Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-09-09
THE DEER ISLE DISASTER.


Materially from First Version.
The sunken sloop Linnie Dell, from
which seven summer visitors at Sunset,
Deer Isle, were drowned Tuesday OF last
week, was located Monday in about fifty
feet of water, 200 feet from Sioop
island ledge. None Of the bodies has been
vicinity OF the sunken craft.
Later stories OF the disaster differ
materially from those arst sent out. The
party left Sunset at 8 o'clock in Capt.
Samuel Haskell's sloop Linnie Dell, q
thirty-five foot boat, built on the ''lobster"
model, and having house which ex-
tended from the heel OF the mast to aft of
midships. There was also a comfortable
cockpit. She was q staunch and we'll
found craft, had a thousand pounds of
lead on her keel, and q gasoline engine
placed aft in such way as to act as addi-
fional ballast.
When we'll out into the bay the wind
freshened up to degree which made .
reef necessary, Afterwards it moderated,
and the reefs were shakenout again.
At 12.10 o'clock, as nearly as can be es-
timated, for that is the hour that Capt.
Haskell's watch stopped, the Linnie Dell
was between Oak island and Sloop island,
pointed in. for Webster Head, on North
Haven, being at the time probably not
more than 400 feet of Oak island.
Capt. Haskell threw his helm down, to
tack, and she came into stays, losing her
momentum. At the same time she jounced
up on the top OF big wave, leaving prac-
tically nothing under her, and at this m o.
ment high squall, which did not ruffle
the surface of the water, came rushing
along, hit her square abeam, and over she
went.
Capt. Haskell, Prof. Crawley, Mr.. Hut.
chins, Miss Evans and Mrs. Crawley were
sitting aft, and Mr.. Evans and the other
ladies were on top OF the cabin, well for
ward. When the sloop went over she
lifted her port rail and side clear, and
onto this the entire party scrambled, Capt.
Haskell shouting to Prof. Crawley to cut
the tender loose. The small boat, how
ever, was half filled with water, owing to
the heavy seas which she had been diving
| through.
Two OF the ladies W o had been sitting
aft were got into the little boat, and set al
once to battling it with their hats, while
the three men chung to the sides as best
they could. But this operation had
scarcely begun when great wave turned
the tender over, setting all adrift once
more. 1t was then that Mr.. Evans, from
his position near the prov, shook himself
loose from his terrified Companions and
dived for his sister struggling in the water
The dive was unsuccessful, and when he
rose the sloop herself had taken her last
plunge, going down stern first on account
Of the motors weight. 1t was then q
question of four men with an overturned
boat in a rough sea.
The tender was badly over-weighted
and Mr.. Hutchins being a strong swimmer
said that he was going to try and make
the shore of Oak island, about $50 yards
away. Ordinarily it would be an easy
swim for him, but Capt. Haskell knew
VIII 1t it meant to head into q wind and sea
Is heavy as that running. and tried te
dissuade him. Nevertheless, Mr.. Hutch
ms stripped of his coat, loosened his griE
on the small boat, and struck out brAvely
for shore which he never reached.
Clinging as best they could to the ever
turned boat, Capt. Haskell, Prof. Crawley
and Mr.. Evans drifted OF straight to lee
ward, towards Sloop island. They barely
done so had not Capt. Haskell made sort
of rndder of his body, and by constant
kicking, managed to steer her q little.
When they reached the island, all three
were entirely spent, and lay nat on the
beach for a few minutes. Then Capt
Haskell got the tender up, turned hel
over, and started to row to Eagle island,
something over q mile way, for help.
The row to Eagle island took the last OF
Capt. Haskell's strength, and he had to be
cared for there while others with motor
boat put back to Sloop island as speedily
as possible. There Mr.. Evans and Prof.
Crawley were found in bad shape working
over the inanimate forms OF Miss Evans
and Miss Lutte Kellogg, which had drif ed
in the same line as the little boat and had
come ashore near the spot where she
grounded.
Capt. Haskell, who is sixty-flve years Of
age, is considered one OF the best sailors
on Deer Isle, ard he and all the other men
did everything in their power to avert
such catastrophe.