The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1902-10-02
TWO STEAMBOAT ACCIDENTS
The City of Rangor Goes Ashore on Monhe.
gan and the Catherine Loses her Propel.
Ipr


steamers in Penobscot Bay. The City of
Bangor, Capt. Howard Arey, bound from
Boston, struck on Monhegan about go
O'Clock a. m. The fog was very thick and
the steamer was slowed down, searching
Tor Monhegan. She was barely moving,
and ran upon a smooth rock off the south
eastern end of the island. Capt. Arey said
OF the accident:
The course of the steamers is from
Ihatcher's Island S3 miles to Monhegan. l
found that in the dense fog when we had
arrived as | thought at the bell buoy at
Monhegan, close in shore, that l could not
hear it. did hear the fog signal at Mana
ma Island, opposite Monhegan on the star
board side, but later it appeared to come on
our port side. The log showed 81 miles
There were two more miles to run accord
ing to the course We were going about II
miles an hour. Then came the collision
with the ledges on Monhegan Doubtless
we had overrun our course two miles. The
fog was dense.
Captain Arey was very much affected
when the vessel stranded and passengers
said he broke down and wept In eight
years the steamer had not met with an acci-
dent. When the steamer struck the watch
man went around to notify those not distur-
bed by the jar to get up and dress. He
made a second call on two Belfast young
ladies, saying that they We're the coolest
and calmest people he had seen and he
wanted them to come out and quiet some of
the others. There were 125 persons on
board, and considering the darkness that
surrounded them, and their hastily given
summons from sleep, the behavior of the
the men and women was remarkable.
Not knowing how seriously the steamer
might have been damaged it was decided to
land the passengers on Monhegan. A ladder
was rigged alongside andCapt. G. d. Pendlc-
ton of 1slesboro and some nine or ten others
landed. When the steamer tloated they
We're LETT on the island, where they found ac-
commodationS, and started next day for
Rockland in life boat. A few miles out
they were taken aboard a lobster smack and
landed at Spruce Head, where they took the
steamerMerryconeag for Rock land, arriving
there Sunday night.
The tide was rising and the steamer was
soon backed off and headed for Rockland
going at full speed, with the pumps vigor-
ously at work. Fortunately the sea was
smooth. The water continued to gain,
however, and at Is o'clock was nearing the
fires. The steamer was then nearly OFT
Lobster Cove, a sandy crescent beach near
Spruce Head, and here the steamer was
So fely beached despite the dense fog
Word was at once seat from Spruce Head
to Rockland, and the steamers Katherine
and Mt. Desert went at once to the scene Of
disaster. Passengers and freight were
transferred to the Mount Desert, which
steamed back to kockland while the Cath
crime was loaded with freight The Merry
conea9 was also soon on the scene. making
two trips with freight, which was stored
in the sheds Of the company at Rock land
At Rockland the up-river passengers and
baggage we're transferred to the steamer
Catherine, which made her landing at
Camden and arrived here about $50 p. M
Sunday. When the engine was started
back at the wharf i'll Belfast the propeller
came off the shaft and sank in the channel
Mr.. f. W. Pote. the Belfast agent, made ar
, rangements for caring for the up-river pas
seugers at the Revere and Windsor hotels
until the City Of Rock land arrived Monday
| forenoon. Capt. Crockett of the Catherine
began graphing for his propeller at once and
soon got a rope attached to it. The steamer
was heached. and the wheel was replaced
at low tide Monday, and she left for her
regular work on the Rockland and Bluehill
line as soon as She floated in the evening
The City of Rockland left Boston Sunday
afternoon and arrived here Monday fore
noon. She brought to Rockland the wreck
| ing pumps, divers, etc, necessary to float
on the route, leaving Belfast for Boston
early Monday evening
| |. NJ. Cottrell left at 1l.50 Sunday fore
noon in response to a call for a diver. He
was accompanied by Chas. w. Lancaster
and Frank Davis, as assistants. They
drove to Camden with pair of horses, tax
ing Mr.. Cottrelfs diving apparatus with
them They made close connection with
the electrcs at Camden and found the tug
/ Ralph Ross waiting for them at Rock land
They arrived at the steamer about 1901 m.
Mr.. Cottrell says the City of Bangor lay
| easily on a smooth beach on nearly even
keel. Her crew had partially patched some
of the holes in her bottom, and he went
down and examined such portions of her
| hull as We're not exposed at low water. He
| found one place on the port side, 20 feet
long, where the planking was worn nearly
or wholly through, and another place 25 feet
long where the planking was badly chafed
Mr.. Cottrell patched the holes, and the
steamer was pumped out by using the Ralph
| Ross wrecking pump. She tioated about 9
O'Clock Sunday night and was towed to
Rockland Monday morning, using partly
her own power, and keeping herself free
with her own pumps. Divers arrived Mon
day from Boston on the City of Rockland
and put on more durable patches for the
trip to Boston, where the Bangor will be
thoroughly overhauled. Mr.. Cottrell came
home Monday night.
The steamer kennebec, Capt. Barr, of the
Monday. She arrived here Tuesday at i 1 80
a. m, and returned that night. She is of
1850 tons. or 236 tons larger than the Penob-
scot.
The Belfast passengers were n F Hous-
ton, Mrs II. B. Cunningham, Miss Dora
NJ Casey, Miss Maud +. Ellis, and Miss
Louise II. Ferguson.
Belfast Weather Report.