The Republican journal., 1903-11-12
Stra nge Ship Disasters.
ire d Shipmasters Recall Remarkable In
cidents.

Aed in her home port a stones
: from the wharf, says a Bangor
,pondent of the New York Trib-
The queer accidents and disas-
hat have happened to Maine yes,
would fill a volume, and many of
stories would not be believed by
men. Two old retired shipmasters
talking in a Bangor ship chand-
lie other day about peculiar disas-
at sea, and one of them recalled
vsterious wrecking years ago of a
schooner called the Active, down
.gemoggin Reach.
vas in the fall of the year, and
Active was going through
her narrow channel between two
lis. She carried only two men-
naster, Captain Ray, and his six
, ear-old-son. When last seen un-
all the Active was all right, the
teering and his father below-tak-
nap, as it afterward turned out.
day the Active was found high
dry on the rocks with her stern
E in, the master drowned in his
and the boy dead at the wheel
a bullet hole in his head. This
very caused a great sensation, and
ere appeared to be no motive for
nae to murder the boy, and as it
.uown that the shot must have
red by third person, the whole
vas MYSTERY, and remained thus
trs, when man living in anoth-
,te confessed on his deathbed that
ne who fired the shot that killed
msman of the Active. The man
ut he had fired at a hawk, which
cling low, and did not see the
rr. which suddenly came into
owing to an intervening clump
lies. Then he was Mortified to see
at the schooner's wheel throw
lands and fall to the deck, while
fooner preached to and was driv-
lore by the wind and tide. The
IT. who was after gulls and ducks,
thout waiting to Investigate the
ot his unfortunate shot, fearing
{ he reported the matter to the
rites he might, although inno-
Nf any criminal intent, be i'm
ii.
-r are on record instances of yes
ing been wrecked or run down
son of their helmsmen being
orinsane. and one Maine schoon-
cut down by a steamer because
An at the wheel was deaf and
not hear the steamers whistle
The Rockport brig Maria W.
I'D had a narrow escape from
Vi some years ago, off the coast
1rgia. under strange circum-
The brig was running along
Easy sail one moonlight night,
steamer was coming up astern.
the steamer got too close for
lt a torch was burned over the
stern, but the man at the steam
eel paid no attention to it, hold
his course. which would take
Lht through the brig. Finally a
~houting 10y the briggs people, and
.ag of gun, awoke the steamer rs
nan. and he put her helm hard
Iqst in time to escape crash.
d the steamer had come close up
observed that the man steering
mglng over the wheel as though
sleep. When asked why he did
l-ep off, he growled:
lat do you want? All the room
Is? Here you've been yawing all
nl for an hour, and me trying to
- vou,"
-6 the briggs people knew that he
zen asleep. 1t was found that the
nan was not the only man asleep
- steamer. Most of her people
0-eu taken down with the fever,
he others. from standing double
rs, had become worn out from
sleep.
a the three-masted schooner Ed
If. Blake of Bangor was Brand
was run down by the steamer
te under circumstances that have
seen explained. The Blake was
from Bangor to New York with
ma was off Monhegan Island IN
daylight, with the weather clear,
dong came the Olivette, then the
NltdlllCl III II NotSlos teAANt
-d her stern off as neatly as II 1T
leen done with all axe. The
r., crew left her, and the captain
10 Bangor, hired tug and went
2 for the wreck of his vessel.
VAS found drifting on her beam
With part of her cargo washed out
open stern. She was toWed up
rer and beached, and bulkhead
Int in, after which she was towed
Mgor and hauled out on the rail
where a new stern was built on
The steamers owners paid for
lanage, but no one has ever been
to explain how the Olivette came
uu over the Edward H. Blake in
I'd daylight. The schooner is still
& and in first rate condition.
ID sailors say that the collision be-
III the schooner Hannah F. Garlic
and one of the Boston and Savan-
steamers, off Cape Cod, was the
Agest disaster of the kind that ever
pened, and they doubt if ever an
II such will occur. The Carleton, a
-masted schooner of 1s9 tons, then
lug from Jonesport, Me-, was pass
n by Cape Cod on a clear moon.
night, coal laden, for Boston, and
tain Falkingham was on the quar-
X. A steamer was observed com:
up astern, but no attention was paid
ei at first, everything being perfect
lear for miles around. Captain
BAgham looked astern every little
r. and presently became nervous,
'Le steamer was coming right fol
-clooner, and without altering hel
use would hit the Carleton fair In
fern in a few minutes.
len the steamer got up little clos
aptain Falkingham began to shout
rf people, telling them to keel
U.s. The men in the steamers pilot
e we're plainly visible, as was also
bow lookout, but they seemed not
ee the schooner.
apt. Falkingham's shouting awokt
lands on the schooner, and the meI
IL tumhIinp on deck. They al