Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-01-13
Barkentine Altoona at Last
Abandoned by Crew.
Men Leave in Boats captain
Stands by the Graft.
Taken Off Later by Lifesayers-.-AII Hands
Safely Reach Shore.

Chatham, Mass, Jan. 12.-AbandOD-
ed by her crew the British barkenline
Altoona WAS lying in midchannel mile
and a half west OF Pollock Rip light
ship Friday forenoon well filled with
water and apparently almost ready to
sink. The crew are at the AIonomoy
Point life saving station having come
ashore early Friday.
The Altona going too far in during
a heavy mist Wednesday night y.enl
ashore on Shovclful shoal Eearly
Thursday morning she was lighted by
Capt. Kelley and the Monomoy life
saving crew started 10 assist The crew
TO pull her afloat but their efforts were
unavailing. Later III TIN. day he tui;
Gypsum King. which was ra~sing on
her way to New l'uri. Win Il tow.
made BRIEF stop and sulrtcCrd ia
drawing the bar: cntine of III" shoal
The tug was asked To take the barken-
tine in tow for New York. but her cap
tain refused fearing The barIlentine
would sink on the Wa". The barkeutine
then threw out her anchor. There We're
about four feet of water in the hold of
the vessel at that time
The crew kept hard AT work at the
pumps, bat at nightfall the water had
gained another fopt. Despite this fact,
however. and although the members Of
the crew were considerably worn out
from their hard work at the pumps.
Capt. II. II. Card ordered the anchor
up and announced his intention Of at
tempting 10 work his way up over the
shoals and to reach st. John. n. B.,
niS destination Dacirin,r 10 4
against possible diseaster. however.
Cant. Card arranged with the Mono
lnoy Point life savers to keep a sharp
lookout fer signals that aid was need
ed.
At 1890 o'clock Thursday night, the
surfmen discovered a distress signal,
the red fire evidently being burned on
he barllentine, which then had pro-
ceeded about four miles. The life saw
and started on their long row. The sea
was smooth. When they finally reach
cd the vicinity of the barkentine, they
found that her crew, numbering ten
men. had abandoned the vessel and had
loaded their boats with their dunnage
capt. Card. however, w2S still on the
vessel. The water had gained so rapid
~ in The hold of the Altoona that the
exhausted crew had despaired OF being
able 10 keep the vessel afioat. Seeing
that he could Go nothing more Capt.
Card entered one of the boats and all
came ashore landing at the Monomoy
Point station ut about A. NJ.
When daylight came it was seen that
the Altoona was just anoa., well down
BY the head and likely TO sink al any
moment. Capt. Card and so,uI Il n;S
men went out to her Eriday fol5.7ao.!
but it was evident that thrv coris 5a
nothing to save the vessel. .As -,r.. ,5y
in mid channel she was sure Il >. o!..n
4 menace to navigation when she sant;
as 1t seemed cer,ain she must before
many hours.
The Altoona was bound from EIiza-
bethrort. n. j.. for st John, ". T.
with $50 tons of coal. She is owned in
Windsor. y. s.. and registers 491 tons
net. She is l49 feet long, 81 feet wide
ana l. feet deep. Ehe was built at
farrsboro. n. s., in 1890.
During the morning attention was
again attracted (" the Athena by siens
of fire on board. The flames gathered
Roadway ana il soon became evident
thai the vessel was doomed Cant
Card WAS unable t. account for ,ha
blaze. Everything on board was all
right WHEN he left. he said. and some
passing ship must have set her on fire
thinking she was 4 menace 10 nayip,-
ton.