Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-08-07
get aboard so as to reach Bar Harbor

and enjoy the day.
| at was terrible minute for us when
our Maine Press party was almost In
the middle of the slip and it broke
letting those behind us fall forward
and those ahead fan backwards.
THE slip which was AZ feet long and
10 feet wide jack-knifed, splitting all
down the opening and into the water.
THE people estimated that there
were $50 on the slip but / believe there
were more as it was packed full.
''As soon as we struck the water
there was general scramble for the
top and the people were brought to
themselves on the wharf by the com
mand to lower ropes. and everything
portable which they did in short order
and the work of the rescue had begun.
1T was a sensation that one will cx-
pcrience but once in a lifetime and no
one can realize it until he has been
| through it.
ed were men, as | bclneve il was on ac-
| count of the heroic work they did in
saving the women.
Il saw Chester Robbins. the editor of
the Old Town Enterprise and the
manager of our excursion. save five
women by towing them to piles to
which they could cling. He then went
| up on the wharf and removed his
clothing and came back and rescued
six more women to my certain knowl-
edge and there were other just such
| cases
I'm my own case | cannot swim a
stroke and | was fortunate in securing
hold on a pile where | chung for -
minutes with three women on my back.
| Another man and myself sent them up
On rope and then We went up.
THE work done hy the people was
immense. The people AT the Bluffs"
turned out in force and worked
throughout the day giving their rooms
ana their clothing to the rescued ana
working over those who were uncon-
scious.
president f. 4. Wilson Of the Maine
Central. was out, after directing for
specia! trains for the divers and also
sending for physicians To Bangor and
! Ellsworth. He also arranged as soon
as h. heard Of the terrible fatality for
collins and baskets.
The divers arrived and went To
work. At the time | left they had Sc
cured u bodies and when left Ban
cor | heard that several more had been
! found
None of them. SO far MS / can learn.
are from Augusta ! hclcvc you have
received The names by Tho Associated
Press.
II examined the slip that was broken
ana | am confident that il was no fault
| Of the railroad company that the acct
dent occurred. The slip is T. feet long
and 10 or II feet broad.
| 'It was composed Of i6 planks Of
! about = inches and thickness ana was
| g,nrnrtod ~ 5,.o s4rinrcre or . ~ ~
| i,cb ;o;s,
..r,ve,,- miami, v,s nc solid and nor
| fcctlv sound as the dav il was sawed
| i'm the mill aud the breaking was mere
| " from the fact that there were more
| pcopIc than any sound wood of the
same thickness would allow
..,Therc must have been = carload or
| bacgapc in the crowd fo, that was
picked up and piled on the wharf max
| ing an immense nile
This will he taken to the lost marcel
department later and held for identifj-
cation Much of if ,,.,s claimed dur-
| ing the afternoon IN the fortunate
ones like myself who went through
ara came OUT alive and thankful
The experience Of the cracking Of
| the timbors. tho settling and tho final
plur.rn into thn water with 90n Other