The Republican journal., 1903-02-12
WAR ON PENOBsCoT BAY.
Rival Boats Running on the BuckspOrt.
Belfast and Camden Route.

Rival Boats Running on the BuckspOrt.
Belfast and Camden Route.
Monday saw the beginning of steamer
war on PenobscOt Bay. In the spling of
1897 Capt. w. D. Bennett and Daniel W.
Kerst bought the little steamer NJ. & NJ. and
placed her on the route between Bucksport
and Camden, touching at Belfast each way.
With Capt. Bennett in the wheel house and
Mr. Kerst in the engine room the boat made
regular trips and soon built up profitable
business. A few years ago the NJ. & NJ.
was cut it two and some twenty feet put in
amidships, adding greatly to her capacity
and weatherly qualities. She rarely missed
a trip on account of the weather, and often
was crowded with passengers Then her
owners bought the old steamboat wharf at
Bucksport and rebuilt it at a cost of several
thousand dollars. Last summer, to meet
the still increasing demand of the business,
Messrs. Bennett and Kerst bought the Mer-
ryconeag of Capt Archibald, turning over
to him the NJ. & NJ. The Merryconeag had
run on the Portland and Rockland route
and was we'll adapted for her new business.
Soon after she began running Capt. Ben
nett proposed extending the route to include
Castine, and this was done, despite the pro-
tests of his partner The boat failed to make
the time expected, which it is said brought
about the trouble. Capt. Bennett claimed
that the boat if properly handled in the
engine-room could make the trip all right on
time, while the engineer claimed that she
ri foSt pnUht N
Finally on Saturday night, Jan. 3, Capt.
Bennett informed his partner that the boat
would not leave the dock again until he
bought or sold. In the meanwhile Capt.
Bennett, who owned part of the steamer
Golden Rod had withdrawn her from a
down-the-bay route and fitted her up for the
Merrryconeag' route; so that on the follow
ing Monday morning she was ready to take
the route, while the Merryconeag was tied
up, with an engineer but no captain
Mr.. Kerst Immediately consulted counsel
and brought suit against Capt. Bennett in
the United States district court in Portland
for possession of the steamer. The case
was heard before Judge Hale, who awarded
the boat to Kerst with bonds for her safe re-
turn at the end of certain time Mean
while Capt. Bennett was running the
Golden Rod over the route, including Cas-
tine, and he was recently awarded a con-
tract to carry the mails between Belfast and
Castine at $1,000 per annum.
Last week Mr.. Kerst announced the Merry
coneag, which had been tied up at her wharf
in Bucksport for five weeks, would resume
her daily route to Belfast and Camden under
command of Capt. Geo II. Barbour of Brew
er, Feb 9th, Omitting the Castine landing.
This announcement was followed by an ad-
vertisement from Capt. Bennett, offering
sreduced fares and stating that beginning
on Monday the Golden Rod would omit the
Castine landing. This brings the two boats
in direct competition. The Merryconeag is
a larger and faster boat than the Golden
Rod. but it is said Capt. Bennett has fast
er boat in view. Should he make change,
MI Kerst thinks he can get boat which
will make the best time ever logged between
the two ports.
Just which is the official boat is a matter
which is hard to decide. The Maine Cen
tral some two weeks ago severed connection
with either boat, and no coupon tickets are
now sold The Golden Rod will continue
to leave the Bennett & kerSt wharf at
Bucksport, and Mr.. kerst has secured
landing privilege at Central wharf.
On Monday last the Merryconeag arrived
here at 9.45 A. Nj. in command of Capt Geo.
II. Barbour, with Mr.. kerst in charge OF
the engine room The Golden Rod, in COM
mand of Capt VIM. d. Bennett, arrived Is
minutes later. She came directly from
Bucksport, omitting Castine. as did the
other boat The lower berth at the wharf
was occupied by a large schooner and the
Golden Rod discharged her passengers, bag
gage and freight across the decks of the
Merryconeag. The business of both boats
Monday, in passengers and freight, was
small The boats remained until the al
rival of the passenger train at 1O.5, which
brought but few connecting passengers
The Golden Rod left the wharf little in
advance of her rival, but the latter passed
her off the Battery. On the afternoon trip
up the bay the Merryconeag arrived here
nearly half an hour ahead of the Golden
Rod.
Capt Bennett has abandoned the landing
at Castine for the present, and is undecided
whether or not to resume it and start the
mail route.
OF course at this season business is light,
hardly enough to pay the running expenses
of one boat. The friends of both parties
had hoped that a compromise might be
reached that would avert the present ruin
GUS competition, but the indications now
are that the contest will be continued to the
bitter end.
SECRET SOCIETIES.