Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-07-15

The Bath Times has the following
account of the disaster:
Driven by fire from a launch. the
Louisa D.. of Boston i'll which the!
lad been enjoying an evening SAIL on
the river, and clinging to an over
turned roWboat which, with llfa pre-
servers, kept their heads above wa
ter Miss Edith |. McTeer of this city
and Edward S. Platt of Clittondale,
Mass, last night drifted several miles
down the Kennebec before they were
able to attract the attention of any
one on shore, or al,oat and were rescu-
ed at last with some difficulty, 50
number by the hour and a half in the
icN current that had not succor arrived
they would scarcely have been able
to hold out much longer.
They were obliged to abandon the
burning launch in the vicinity of Fld~
.ilers Reach below the extreme South
END of the city, and We're rescued IN
The dead of night by John Deans ant
his brother of Phippsburg who put on
in rowboat after they mad peen
aroused by their mother who had hearo
the cries OF the Gcspairlng couple az
they drifted past in midstream. ne
launch, still burning, was picked up
early this morning, but sank before II
was possible to place her on the beach.
1t is alleged THAT at least one man
living on the river bank saw the purh
ing launch and made no effort 10 IN
veStigate or render any assistance. ah''
Mrs. Deans of Phippsburg makes 'l'e
grave charge that after she hearu wy
cries of distress from the river, Stie
hailed launch passing up river anu
besought those on board TO go 10 'lie
rescue of the persons SuppoSeu " w
drowning. and that the launcn merei!
extinguished her lights ana proceeueu
heartlessly on her way
Last evening at $40 Mr.. Platt and MISS
NcTeer left Kennebec Yacht Clup loi
sail on the river and at 95o, Wien o'i
their Way back they had reached d point
opposite Peter Peterson's place on '''e
Kennebec, the motor suddenly stopped
and Mr.. Plat went inside to see "ha'
the matter was. He had hardly gov ~
side the cabin before there was an eN-
plosion. in which his face was burned
also one hand and he sprained a thump.
Immediately the cabin was a mass OF
flames and Mr. Plat cast off the tender
which was towing astern and asked MISS
| NcTeer to get into it, AS she stepped H.
the tender turned turtle. throwing her
| into the river Luckily she was able TO
| seize the flagstaff and held on. and Mr..
Plat calmly tied a life preserver around
! her as she chung to the stern OF the
| launch He then tied one about himseif
| and in the meantime Miss McTeer pulled
| herself along the side of the launch until
| she could reach the drifting tender. Mr..
! Platt deserted the launch and chung 10
| the overturned tender with Miss McTeer.
/ Neither was able to swim and had not
| Miss McTeer had the presence of mind TO
| catch the tender for a support. one OF
both might have drowned. as Mr.. Platts
| life preserver became united and Miss
McTeer was obliged to hold one part OF
it around him while he held the other
In this position they drifted with the
swiftly ebbing tide down the river shout
| ing at intervals for help, but it was not
until they had been in the water an hour
and a half and were numbed with cling.
ing to the boat that their cries were
heard.
Mrs Deans Of Phippsburg heard the
cries and notified her son John and his