Daily Kennebec journal., 1914-01-14

-
the ninth and then cleared for St.
John.
Approaching the Bay of Fundy, fa-
nous for it's swift swirling tides and
mountainous seas, a binding blizzard
descended upon the steamer. Capt.
Hawson was heading for Gannet Rock
light, the guide to the western side of
the bay. and a warning of the lodges
which stretch 10 miles to the south
ward of Grand Manan.
1t was about sunrise when the oper-
ator at the wireless station at Cape
Sable, across the bay, picked up the
Cobequids cry for help. The message
saiG that the vessel had struck ledge
off Brier island, which is on tie east
side of the bay, and needed immediate
assistance. For the next few hours
fragmentary messages were received
from the stranded steamer, one of
which said that the forward hold was
filing. At $40 A. NJ, came the last
gasp of the fading wireless to the ef-
feet that the engine room was CODED,
the batteries were exhausted and the
operator was unable to get any spark.
In the meantime both the Canadian and
American governments had begun active
measures for rescue. The German steam
er Kron Prinzessen Cecilie, off Sable
Island, on her way to New York was
urged to change her course and head
for the Cobequid. 2Co miles to the north
ward. The government steamer Lady
Laurier was started out from Halifax, $50
miles away. The steamers Belvidere,
Helena and Lansdowne were asked to
help and the revenue cutter Woodbury.
in command of Lieut. Ridgely on her way
from Portland to Rockland was ordered
to steam full speed for the scene.
Toward night it was discovered that
the cable steamer Lyrian was at anchor
behind Campobello, only 40 miles from
Gannet rock light and a message was
sent to her skipper urging him to proceed
Immediately to the aid of the Cobequid
When the keeper of the Brier island
night was notified of the accident in the
hope that he might give some informa-
tion regarding her, he replied that there
was no trace of the Cobequid near the
island. This was subsequently confirmed
by the steamer John L. Cam, which
made circuit of the island during the
day. On a re-reading of the first mes
sage from the Cobequid the opinion was
reached that those on board were at
loss as to the real position of the strand
ed ship and that was in reality on the
west side of the bay.
Unfortunately communication with
Grand Manan had been cut off some time
before through the breaking of the cable
On the main shore it was said that very
little could be seen off shore in the direc-
tion of Grand Manan owing to the va
por caused by the effect of the cold wave
on the ocean.
1t was expected that some of the
steamers would be off Gannet rock light
by midnight and that the Woodbury.
would reach the scene by A. M. Hope
was felt that they would be able to sight
the Cobequid, as there was a bright
moon and the gale tonight seemed to be
subsiding.
The Grand Manan ledges have been the
scene of many disasters. but loss of life
has been comparatively small
Twelve years ago the steamer Warwick
struck on MUIR, one of the most extern
sive of the lodges, and eventually went
to pieces, but not until all on board had
been brought ashore and much of the
cargo, including hundreds of cases of
whiskey, had been lightered by fisher
men. The steamer Hestia was lost on
Old Proprietor ledge Oct. 26, 1909. and all
but six of the Al were lost.
The increasing winter passenger SER
vice to the tropics during the past few
years has resulted in the establishment
of several new lines The Goth has
brought over from England for one of
these lines and her name changed to
Cobequid, after a range of mountains in
Nova Scotia. The steamer was built for
the Union Castle Mail Line at Belfast
Ireland, in 1898. She is of steel and reg
istered 4700 tons gross and 297O tons net
She is 400 feet in length, equipped with
twin screwe and has on board a recently
installed refrigerating plant.
Capt. Hawson, her skipper, is regarded
as careful navigator and one familiar
with the Nova Scotia and New Bruns-
wick coasts.
Word was received here late tonight
by the Cobequid's agents that the
government sea a-going tug Helena
which left this morning to search for