Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-08-08
A.-By being drowned.

O.-Were you present at the accident
at Mt. Desert Ferry slip. yesterday?
Al was.
O.-State what you saw there?
] A.-The l0.l5 train came in crowded with
people. All made a rush for the boat
| some climbed over the side of the railing.
I then were driven back and pushed under
the chain. where | was standing. That
/ was soon stopped. and the next thing was
! the crash. All We're thrown down int !,
! the water. Heard a loud crash. | knew
| Mrs. Billings who was drowned. | saw
| bodies taken out OF the water and II il
| my opinion that they met their death Dy
| drowning.
Odd you see any of the railroad EN-
| ployes or officers of the boat preventing
this mass of people from crowding onto
| this slip?
Al did not.
GLOW far We're you standing from
! the slip when it went down?
About one foot.
Miss Ethel NJ. StrattOn of Bangor, tes-
tilted.
| Q.-Were you present at the accident at
Nj. Desert Ferry SIP. yesterday?
Al was.
Estate what happened there.
Al was on the wharf when the l0l5
! train came in. The train was crowded
and the wharf was soon thronged with
: many crowding toward the bow of the
boat, and others tried to push throusn
tho chain which was along the side OF
the slip. and were prevented only by tne
bystardcys. | think about 200 people had
gone onto the boat when | heard an Az
full crash. Saw the Slip fall into the
water and the people fail into the water.
and the water seemed to rush in over
them. | turned away and that was ali
| SAY. DID not see any of the bodies
! taken from the water.
Ms II. \. Fairbanks Of Bangor, tesu-
fail
4.-Worc yau present 1t the accident
4, A.t. Lrs-rt FcIry slip, yesterday?
-. WIS.
L-S!atr What happened.
At about 1925, l was leaning
against the chains that extend along
thc side Of the slip when | heard the
train coming down the track Almost
before il came to a stop throng OF
people seemed to rush upon the wharf.
going at once in two directions. to the
prov of the boat and slip. | was
frightened then of the torrent of peo-
ole that came pouring down upon us.
| Harder ana harder they crowded up
on The Slip and all at once there seem
ed to he 4 moment Of suspense and
then i long crcaking, crash, and then
splash and screams. For moment
| all seemed unable to know what to do
and then all hands set to work in their
different ways to try and help the dis
| tresscd, and then / turned from the
| scene.
| Odd You see the slip gradually
falling before you heard the crash?
Al was impressed with the feeling
| that it did so, and that was why | was
| frightened for fear that something
| serious might happen. | remarked to
some one that they never would get
| through that without an accident.
| Odd YOU know any Of the people
| whose, bodies were taken from the wa
| ter?
Airs. Billings.
Jrryman-Was any caution used in
preventing the crowd from rushing on
to the slip?
| A-Not the least.
Odd the officers of the boat try to
prevent the people from rushing into
the slip?
Al saw no effort made whatever.
Q.-Why did you state that you re-
| marked to some one that you thought
| there would surely be an accident?
| A-BeCause of the immensely of the
crowd and the way it rushed down. !
| knew nothing Of the weakness Of the
structure.
VIM. l.. Witham Of Lisbon Falls, and
headquarters at Bangor, testified:
Q.-Are you the foreman of the con-
struction of the slip that was broken
yesterday?
| Al am sir.
Q.-State when the slip was built
and if in your opinion it was thorough
| ~ constructed?
| A-Completed, June 4. this year. l
| think it was thoroughly constructed as
| far as the workmanship. l construct
ed the slip as near my orders as I I'M
| derstood
Q.-Should there not have been iron
plates under the nuts in the ends Of
| the iron truss rods?
| Al think the circumstances now
| show that there should have been.
| Q.-What in your opinion is the d-
rect cause of the accident?
Any opinion is that the nuts drew
| through the timber. and as they did 50.
the slip kept settling. and the final col
| lapse came at one instant
Q.-How long and how wide is the
slip. and how supported and con-
structed?
| A. Slip, 81 feet, inches long, 10 feet
| wide. Inner end or head of slip was
| an SX12 hard pine timber. about one
/, foot longer on each end the length of
the slip. the ends resting on the caps
| of the piling of the wharf. thereby
| forming the hinge the ends being round
on the underside. The outer ends were
| supported by a beam under the slip.
| about four feet from the outer end sus-
pended by gallows frame and chains
| over pulleys. Was constructed of four
| stringerS. SKIP, and a double remnant,
one end fitting into the hard pine tim
Der al the head of the slip. the other
ends fitting into the head piece 6x12
spruce. The center of the slip was fur
| Their supported by three brass rods
| running through the head timhers I'M
der two truss beams, 4X12, dividing the