours of intense suspense the end
came suddenly and the victims and
doomed vessel sank to their watery
grave.
The cause of the Portlands fate
aside from the force of the elements. is
a mystery which will never be probed
Every mariner has a theory and all
agree that when buffetted by the on
coming storm off Cape Ann. the big
wheeler was disabled and before
the blast, was driven over 40 miles to
leeward, the waves slowly demolish1ng
the upper structure until the hull alone
remained and this. finally.
sank beneath the surface.
The vessel disappeared some dis
lance off shore. for the strong current Is
now carrying wreckage and bodies south
ward and much of it may be found on
Nantucket shoals. Wednesday, another
fiery northeastern set in, again lashing
the waves into a frenzy and giving small
hope to scores of broken hearted relatives
and friends of the victims, that Their
bodies will be found on the shores
The saddest scenes. which caused hardy
sailors to break down, were enacted IN
tins town all day. and will be for days to
come. Excitement also was great. not
only over the fate of other crews. but
over reports received from points down
the coast, tending to indicate that be-
tween 80 and 40 bodies had been pickle
up. But later it WIS positively shown
that but 16 bodies had been taken from
the water.
There was no break, last night, in the
incessant patrol of the cost from Race
point to Chatham which has been kept
up since the storm began, Saturday
evening, and all day. today, the life
savers and townspeople from the vari-
Gus places on the Cape augmented by
many strangers who have come IN
search of friends or relatives, We're
covering the shore, looking constantly
for traces of bodies from the steamer.
Few new facts bearing on the story
of the wreck developed beyond the evil
dence previously accumulated by those
who have been watching for the slight
est thing to help solve the problem or
to show where the steamer was lost
The conditions, today, were most
favorable for the recovery of wreckage
and bodies. A strong northwest wind
followed yesterdays storm and the day
was clear and bright. When the work
of the day was summed up however, it
appeared that five bodies only, had
been recovered in addition to those
previously taken from the water One
of them was found at Nauset, some 25
miles from the place near where it is
believed the wreck occurred, another
came ashore at Orleans, some four or
five miles further south and three at
Chatham. These developments were
most discouraging to those who have
come here prompted by fear or by GER
tain knowledge that they had friends
aboard the vessel, and they seem to
give force to the statements made by
the old seamen in the vicinity that the
majority of the bodies which will be
found here, already have come ashore.
The rest, it is believed by the expert
enced, have been carried far south and
lost in Nantucket sound or scattered
so widely that there is little hope that
they ever will be recovered. Moreover.
the belief that many bodies are still
to be growing wider This theory is
held by so many. in fact, that it is like
ly that tugs will sent out to patrol the
section of sea which has been fixed
upon as the probable scene of the
wreck, in an endeavor to locate the
hull, as well as to secure everything
that may be found afioat from her, in
GLIDING bodies, baggage, cargo, etc.
Agent c. f. Williams of the Steam
boat Company is among those who
think the Portland foundered and that
many of her passengers and her freight
would still be found in her, could the
wreck be located. Agent Williams, who
was among the first to reach here after
the disaster became known, has had
little chance for rest since his arrival.
When he has not been engaged in the
work of looking after the bodies which
have come in, and in other duties
growing out of the situation, he has
been besieged by questioners in a most
trying way. He has been asked to ex-
plain the wreck, to locate it, to tell how
1t came that the steamer sailed in the
face of the storm, and most trying of
all. about those on board. Time and
again he has had to face the anxious
relative who after making all sorts of
queries would prompt a hopeful
answer, have at last demanded to
know if possibility remained that
any one escaped.
That possibility, the agent has been
forced to admit is beyond hope. In
answer to the question as to the sail
ing of the Portland Agent Williams
bears out that statement made by Gen.
Manager Liscomb. that the captain
was ordered not to sail, but that he