The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1899-08-10
a Crowd Of ExcursiOnists Plunged
Into the Water at a Ferry
Dcck at Mt. Desert.
TWENTY DEAD BODIES RECOVERED.
IL is Estimated That the List Of Dead
Will Foot Up TO the Number Of
Thirty or More.
The Victims ere About to Take the Ferry
at Mount Desert, Near Tar Barbor.
Me-, ON Their " ny to Sec the
Assemblage OF Warships.

!
full examination by divers in the Vi
clnity of the Mount Desert ferry slip,
the scene of the terrible accident Sun
day, and investigation on shore by the
officials of the Maine Central railway
and others, seem to indicate that the
20 victims reported are all who per-
ished as a result of the catastrophe. A
Mr.. Southard, of Bangor, who was Sc
riousiy injured, is not likely to recover,
and two other persons arc suffering
from pneumonia. The others who
were hurt sunday were reported Mon
day as being in favorable condition.
BAR IIALBoR Me-. Aug. S.-While a
crowd of cXcursionists were on the
way 10 see the warships, slip leading
from the dock 10 the boat at Mount
Desert ferry broke. precipitatiIg more
than 100 into the water. Twenty bod
les have been recovered. and it is esti-
mated that the dead will number 80 or
more.
Among the bodies identified are
those of Mrs. William Murray. OF
Brewer; Irving Bridges, of West
Hancock; Albert Colson, of Le-
want; Mrs. Alonzo Oakes. of Ban
gor; Joseph Murphy, of Old Town;
Mrs. Hollis Estey. of Ellsworth;
Clifford Cushman, of Corinth;
Nell. McCord, of Corinth; Miss Lizzie
Wood. of Bangor; Charles w. Downes,
of Ellsworth; I. /, Sweetzer, travel
ing salesman, Portland; Ora VI. Lank,
panforth; G. Il. Bennett, brewer, and
Mrs. Marjorie Moore, of California.
The Maine Central railroad Sunday
ran excursions TO Bar IIarbor from all
sections of its line in Maine, the at
traction being the war ships which
were expected Sunday. All the morn
ing long trains packed with excursion
lists were rushing to Bar Harbof. The
train which left Bangor at s:25 con-
sisted Of ~ cars jammed with people.
At Mount Desert ferry, the terminus
of the line, the train is left for the
boat for an eight milo sail to Bar lIar-
Dor. From the wharf a slip or gang
plank 40 feet long and 10 feet wide led
up to the boat. The slip was hinged
at the inner end, was raised or lowered
to suit the tide.
The wharf extends on both sides OF
the lush with the end Of the wooden
gang plank. Five timbcrs, by II
inches, set vertically, ran the length
of the plank and these were crossed
by two inch planking. 1t is said that
there was no support for the plank be-
tween the hinges at the outer end.
When the excursion train from Ban
gor arrived at the ferry there was
rush for the steamer Sapphet. 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 supporting the plank broke in
the middle. The hinges held up one
end and the chain the other, while the
broken end of the plank dropped, and
a struggling. screaming mass of hui
manity was plunged into the water, 10
feet below the wharf. A few chung to
the inclined sides of the plank, but at
least l5o wer, struggling in the water.
The piling of the wharf partially
nenncd them in on three sides and the
boat at the wharf closed the suter end
of the opening.