September 2009 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 21.
Maritime History:
Ship News 1895
For the historian finding tidbits of in- ever constructed in this country, and is one
formation such as these written in the “In- of the largest American ships afloat.
dustrial Journal” in February and January
1895 is like finding a briefcase full of money 10 January
on your front steps. The more and more I The schooner LILLIAN M. WARREN,
read the old newspapers the more gaps I am which was wrecked on Powder Island, for-
able to fill in with lost information on a merly hailed from South Deer Isle. She was
variety of maritime topics. Most of the infor- built 30 years ago this winter by Job Story at
mation in this article is regarding vessels Essex, Massachusetts.
and filled in what happened to some of them. The schooner BILLOW, Dyer, Rockland
For those with an interest in reading history for Richmond, Virginia, with 1837 barrels of
these facts are simply fascinating and en- lime, struck on Eastern ledge, Duck Island,
joyable reading. Isles of Shoals, Monday morning. Shortly
The “Industrial Journal” was pub- after striking the vessel caught fire. The
lished in Bangor from 1880 to 1918 and is wreck was seen at noon from Appledore
a wealth of knowledge on all sorts on busi- Island, and word was sent to the Jerry’s Point
nesses in the State of Maine. Over the last life saving crew, who went to the wreck and
several years I have been copying and tran- brought the crew to safety. The vessel is
scribing out any marine related article. To owned in Rockland, and was valued at $5000;
date we have several thousand pages tran- no insurance. The cargo was insured. The
scribed with just a few years left to complete vessel and cargo will be a total loss.
this project. This is the bases for the Interna-
tional Maritime Library, which will make 17 January
all these articles available via the Internet. The lumber cargo of the schooner
NELLIE CLARK, recently wrecked on Petit
3 January 1895 Manan Point, will be taken to Boston by the
Captain James R. Thurston of schooner schooner ELDORA, the underwriters having
ROBERT BYRON of Rockport, while going sold the cargo to Milbridge parties.
aboard his schooner at that port during the Schooner BRUNETTE of Searsport,
heavy gale, Friday, was capsized and Captain Welch, from Portland for Searsport
drowned from a small boat. went ashore on Hart’s Island in the thick
The schooner ANNIE SARGENT which snow storm Sunday night. Tug SOMMERS
was wrecked at Biddeford Pool several weeks N. SMITH of Rockland, attempted to pull her New England Fiberglass Company
ago, and was afterward hauled to the wharf off, but found it useless and she will prove a
and libeled by Portland parties, was sold at total loss. The vessel and cargo were owned
auction Saturday by Deputy Sheriff by A. J. Nickerson of Searsport and the cargo
Yacht Repair/Restorations
Goldthwaite, the time of the libel having ex- only was insured. The BRUNETTE is 81.46
pired. John Willard of Portland was the tons net and was built in Searsport in 1871.
purchaser, the amount bid being $100. The schooner had a full cargo, largely corn in
58 Fore Street, Portland, ME 04101
Schooner ELLEN T. KING, in ballast bulk. She loaded at Portland last week, and
(207) 773-3537 Phone (207) 874-7926 Fax
from Boston to Jonesport, went on the rocks Captain Welch had decided to lay her up for
www.nefiberglass.com email: newenglandfibe@conversent.net
at Cape Arundel and stove a big hole in her the winter after reaching his home port.
bottom. She was gotten off two days later by The schooner FOREST BELLE of
the aid of casks and towed to Portland, to go Machias, Capt. Beals, from Machias to Bos-
on the railway for repairs. Capt. Davis says ton, with lumber, put in at Portland Saturday
he couldn’t see Cape Porpoise light. The in a crippled condition. On her passage up the
PAUL E. LUKE, INC.
vessel belonged to W. F. & George Mansfield coast she put into Bass Harbor for shelter and
of Machiasport, was worth $4000 and insured while at anchor her chains parted and she Fireplaces - Automatic Feathering Propellors - 3-Piece Storm Anchors
for $1500. went ashore. The captain thought the dam-
A telegram from Galveston, Texas, an- age only slight and sailed for Boston. Soon
Full Service Boat Yard
nounces the arrival there of the captain and after getting outside the schooner began to
15 Luke's Gulch, East Boothbay, Maine 04544
crew of the schooner JULIA A. WARD, leak, and it grew worse with every hour until
TEL. (207) 633-4971 A. Franklin Luke FAX: (207) 633-3388
which was wrecked December 20, and the it was plain that she would soon go down.
men finally landed near Menuata, Louisiana, The men were kept at the pumps night and
which was reached after five days’ sailing in day, but the water gained on them, and the
an open boat, without food or water. The deck was even with the sea when she docked.
RALPH STANLEY, INC.
JULIA A. WARD was a schooner of 590 tons, All that saved her was her load of lumber, that
WOODEN BOATS
gross, being 146 feet long, and was built at kept her up. Despite his crippled condition,
for work and pleasure
Kennebunk in 1874. She was owned in Capt. Beals refused to take a tug and managed
Provincetown, Massachusetts. to sail up the harbor.
Ellsworth American: A few weeks ago Reports come in of the most thrilling
CUSTOM-MADE
we mentioned the old schooner “MAY- experiences of vessels during the recent ter-
INDIVIDUALLY DESIGNED
FLOWER,” of Southwest Harbor, now in her rific storms, not only those at sea, but those
county. But the staunch old “JULIA ANN,” that had sought the anchorage and protec-
Southwest Harbor, Maine 04679 (207) 244-3795
becoming a little jealous of the attention tion of a harbor. The schooner VANGUARD
being paid the “MAYFLOWER,” now puts in of Tremont was lying near the bar at Bass
her claim for recognition. The “JULIA ANN” Harbor, tossing and pitching when her mas- MAINE COAST LUMBER, INC.
hails from Winter Harbor, and is now sev- ter, Captain Torrey, one of the best known
enty-six years of age. She has been in active Maine sailors was badly injured while trying
service during all these years, and is said by to clear away the wreck. She was close by the 4 Warren Ave.
17 White Birch Lane
her captain to be even now as good as she bar and suddenly was taken on the very crest Westbrook, ME 04902
York, ME 03909
ever was. The insurance companies back up of a big wave and was carried over the bar,
(207) 856-6015
(207) 363-7426
the captain’s statement, too. In her long life when the chains parted and she went straight
(877) 408-4751
(800) 899-1664
the schooner has sailed over a big part of the on the reef, only to come of to be hurled still
Fax (207) 856-6971
Fax (207) 363-8650
M-F 7:30am-4:00pm
world’s salt water, and is well known in every farther up the flats. Her main boom broke, the M-F 7am-5pm
Saturday 8am-12pm
harbor on the Maine coast. captain was injured, and the wheel was de-
An idea of the enormous size of modern, molished. At the same time she lost her
square-rigged sailing ships ploughing the rudder, and then completely unmanageable,
different oceans of the world may be gathered went up the harbor and was carried high on
*HARDWOOD LUMBER*SOFTWOOD LUMBER*
from the tonnage of the British steel ship the flats.
*HARDWOOD PLYWOODS*MELAMINE*MDF*MARINE
DITTON, which recently sailed from The schooner FANNIE A. GORHAM of
PLYWOODS*MDO*PARTICLE BOARD*SLATWALL*LAMINATE*
*EDGE BANDING*VENEER*HARDWOOD MOLDINGS*
Swansea on a voyage to San Francisco. Her Belfast, now lies a total wreck on a far off
*CUSTOM MILLING*DOVETAILED DRAWER BOXES
registered net tonnage is 2850, which is but coast. She was bound from Pascagoula for
eight tons less than the American four Cuba and on the night of December 18th,
masted steel ship DIRIGO, owned at Bath, during a fierce gale, she struck on Phillips
We Deliver www.mainecoastlumber.com
which was built last year. The DIRIGO is the
Continued on Page 22.
ME, NH, VT, MA, RI mainecoastlumber@yahoo.com
We Ship UPS
only specimen of the four masted sailing ship
Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32