Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-05-16
LIVING SEA ANCHOR.
Thrilling Tale of Why Schooner Stood
Still in Gale.

| He was in an exultant mood when he
entered the Ship News office and an
nounced to the assembled gatherers of
marine intelligence that he had rat
Ting good sea story to import. mo
! he continued, as he searched pockets
| for the notes that he wanted, this is
no dream about scows losing figure
heads, nothing about the Cunard line
disseminating its block signal system;
this is real, way back, salty tale of
| the briny. And every word of it is
true. No. take notes all of you that
want the story
Thus admonished, many pencils were
brought at attention This is the way
in which it was unfurled:
The Baker, of the United Fruit Com
pany's service, steamed in from ia
maica today. She is now tethered at
pier No. l. North river If you don't
believe it, go over there and take look
at her. Captain Oertel was telling
me just now that when he was near
ing Jamaica, on his outward trip, he
saw Il thrcemasted schOoner-all sail
set and gale blowing, but the schoon
eT stood stock still as if she were fast
on 4 shoal.
The captain was one deck and wind
ing his starboard watch at the time,
and he saw that she was making
Signals-'Wish to COMMUNICATIONS
NJ n etc oh
tereI. AS she drew near boat put off
from the motionless schooner. In it
were three men. one of whom was the
captain. He climbed on board and
said that sawfish had rammed the
side of the schooner below the water
line. and that the saw OF the monster
had gone clean through one side and
had come out on the other. Having
struck the schooner at right angles, the
weight of the monster acted as a sort
of sea anchor and the impaled craft
could make nc Roadway.
1.-THE captain-I mean the schooner
captain-Went on to say that he had
been drifting that way for two days.
The body Of the fish was about forty
feet long, not counting the saw, which
was almost at long again, and the cap
tain had been at loss to know what
to do until Chips-that's the captain
said that if some one would tend a
bowline-he would dive down with a
saw and saw off the sawfish if he could
saw mean. see it. Seems that he
was at the job two hours. coming up
every now and then for breath of
fresh air. He reported that he was
getting along all right, but before he
could complete the job he broke the
saw. There were no more saws on
board and what the perpleXed captain
now wanted to know was whether the
steamer had any that she could lend.
The captain went on to say that with
this fifty foot fish hanging to the
side"
Fifty foot? Why you said forty
foot just noW!" interpolated the re-
portnrs.
ooh, we'll; what's few feet of fish
between friends? What I was going
to say when you interrupted with
your captiousness was that a saw was
parted. The steamer went on to ia
maica, and was taking on a load Of
bananas when who should sail in but
tain came on board to return the saw
and he said that the carpenter had
finally managed to saw off the fish. but |
the vessel had been so strained by the
struggles of the monster that a leak |
had been sprung and it had been found |
necessary to go back to port in order |
to get into dry dock"
whats the name of the schooner"
inquired Tide Table Sam. as he |
reached for the Maritime Register.
"Oh. I forgot to give you that. Her |
name is. cr, lcmme see; oh. yes, l have |
it, ii is the AMMO o.. of ProvincctOwn." |
81 don't find" said Tide Water "any |
schooner of tn" name of Annie 0. Isn't |
there any
ooh. any old schooner. What's in a !
name? | never saw such captiouS |
folks Looks to me as if you doubted |
the story. It's true every word Of it, |
If you don't believe it. here is the
latitude and longitude where it hap |
pened, and if you doubt me go down |
thccr and see for yourselves
Instead the reporters drew on their |
ovcrcoatS and went out to see whether |
the Sunday closing law was being en-
York Herald.