The Republican journal., 1922-03-02
Belfast Bays Old Merchant
Marine.


(Bv Mrs. Helen Batchelder Shute.)
concluded from our last issuel
The ship "Live OAK" Capt. Robert H.
Coombs, was totally lost at Valencia,
Spain, on Dec. II, 1867. She was being
lowed into port against the protest of the
master
On Feb. 1, 1852, the ship 'Coronet,"
built here in 1884, but haihng from New
castle, England, was wrecked on the voy-
age from Plymouth, England, to Pensa-
cola.
In October of 1868, the ship Living
Age" built here in 1861, and partially
owned by Capt. Robert I. Emery, was
burnt at sea on voyage from Shields,
England, forBombay. The owners had an
insurance.
On May 1, 1869, the brig "Omaha,"
John Toothaker, was capsizcd on the pas
sage from Key West to Pensacola, and
nix of the crew lost, among them the
captain's son, aged II. After being two
days upon the wreck, and three days in
leaky boat, Capt, Toothaker, the mate,
and two eeamen reached land.
1h1 schooner HAlice Parker, +" Lusher,
from Belfast for Turks Island, became
disabled off Hatteras, Jan. IA, 1870, and
after being at the mercy of the waves Tor
IS days. the crew were taken off by
British vessel and landed at st. Domingo.
On Feb. 16, 1871, the brig "Ssrah" OF
Rohbinston. commanded by Capt E. P. H.
Thompson Of Belfast, from Galveston for
Bremen was dismssted In 4 hurricane,
~ off Nj nd
three passengers. The crew remained Is
cued and carried to Liverpool. The vessel
WAS afterwards found and taken to Hall
fax. -,
In April, 1871, the schooner "Suliote, !"
formerly the bark of that name, and the
first vessel which went from Maine to
California after the discovery of gold, as
previously stated, was wrecked below
Portsmouth, N. H.
On Nov. 80, 1871, the schooner "
Snow" went ashore above the Upper
Bridge and filled. Her cargo of plaster
was lost
A early as 1875, good steamboat con-
nection was had between Belfast and
Boston, as well as Bangor, Rockland, and
points across the Bay. In May, 1877 the
steamer May Queen, "a tons, built by
Carter & Co., for parties in Belfast, was
launched, and the next month ran to
Castine, being commanded by Captain
Fred Augustus Gilmore. On July IL OF
that year, fourteen steamers engaged In
catching porgies were visible In the Bay.
In 1887 it was found that 1850 vessels ar
rived and departed, during that one year
alone. The valuation of the wharf prop
erty owned in Belfast in 1900 was S22. 700.
At that time, a number of the rs or more
wharves which were here in 1875, were
unused. decayed or removed.
From 1875 until 1900 only about fifty
Jsssels were built here, showing the grad
ual decline OF this important interest, The
number of tons Of vessel property owned
in Belfast in 1900 had diminished to 1864.
TRANSPORTATION by steam, the introduction
of barges and the diversion of the carry
ing trade into foreign bottoms had almost
dssfyoyed the business Of shipbuIidins,
which formerly gave employment to a
large number of citizens of Belfast.
The,larQest vessel built here before 1919
was the ship P. R. Hazeltine, 1868 tons, IN
1876. by C. P. Carter & Co. Before that,
the largest was the ship 1vanhoe, 1910
tons. The ship A. S. Davis, by Carter q
Co. built in 1876, was another large one,
Of 1900 TONNAGE.
Among the larger ones in later years
Nas the schooner Nimbus, the first four
mater built here, by Mcdonald & Brown,
n 1890. on the first trip of which Stephen
&. Z. Shute of this City went as engineer,
nth Can't Byron M. Young of Bluehill,
IN command, Later Mr.. Shute became
mate and sailed in the Nimbus in the
South American trade for six years. She
was wrecked about fifteen years ago oil
Hatteras.
Other large ones were the schooner
Young Brothers, the barkentine Josephine
Loaf on her maiden trip, and the schooner
Daniel B Fearing, 1910 tons, in 1891, all
Of these being built by Mcdonald &
Brown. Another barkentine Josephine
Was built by this firm in 1896 The Fear
ina was q famous vessel, as she was the
frat large one build on yacht model She
was designed by Burgess, who designed
some of the famous cup defenders. She
was lost off Cape Cod.
AMONG other we'll known ship builders
hesides Mcdonald & Brown at that time
vere George w ashinaton Cottrell, jacob
YOUNG Cotttrell, Carter & Co., Henry S
Staples. J. A. Partridge, c. P. Carter
Co. DYER & Co. and George Alden Gil.
christ.
Joshua E. Partridge, of Belfast, former.
" of Sandy Point, built the little two
matted schooner Fannie F. Hall, In San
DIV Point, which schooner was rugged ovel
in Boston to represent the Mayflower Inc
took part in the celebration at Plymouth
last year. The little model of the Hall il
now in possession of his family here. Thu
echooner was used as New York caster
No a icle on Belfast Bays old mer
chant marine would be complete withou
: reference to the famous old schoone
Polly. for many years under command O
Captain George Flowers Ryan of Belfast
The Oldest vessel of the American mer-
chant marine, she has had life of use
fuiness and adventure. such as few Graf
experince. Although not built in Belfast
ehe was familiar sight in this harbor
and has always been identified with Bel
faat Her history to date is an interest
ina one, and her great age exceeds by sew
ersl times the-span of life usually allotted
70 ships.
She was built in Amesbury, Mass, il
1904. of IS tons burden, in the shipyard o
Richard Currier, being constructed OF thu
heat white oak, and launched in 1905. II
early years she ran ~ packet from Dos
IN and Portland to points on Penobsco
Uay and River. being owned IN what II
~ Prospect. She carried wood ant
ranuenaers to Boston. returning with pas
eonaers and Z general cargo, consisting
1orselv Of supplies for the inhabitants o
~ lover Penobscot Valley. There 10 rea
-. IA believing that, from 1909 to 1872
S--.. n-rnad Nv Cantain Robert Patter.