Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1899-08-10

and Boys Lessen the Loss by the
Disaster.
Bar Harbor, Me-, Aug. 6-The slip at
Mount Desert Ferry, which connects
the Maine Central railway with Bar
Harbor, when filled with a great crowd
of excursionists, broke suddenly this
morning and precipitated over 200
people into the deep water below the
pier head. At a late hour tonight
twenty bodies had been recovered.
and the hotels are caring for fifty or
more Of the injured.
The accident is the most appalling
and grewsome that has occurred in
the state of Maine in many years.
The list of the dead is as follows:
Mrs. A. P. Cakes of Bangor, Me.
Clifford Cushman Of Corinth. Me.
Melvin MCord Of Corinth, Me.
Miss Elizabeth Ward Of Bangor.
Miss Grace Sumner of Bangor.
Ora NJ. Lark of Danforth, Me.
Mr.. G. H. Bennett Of Brewer, Me.
Mrs. G. H. Bennett of Brewer, Me.
Mrs. Charles Slower of Ellsworth
Me.
F. E. Sweetser of Portland, Me-
Mrs. Hollis Estes of Ellsworth, Me
Joseph Murphy of Oldtown, Me.
Albert COlson of Levan, Me.
Irving Bridges of North Hancock
Me-
Mrs. Billings Of Bangor, Me.
Mrs. John 0. Donohue of Bangor
Me.
Mrs. DerWent Of Bangor, Me.
Miss Louise Bartlett Of Bangor, Me
Mrs. William Murray of Brewer, Me
Charles w. DOer of Ellsworth, Me-
The arrival Of the big warships OF
the North Atlantic squadron and the
celebration which always attends their
visit, is of the most enthusiastic in
terest 10 every one within a hundred
miles Of Bar Harbor, and when they
came a dozen excursions were ar
ranged to bring the great crowds from
the interior and up-country districts tc
view the big sea fighters.
The mass Of humanity began to f1ocn
into town yesterday, and continued
until an early hour this morning
Elaborate preparations had been made
to welcome the fleet, and every build
ing was decorated with streamers O.
natiOnel cOlOrs, enframing patriotic
pictures of the popular heroes, includ-
ing Dewey, Sampson, Schley, and Nc
Kindly. The summer residents en-
Enthusiastically rose to the occasion
and the cottages are all bedecked with
the stars and stripes.
The excitement began this morning
with the first boat load of people
which came across quite early. The
Maine Central railway had arranged g
big series of monster excursions, anC
the total number Of persons who came
reached close to 5000. Most of the
visitors were from Bangor and the
many small towns that line the cas-,
division. The regular train which
leaves Bangor at 1925 O'Clock, started
out with over 1000 people aboard
after being delayed fifteen minutes a.
the various points along the road
hundreds Of other excurs1onfsts, who
never come out of the woods except
on such an occasion as the visit OF
Uncle Sans sea guardians, were
picked up, so that the train pulled by
two engines and numbering ten pas
senger coaches was soon running a1ong
with scores Of people hanging from the
steps, crowding the platforms, anG
packed tightly in the aisles.
The terminus of the Maine Centra
is the Mount Desert ferry, and a line
Of steamboats, connects with Bar
Harbor, which is distant about eight
miles. When the train, Which was
the first of the four excursions over
this road, reached the wharf, it was
learned that the Sapho, the larger OF
the steamers which had been sent to
carry the people to Bar Harbor, could
accommodate only about one-third OF
the entire number. This news spread
rapidly through the train, and the
many who wished to cross with the
first started on run for the slip.
The Sapfo lay at the foot of the first
slip, under the trainshed, and within
hundred feet of the train.
The slip, which is about thirty feet
long and ten feet wide, is built of
hickory beams, three inches thick and
foot deep. Covering this is a plank
ing of one-inch pine boards, and, as
final support, are three one-inch iron
girders running the entire length. A
narrow gangplank connects with the
boat
The officials at the ferry realized
that the crush at the landing was
taken to prevent the crowd from COL
lecting in too great numbers in the
slip, for fear that it might possibly be
unable to bear the strain. Although
there were four men at the entrance
to the slip, endeavoring to keep the
people orderly and make them go slow
ly and in moderate numbers down the
gangplank, the efforts were unavailing.
With great shouting and laughing the
thousand excursionists piled out of the