The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-03-18
A HOODOOED FLEET.

ing dIIldZefHell tle lung ColCIluSu oiiu
aim ost unprecedented run of bad luck
e experienced by the Gilbert Transporter
ton Company of Mystic, Conn, many Of
w hose vessels are frequent visitors on
the M aine coast The total loss, almost
within the past month, of four of the
fleet, is not at all out of keeping with
the host of calamities visited on the COM
pany by King Neptune since its organi-
zation, some five years ago.
Last of the misfortunes to date was
the loss of the little five-master Elvira
Ball. which, laden with lumber from
Jacksonville for Boston, was abandoned
February 10th, in a waterlogged con-
dition l20 miles off Cape Henry, her crew
being landed at Old Point Comfort by the
schooner Thelma; herself blown many
miles offshore She would not otherwise
have sighted the Ball. The Elvira Ball
was the smallest five-master at1oat,
being of but 1863 gross and 726 net ton
mage, less than that of number of our
largest three-masterS. She carried but
/, 300 toas of coal. and was not yet year
old.
About a week before the Ball dropped
off the list gale was responsible for the
loss Of two more of the Gilbert vessels.
The three-master Horace P. Shares,
from Wilmington, N. c., for New York
with lumber filled up in the heavy
weather and her crew was taken off by
the Norwegian steamer Frances and
landed at Philadelphia. At the same
time the Belle O'Neill of similar rig,
with a cargo Of coal from Perth Amboy
for Savannah, stranded on Cape Lookout
Shoals. n. c., and became a total wreck.
The three master Alice ?. Turner, Ston-
lngton, for New York with granite,
went ashore January 18th at Bay View,
L. l.. in snow storm and sank, but two
weeks later was foated and lowed to her
destination.
December 31st the Myra W. Spear, a
little three-master, with a cargo of
chestnut railroad ties from New London
Cor Salem, was abandoned on her beam
ends 20 miles off Cape Cod, the two sur
vivors of the crew of five being rescued
nv the fishing schooner Manhasset, the
same vessel which few years ago pick
ed Ip the remnant of the crews of the
BIC schooners Frank A. faill.Gr and
Louise B. Crary after their memorable
and fatal collision in Boston bay.
1t is possible that the Ball, Shares and
spear may be ultimately lowed into
some port along the coast, as were the
William ]. Lermond, Warner Moore and
Zacheus Sherman, other victims Of the
fury Of this winters gales. 1t is more
probable. however, that they will share
the fate of the Laconia, Frank Barnet,
Lulie |. Pollard, John M. Brown, Henry
Clausen, Jr., and Jeanie Lippitt, which,
recently abandoned, swell the array of
ocean wanderers, the bugbear of the
transatlantic liners.
Not only Of late has the hoodoo been
working November 18th the bark Sill
con. the sole square rgger in the Gilbert
feet inward bound from Apalachicola
WHIT lumber lost her foremost in coils
ior with the fisherman Washakie near
Boston light, and the smaller craft was
totally dismasted Last winters dis
asters occasioned much comment as well,
but the expectation then that the firm s
luck must change soon has not material
Ize9 as vet. as is very evident.
A YEAR ago the brig Frederick Schepp
went ashore on Nantucket on her first
Trip under the Gilbert flag. At much
labor and expense she was foated and
re-rigged as a schooner: but not so fortu-
nate was the Jesse Barlow, trim three
sticaer. sunk off Cape Cod at almost the
sane time in collision with the tug Lee
hfga.
Tlagady also PLAYS a prominent part in
tha omrany- annals. aside from the
loss 9t the Myra W. Spear. About
wear ago the three-master Leonora, lust
co.. .rtt.a from a brig. was lost with all
h.-.s on Diamond Shoals: while nothing
has ever been heard of the Josephine
Fl-;co-t and Winifred A. Foran. which
embarked on their last VOYAGES not long
previously. a like fate overlook the
W5lam /. Walker and Glad Tidings,
though in these cases their crews escap-
cd. The i'll fortune of this concern was
ushered in at the outset by the loss of
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