The Portland daily press., 1899-08-08
No Washers Used with
the Bolts
Important Testimony Taken at
Ccroner's Inquest.

Bar Hartor. August THE opening
Of the coroner's inquest into yesterday s
frightful accident at Mt. Desert Ferry
when 20 persons lost their lives and a
score or mors were badly hurt has
brought to the surface, as 1t were, an
especially keen interest in the accidents 9
causa. But ir terest does not lessen in
the least the feeling OF horror and sad
ness which spread over the entire com
munity when the news of the disaster
first went forward. A night of anxiety
was followed by day full Of effort to
determine IL any other lives had been
sacrificed and happily the suspense was
not long. When daylight came, the wat
ers under the wharf at the Ferry were
| carefully inspected and as the tide reced-
ed men wandered about in the mud In
were also ct work in deep places. but tho
fears thar the death list was greater
than indicated last night, were not real.
izsd. On shore there was no less an effort
made to relieve the Euffsrings Of the In
jured who hDd been cnlsd fer In nearly
hotel Several patients were sent to
their homes and the several critical cases
given the most careful attention.
Tonight only two persons are believed
to be on the dangerous list, Mrs George
Brooks and Mrs. Melvin Davis, both Of
Ellsworth, who are suffering from pneu-
monia.
Among the injured who were sent to
their homes In special cara were the fol-
lowing; Mrs. Mary Sweeney, Bangor,
spine injured; Miss Nora McNamara,
Bangor, BACK and chest; Mrs. James
Dunn'ng, neck and spine; Miss Lillian
Danielson, Brewer. nervous shock; Miss
Mary shorten. Bangor; Mrs. George
W. Weyler, Bangor; George Southland, East
Hampden; Eugene Rndley, Bangor.
The railroai officials during the early
morning removed much of the Lroksn
slip and prepared the wharf for the con-
tinuation of trsffi,. The road s chief en-
ginser. Mr.. Dunn, made an inspection Of
the vicinity and fragments Of the slip and
secured statistics for use later On, when
the accident is officially Investigated
From the hasty examination yesterday
1t appeared that tho only support of the
gang way yns the timbers, but when the
wreck was removed today 1t was sesn
that the first cause of the accident, ap-
parently, was the pulling out of three
one-inch iron reds, which ran the length
of the gang way with tolts. Apparently
the nuts had pulled through the ten inch
string piece, throwing all the strain on
the wooden girders. Then came the
crash and the awful death struggle.
The eoroner's inquest was to have be-
gun early In the morning. but the alb
sence of stenographer delayed the rro-
ceedings, until afternoon. and then It
proceeded slowly, as testimony had to be
taken in long hand. Coroner ID. l..
Field of Ellsworth conducted the inquest
John t. Bunker Jr.. of Bar Harbor,
county attorney Of Hancock county. acted
as clark. Lawyer d. q. Addition OF Ban
gor, who distinguished himself by his
efficient work Of rescue, appeared as at
torney for several of the injured. The
first witness examined was Capt. Fl. N.
Fairbanks of Bangor. He stood beside
the .gargway near the outer end of the
wharf. watching the people going aboard
and speaking to those he knew. He said
it was an orderly crowd, no unusual
pushing, but the crush of q crowd of
people all bent In the same direction, and
anxious to board the boat
A few may have jumped over the chains
at the side to reach the ship quickly, but
there was no roughness. Capt Fairbanks
said that an instant before the crash, he
heard slight nolss above the rush of feet
which he now believes WAS caused by
the bolts pulling through the head pieoe
Of the gan gwa7. Then followed the crash
Of tho breaking timbers and the fatal
plunge.
Capt. Fairbanks wife and daughter,
who were with him, testified substantial
/ L L .1s same, saosspE sE that they did not
hear any noiss before the great crash.
Both said no efforts was made by anyone
to keep back the crowd from the gang
way. All three of these Witnesses be-
isved that all the dead wers drowned,
not crushed in tbs sall Inv blanks he-