The Portland daily press., 1900-12-06
high AND DRY.
Schooner Ashore at
Higgins Beach.
Fannie and Edith Of Belfast a fetal
Loss.
Crew of Four Men
Saved Themselves.
Their Escape From Death AL
most Miraculous.


DESERT went ashore at midnight on Tues
day In what is known as Thunder cove,
Higgins Beach. She will never fioat
again and will be q total loss. save for
what material is obtained from her.
When she went ashore there were four
men on board and when daylight came
and the tide had set the schooner mp
against tae bluff as though she were care
fully rlacNd there by skiltul helmsman
they simply stuck a plank out over the
rail on to the rocks and walked ashore
without as much as getting their feet
wet. 1t was miracle that these men
ever got ashore alive considering the
terrific see which was running Tuesday
night.
This schooner Is OF about one hundred
tons and was built In Belfast in 1871. Her
captain, Howard Mayo, whose home is In
West Eden, is q quarter owner OF the yes
sci and Fernald Brothers of Mt. Desert.
owns the rest OF her. They bought the
schooner two years ago and paid about
5000 far her. She was not insured. Be-
sides Captain Mayo the other men on
board were David b. Dodge, mate, OF
East Boston, John L. Freeman, cook OF
Mt. Desert, and Clifford Norwood, sea-
man OF West Eden. The schooner has
been engaged In the coasting trade. She
was ON her way from Boston to Bangor
to load lumber for Newport, II. l., when
It began to blow some from the northeast
and the Indications were that there would
be storm. 1t was about half past three
O'Clock when Captain Mayo gave up all
hope of running into Portland and
dropped anchor behind Richmond's s
island. AS darkness came on the wind
Increased in force and at eight O'Clock 1t
was blowing a gale and snow and sleet
was falling in binding sheets. The sea
began to get up to formidable proportions
and Captain Mayo to be on the safe side
let got a second and lighter anchor and
alFo keelIck attached to calls, The
wind continued to increase and at halt
past eleven o'clock the chain OF the best
bower parted. The schooner swung
around towards the rocks of the Cape and
began to drag her remaining anchor and
the keeliok. Captain Mayo saw that the
vessel was bound to 60 ashore aud 50
slipped the smaller chain and cable ana
got q lIttls head sail on the schooner. 1t
was imposslbls to beat out to sea with
the wind which was blowing, and the
only chance for the men OF the Fannie and
Edith was to run before the storm ana
try and pile up the schooner on some
beach where they could have chance of
getting ashore.
THIS was a slim chance indeed and the
short time which elapsed from the slip
ping of the cable off Richmond's ifland
and the striking OF the schooner were
anxious moments for these men.
Mate Freeman had the wheel and with
bit of the jib set headed the schooner
away toward the southwest. She ran be-
fore the gale like race horse and at
about midnight the men could hear the
roar of breakers. and sse the white foam
the big waves made as they went to
pieces on the lodges OF Higgins Beach.
Freeman held the schooner mp to what
he believed to be a strip of beach and the
next moment the schooner struck on a
ledge far out from shore. She pounded
on this two or three times and then a big
wave came and carried her over it. Then
she went on toward the shore with the
big waves driving her towards the rocks
at terrific speed. The men thought that
they hal slim chances of getting on terra
firma again, but stuck to the vessel, A
big roller came up under the quarter and
carried away two boats, smashing them
into kindllng wood. Then the schooner
struck again, this time on the rocks well
in towards the shore. One wave boarded
her and swept all that was not fastened
down clear ,of the decks, but no other
waves came on board. Capt. Mayo and.
his men soon saw that the schooner was
all right for the time being and these cool
headed men began to strip the schooner
OF her sails and such gear as they could
get at. They worked calmly on until day
break when the incoming tide and the
big waves lifted the Fannie and Edith
onoe more and carried her In alongside
steep bluff Of rocks which is perhaps
twelve feet above the beach. Here the
schooner lies, her head to the wind and
almost on an even keel. The crew showed
a plank out over the rail, when the tide
had snuggled the vessel up to the rocks
as far as possible, and walked ashore
without even wetting their feet. They
were taken into the houss of MIR. Beck
who liyss at the beach and comfortably
cared for.
The schooner left her keel and the
greater part of her bottom on the other
Iadoa vyhera aha frat skruek Had she re-
mained on this ledge few Of these men
would have been alive to have told the
story yesterday. But the schooner was