The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-08-07

of immersion in the water and in
juries while struggling for life.
The dead are:
MRS. WILLIAM MURRAY of
Brewer.
IRVING BRIDGES Of West Han
cock.
ALBERT COLSON Of Levant.
MRS. ALONZO OAKES of Bangor.
JOSEPH MURPHY of Old Town.
MRS. HOLLIS ESTEY of Ellis
worth.
CLIFFORD CUsHMAN of Cor
inth
MISS LIZZIE WOOD of Bangor.
MISS LOUISA BARTLETT of Ban
gor.
MISS GRACE SUMNER of Bangor.
CHARLES w. DOWNES of Ellis
worth.
F. F. SWEETSER, travelling sales
man, Portland, Me.
ORA NJ. LANK, Danforth.
G. R. BENNETT. Brewer.
MRS. A. H. BILLINGS, Bangor.
MRS. C. r. STOVER. Ellsworth.
MRS. GEORGE DERWENT, Ban
gor.
MRS. G. r. BENNETT, Brewer.
MISS LEWIS, Hampden, Me.
UNKNOWN WOMAN, believed to be
saIeswoman for a Boston publishing
house.
The Maine Central Railroad to-day
ran excursions to. Bar Harbor from all
sections of its line in Maine, the at
traction being the warships which
were expected to-day.
6a T,anlxp6
with excursionists were rushing to
Bar Harbor. The train which left Ban
gor at 8:25 consisted of twelve cars
jammed with people At Mount Des
ert Ferry, the terminus of the line, the
train is left for the boat for an
eighteen-mile sail to Bar Harbor. From
the wharf a slip, or gangplank, forty
feet long and ten feet wide ran out to
the boat The slip was hinged at the
inner end, and was raised or lowered to
suit the tide. The wharf extends on
both sides flush with the end of the
wooden gang plank Five timbers, Ak
u inches, set vertically, ran the length
of the plank, and these were crossed by
two-inch planks. 1t is said there was no
support for the plank between the
hinges at the outer end.
w men the excursion TRAIN IIOIH bdH-
gor arrived at the ferry there was
rush for the steamer Sappho. The first
few passengers had crossed the gang
plank safely, and it is estimated that
200 people were massed on the plank.
Suddenly they felt the plank give way
beneath them. The long timber sup
porting the plank broke in the middle.
The hinges held up one end and the
chain the other, while the broken ends
of the plank dropped, and struggling,
screaming mass of humanity was
plunged into the water, fifteen feet be-
low the wharf. A few clung to the in
clined sides of the plank, but at least
$50 were struggling in the water. The
piIing Of the wharf partly penned them
on three sides, and the boat lying at
the wharf closed the outer end of the
opening.
After the first moment of stupefac-
ton the work of rescue began. Ropes
and -preservers were thrown to the
crowd but in the panic the people in
the water clutched one another, and
many sank thus in groups in death
grip.
The awful nature of the accident was
not comprehended for at least minute
by those who we're the last to leave the
train, although the scene changed in
stantly from one of holiday gayety to
a death struggle. When the first mo-
ment of the calamity had passed a
panic seemed to have seized those who
were safe and they drew back from
the edge of the water. but only for a
minute, as the cooler heads in the
crowd, especially amor the officers
and crew of the steamer, asserted
themselves and the work of rescue be-
gan.
witnesses differ in their estimate
of the number of people who were car
ried down when the plank broke. but it
was the vanguard of the crowd which
was rushine from the train to the
steamer. Those who fell into the
water last were mostly pulled out by
main force, but not few were got
out by boats which were Immediately
manned. There was wild excitement
on land, for each excursionix was
rushing in and out among his or her
neighbors in quest Of relatives and
friends. In the hurry and hustle of
alighting from the train husbands.
wives. parents and children had be-
came separated, and separation at that
moment meant heart t-breaking sus-
pense. Mrs. Estey, one of the victims.
was one of those who, while only apart
from her husband a few feet. lost her
life, while Mr.. Estey was saved. al
though thrown into the water.
In the course of the next half hour
several bodies were recovered and were
taken to the nearby freight house and
laid out awaiting Identification. 1t was
a grewsome sight and a pitiful one as
identihcations were made.
The steamer Cymbria came from Bar