Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-10-28

Eastport. Me-, oct. 27.-The six men,
vino, half starved and benumbed from
Exposure, were rescued from their per-
ilous position in the rigging Of the
stranded steamer Hestia yesterday,
are believed tonight to be the only
survivors of the al men and boys who
were aboard the Donaldson Liner when
she struck the jagged OLD Propre-
tor lodges off Seal cove, Grand Manan
| island, Monday morning. Four bodies
came ashore on the southwest shore of
Nova Scotia today, three in a boat
which drifted on the beach near Var
mouth, and the fourth in another boat
which was found near Salmon river
10 miles farther north There is little
doubt that these arc the two boats
which started off from the wreck, each
well loaded with men. Up to tonight
the bodies had not been identified.
| Recovering somewhat from their aW-
| full experience the men who escaped
| their companions fate We're able to-
day to give more definite information
regarding what actually took place af-
ter The steamer went or the lodges.
Third Mate Stewart said that the Hes
tia reached the end of her last voyage
| Monday morning, instead of Tuesday
morning, as had previously been sup
posed, and that he and his five com
rades who had been unable to find
places in the boats, remained dashed
to the rigging for IS hours. without
fooG or water, before they We're taken
|
number, Seaman Keene, was il ii Sc
rious condition today.
| So far as can be aScertained tonight,
those on board the Hestia comprised
| capt. Newman, a crew OF 80. three cat
tlcmen anG two boys.
A reCapitulation today of the
steamers occupants showed there was
a crew Of &c including Capt. Newman,
also TWO boy passengers and three re-
turning cattlemen, and that there were
| 2S souls in the boat which was sue.
cessfully launched but probably lost
before daylight. Two of this number
were rescued from the water when
the first boat load was caDszed. It
seems that when the boat loads We're
made up those on board were divided
into two divisions. One consisted of rs
men including the captain, and the
other of Is people.
The captains boat was being low
cred and the second boat was being
filed II of the Is intended for it hay
ng taken their places. when rope
| Holding the second boat broke and all
were thrown into the sea. The four
members of the crew thus forced to re-
main on board succeeded in pulling two
of the struggling men from the water
by the use of boat hooks. 1t was these
six Who were taken off late yesterday
by the Seal Cove life savers.
Two more of the drowning men were
rescued by those in Capt. Newman S
boat and a fifth man was seen drifting
| off alone in the boat, which had right
ed itself This left but six men and
| boys who were actually drowned at
the side of the Hestia.
| Lying almost completely submerged,
the Hestia was not visible to the small
feet of salvaging vessels which sur
rounded the wreck, picking up the
floating freight and seeking for the
bodies of the drowned. 1t was sup
nosed from the quantity of freight
which had been freed from the vessel,
that the Hestia must be breaking to
ricces rapidly. The swirling tides
would unsettle the cargo, but il is be-
lieved that the great quantity which
was anoat could not possibly have been
unsettled unless the vessel was being
broken.
The tug Lord Kitchener from ST.
John was about the scene until late to-
dav. She had been dispatched by the
agents of the Donaldson Line at that
place and it was thought possible that
she might put into Grand Manan and
take off five of the six men who alone
were rescued of the al persons who
I were on the ship when she was wreck
ed Monday morning. The sixth seaman,
Rernard Breen, who was affected by
the 3S-hours strain and exhaustion
while dashed to the sinking steamer,
was in good condition tonight.
Il Forsaken was the quest of fish
which supplies the PASSPORT and Lubec
H sardine factories, and every boat in
the Grand Manan fishing fleet was
busy today cruising about the scene
of the wreck and pulling in everv bag,
crate. bale and bundle possible. A rich
harvest was reaped in the absence of
/ the underwriters. who have not yet
appeared to start the legitimate sal
wage operations.