The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-08-08
PRES. WILSON.
con.Inuea l,om Flrs. rsrs.

a. cilent Cuuuay1
lie with several other members OF the
Milne Press association, had stopped
at Ellsworth Saturday night, and having
desire to visit Bar Harbor, left Ellh-
worth on the 9. II train Sunday morning.
The Maine Press party were In about
the middle of the line Of twelve cars COM
posing the train, and wien the stop was
steamer Sappbo, which was to carry
tue people to Bar Hartor.
Mr.. and MIRA Campbell OF the press
party wers ahead and sots on to the
steamer safely. The remaining thirteen.
however, wers dropped into the water
when the clip gnvs way.
Mr. 4hopmscn, who had q big dress
suis case in-ene hand and an overcoat In
tie other, was unabls to get on TO the end
Of the slip, SO walked along the side to
the wa.er end and stepping over the
chain rail he put his feet on the fatal
planks. at the same moment there was
a snap like the breaking Of chain, and
the slip began to descend. quite gradu-
ally. There were about SEQ people on 1t
az the time, and this whole mass Of hn-
mainly began to clip and tumble down
towards tn, big hcl, IN the center.
Mr. Thompson WAS plunged into the
water about In the middle OF the dense
mass OF struggling people. and alter GO
Ing down, 1t seemed to the bottom OF the
ocean. he began to rise. and finally came
to the surface. After clearing his eyes ne
looked around to see what chances he had
fer getting out OF the hole, hut the idea
OF escape looked hopeless. On the sides
were nothing but smooth planks. with
M chance whatever to sesze any thing
fer support, and all around, packed in
like srrdines were men women and chill
drsn struggling, crying and doing every
thing possible to get out of the awful
mace. The space was SO small, helng
only 10 feet wide by 40 long that all the
people could not stay on tho top Ennd
those underneath were fighting and pull
ing those above them, In an endeavor to
get above the surface
Mr.. Thompson took In the situation nt
glance. he sew that four of the beams
that supported the slip had broken and
the 9th lad been torn apart where it had
been splicei ana that penned in as they
were on two sides by the broken slip, and
others by the steamer and the wharf that
he had few chances OF getting out alive.
/ He lad hardly reached the surface be-
Tore someone hit his straw hat pushing
It down over his eyes. This he tore off
and then he instinctively began to tread
WATER
Suddenly someone from above pushed
a settee down 10 him aud he climbed up
the lack of this. He had been here but
a moment, however before the back gave
| way, probably from someone grabbing
hold, and MIR. Thompson was again
thrown Into the water. This time he
did not go down SO far, and soon came
again to thu surface. and again began to
tread water. When no went down the
second time he gave up all hope OF rescue
ard even when he came to the top again
he believed that he was never to get out
alive. A minute later rope thrown
from the steamer fell in front of him and
he grabbed and clung to. There was
| young girl near him, and he managed to
get hold Of her, and pull her to the rope
and both were drawn 10 the steamer,
huisted from the water and pulled on
| board by those OH the deck. Here some
one picked him up and carried him TO
the cabin, where he was given hot drinks,
etc., and finally was able to get around.
Mr. Thompson says that fer minute
| after the crash came no one appeared to
move to help then, probably Eeing stu
piled by the accident, but when they be-
gan action they worked like good ones.
Plankss boards, ropes, etc., were thrown
to them, and afterwards life prsservers
from the steamers. and people were yanked
from the hole with surprising rapidity.
The railroad men did all that was posi-.
BILE to rescue tho drowning. and relieve
the distress. There was considerable
noise, aud crying, but 1t appeared to
thoss who were in the pit to be mostly on
the wharf, Those In the water were un.
usually calm, and it can be said with the
greatest credit to the victims Of the disag-
ter, that they acted nobly. The men
especially did all in their power to save
tho lives Of the women, and many men
were drowned In their efforts.
The people at the Bluffs hotel. also did
all in their power to help the unfortu-
mates. Guests gave MP their rooms, and
loaned and eayo their dry clothing TO
those who had been in tho water. The
chef of tho hotel gayo up his dinner and
went to work making hot drinks of
coffee, pepper tea, ginger, eto, aud to him,
and TO tho guests at the hotsl, the cav
rg of great many lives may be- Gccred-
tied. The water was intensely cold and
everybody suffered from chslls when they
were taken out. and had it NOT been for
tho hot drake, the warm beds and the
splendid attention at the hotel. the death
list would haso been much larger.
Mr.. swEETsIR's BODY BROUGHT
HOME.