The Republican journal., 1912-01-04
A Miracle of the Sea.
"One Chance in a Million" Saved the
Hannah F. Carleton. Mysterious Tra9-
edy of the Active. How the Charles
Houghton Blundered into Boothbay.

Houghton Blundered into Boothbay.
Bangor Daily News
When the old Bangor schooner Han
nah F. Carleton went to the bottom OF
Vineyard Sound, Davy Jones claimed the
coaster that was famed all along shore
as having been the victim Of the strang-
est collision ever known at sea-such
collision as never occurred before or
since, and is not likely to happen again.
There was one chance in million tor
the Hannah F. Carleton in that famous
crash, and chance favored the schooner.
Old sailors regard her escape as nothing
short OF miracle.
They were telling about the Hannah
F. Cartoons remarkable experience,
the mariners assembled around the hre
in Mulvauy's sail loft the other day, and
other close shaves were mentioned, puI
none to compare with the miracle OFT
Cape Cod, which is well remembered by
the older captains. The Hannah +.
Carleton was a two-master OF lo9 tons,
built at Pembroke In 1884, and at the
time of her strange experience halllng
from Jonesport. She had been to New
York with lumber, and on her return
trip east was passing in by Cape Cod, on
a clear, moonlight night, coal loaded Tor
Boston. Capt talklngham was on the
quarter and he noticed a steamer com
ING up astern, bat at first paid no atten-
ton to her, everything beng clear Tor
miles around. Capt. talkmgham, now
ever, glanced astern every little Whlle,
ana presently became nervous, tor the
steamer was coming right tor the earle
ton, and without altering FER course
would hit the schooner fair IN the stern
in few minutes.
When the steamer got up little
closer, Captain Falkingham began to
shout to her people telling them to keep
away. The men in the steamers pilot
house were plainly visible, as was also
the bow lookout, but they seemed not to
see the schooner Captain Falkingham's
shouting awoke all hands on the schooner,
and the men came tumbling on deck.
They all joined in the shouting, but to no
purpose. The steamer came right on
and struck the schooner's main boom
fairly on end. The schooner was on the
wind with sheets fiat, SO that the boom
hung very nearly fore-and- aft, and the
full force of the blow from the steamers
stem was transmitted to the mainmast,
which was broken short-otf at the jaws
of the boom, letting the stick down on
deck with fearful thump. The heel of
the broken mast stove big hole in the
deck, and there the stick rested, sway
ing athwartships in the slack rigging
and prevented from going over the stern
only by the spring stay.
The crew of the Carleton made rush
for the boat at the stern davlts, but
Capt. Falkingham, seeing that they in
tended 10 desert her, seized ar axe and
chopped a hole in the boat, SO that she
would not float. That stopped the panic,
and the men turned to and helped in
patching up the hole in the deck with
tarpaulin, for the sea was making over
her, she being decks-to with coal, and
with such gap open she would soon
have filed.
The steamer. after backing away,
came close up and asked if assistance
was wanted. Capt, Falkingham said
that he would like tow to Boston, and
The steamer sent him line. The Sa
gannah line, to which the steamer be-
longed, settled for the damage, and at
Boston the Hannah F. Carleton got
new mainmast ana boom and had her
deck patched up. Had the steamer
struck her in any other place, the
schooner would have gone to the bot
go. [a,,+ +l,l ,,,cl7,,., in dior,atar ond
~ r+,,, ,arl+o;r ro,,,a,.i,ad
al az Wy oftl. bInf &c cinsa o.
49,, +0''
'i' S y, A.. o,..,or, r. +bo Cor,o+o, do
,1.l.ns +hs+ sos 10 in bar Isttar wears
fnliou,aG hy a hoodno When new She
Md n,on,s, finn. sn.s was = GOOD carrier
- al, 81. arI hal GOOD bandlino and
nleg+v Al, mex - Rnf in recent Years
a}fho1gh sailed bv capable men. she was
a financial failure, and, as the complain
7ne owner SAYS, ''she died owing money"
..-...-
OTHER STRANGE DISASTERS
The queer accidents that have happen
I'd to Maine vessels would fill volume,
and some Of them would be regarded as
fiction. AT old coaster captain who had
listened to the story of the Hannah F.
Carleton recalled the mysterious wreck
OF he little schooner Active, in Fox
Island tnoroughfare, some years ago. 1t
was N the fall of the year, and the Ac-
tive was going through the narrow pas
Sage between the islands. She carried
hut two lnon-the master. Capt Raw,
and MS slxteen-years- Old son. When
last seen under sail. the Active was ship
shape. the boy al the wheel and his faith.
er below. taking nap, AS it was after
ward found. Next day the Active was
found on the rocks. with her stern stove
lr. the master drowned in his bunk and