The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-07

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| BILLINGS. Mrs. Bangor.
| Bridges. IRVING. North Hancock.
| CoLsoN. ALBERT. Levant.
| CusHMAN. CLIFFORD. Corinth.
| DERwEST. Mrs. Bangor.
| DoSoHUE. Mrs JOHN o.. Bangor.
DowNEs. Mrs. CHARLES W. Ellsworth.
| ESTES. Mrs HOLLIS. Ellsworth.
| LANK. ORA NJ, Danforth.
| MCoRD. MELVIN. Corinth.
| MURRAY. MRS WILLIAM. Brewer.
| MURPHY. JOSEPH. Oldtown.
] CAKES. MRS. A. p. Bangor
Slower. MRS CHARLES. Ellsworth.
| SUMNER. Miss GRACE. Bangor.
| SwEETsER. F. f.. Portland
| WARD. Miss ELIZABETH. Bangor.
The Maine Central had arranged four excur-
sions to bring people from interior towns to
| see the ships OF the North Atlantic Squadron
| now in this harbor. The first Of these trains.
| consisting Of ton cars drawn by two locomo-
| tives. left Bangor at 8 ;25. and when 1t OF to
| Mt. Desert every car was TANNED.
| The stretch OF water from Mt. Desert to Bar
| Harbor is eight miles. and the ferryboat
Sappho. which had been sent to meet the
| train. could accommodate only one-third OF the
number on it. This became known to the pas
| sengers before the train stopped. and conse-
| quently there was wild rush to get aboard
| the boat.
The Sappho lay In the slip at the end OF the
| train shed. The pier was about thirty-fve feet
! long and ten feet wide 1t was built Of hickory
| beams. one-inoh iron girders and pine plank
| ing.
Four men. who had been stationed to keep
| the crowd moving in order. were swept inside
and tho pier was soon damned with 200 people
| Beyond them we're several hundred more
| pushing and crowdng.
Suddenly there was loud report as though
| OF a cannon, and those who had gained the
| Sappho turned to sec the pier part in the mid
| die and men and women disappear into the
| deep water about the piles
| For the moment there no effective at
tempt at rescue. Then Capt. Dixon. OF the
| Sappho and Frederic Sanborn. OF Portland. or.
| gained small party from the crews Of the
| Sappho and the Sebonoa. and. in few minutes
| ropes and ladders were let down, and willing
| arms were pulling out terrified men and
| women. A few men plunged in to the assist
| ance OF the helpless. but their attempts were
unavaiiing and dangerous. for the drowning
ones clutched at them and would have pulled
| them down.
| In moment the landing stages were cleared
OF people and swung on their hinges. forming
| a"N" shaped opening through which could be
| seen the people in the water fighting for life
| Soon scores OF men were engaged In the work
| OF rescue. As the wet and bedraggled persons
| were fished out they were carried to the hotel
| on the bluffs overlooking the scene OF the acct
dent The work OF revivlng those who needed
| resuscitatlon was slow for therewere no doctors
| present Telephone messages to Bar Harbor
| and Bangor soon reached a dozen physicens
| and their efforts saved at least twenty lives.
| There were many heroic deeds. boy named
| George Mattox OF Bang or had induced deaf
| mute lad Howard Gllie to Join the excursion
without his mothers knowledge. Glie sank
but Mattox was saved. Conscience smitten
for having led the boy away. Mattox singled
| Gie out. plunRen In and after hard fight
brought him safely ashore.
On the wharf. and aboard the Sappho. all was
wild excitement and confusion. In the crowd.
still safe on the wharf. men struck out right
and left. fighting their way from the terrible
sight few men. endeavoring to assist the
drowning threw into water whatever they
| could get their hands on. Some heavy lumber
that was cast down struck persons on the head
and stunned them.
| Chief Mason. Of the Bangor Fire Department.
was on the landing stage with his wife when it
broke. He managed to save himself. Then.
securing a ladder. he lowered it to his wife and
| hauled her into his arms.
| Capts Dixon and Sanborn held a ladder up
which over sixty persons climbed The mus
cular strain was 50 great that both men are
laid up.
| At last every survivor was taken from the
water and the work OF recovering the bodies
OF the drowned was begun The freight house
across the railroad track was opened and Oh
the floor OF it the bodies as they were brought
up were placed for Identification, One OF the
Government divers was emil oyed. and this nc
tolerated the graphing greatly.
| Dr. Frank Whitcomb saved several women.
and A. l. GreenouRh OF Bangor swan to the as
sistance OF more than a dozen persons. whom
he succeeded in saving. He was the last to
leave the water.
Meanwhile the spectators on the wharf and
aboard the Sappho looked on helpless and
frantic. II was with diflculty that several
women were prevented from casting them =
selves into the water.
Before evening twenty bodies had been taken
out Upon several were deep cuts and bruises
that they had received In their frantic strug-
g!es.
At tho hotel. where the injured and half
drowned had been carried. doctors worked with
great energy The guests OF the hotel gave up
their rooms Only one OF the injured is likely
, TO die. He il George s. Southland. OF Bangor.
80 frightful were the kicks and blows he re-
, coiyed that II is doubtful II he can recover.
General Superintendent Macdonald ordered
a special train down from Bangor with supplies
that we're needed.
, 1t took three hours to find the bodies OF all
the dead.
When the news reached Bar Hnrhor the land
ings were filled with persons who were seeking
some means of getting to Mount Desert.
When the sebanoa went across first
II was crowded from bow to stern
, Bar Harbor contained 1000 to Soon
visitors who had como up by boat, and nearly
| ali were camorinR to be taken across the fer
7 | ny Soon the town was deserted and n great
crowd had gathered at the scene Of the disas-
q | ter.
, | The bodies Of the dead were sent tonight &c
! the towns where they belong.