November 2009 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 21.
Maritime History:
Various News 1889
Here is a sample of some of the steam but one, and the engine was not hurt. became apparent that large schooners could bids fair to be a lasting thing.
interesting articles which appeared in the Nobody has any idea how we felt, for the transport coal along the coast as cheaply as
Bath Daily Times for January 1889. water was gaining in the hold and we ex- these barges. This discovery led to an inves- 4 January
pected to go down at any moment. On Tues- tigation, and as a result the firm became MARINE DIVER DROWNED.
2 January day there came a hole in the boiler and then satisfied that still larger schooners built with AIR PIPES WERE ENTANGLED AND HE
Capt. A. H. Merrithan of Topsham, for- all hope went out again. The work of patching an eye to speed as well as carrying capacity, SUFFOCATED.
merly of the ship SYREN, received a letter last the boiler was just finished when we sighted could transact this business at a less expense New York, January 4 – James W. Woods,
week from a young Frenchman who was in his a steamer, and it was the steamer that took us than their towboats. a diver in the employ of the Merritt Wrecking
ship. By his uncle’s will he was to receive aboard. On Wednesday morning we saw a Accordingly, they tried the experiment, company at Stapleton, was drowned while
$30,000 when he had served eight hundred light of a steamer over a mile away, and then and the results were so satisfied that this firm working on the wreck of the steamer IBE-
days aboard an American ship; if he did not we burned torches. She saw us and came has now disposed of their barges and carry all RIAN, which was sunk off Rockaway beach
the money was to go to his brother-in-law. His within a quarter of a mile and then sent us a their freight in large four-masted schooners. recently by the Cunarder Umbria. Woods
time was out several months ago and the boat. We burned torches so that they could The famous KING PHILLIP is one of the fleet, was clad in the usual diver’s dress, and
letter stated that he had arrived home. He was see us. That boat was a godsend to us. When and they have at present three schooners of shortly after making the descent pulled vig-
rather a wild fellow and didn’t know the value we were all aboard the steamer S. S. fifteen hundred tons on the stocks in Bath. orously on the signal rope that led from the
of money but his uncle knew the training he GLEADOWE, Captain John J. Mohegan, we These vessels carry immense cargoes, steamer to the wreck. It was impossible to
would receive on board an American ship and started for Gibraltar, Spain, hoping to meet a can sail close to the wind and can venture out hoist him out and as possible one of the men
the result was that when he left for home he steamer running back, but we did not do so. when the barges are glad to remain in port. on steamer got into a diving apparatus and
was stout and healthy and knew that money When he picked us up we were 145 miles due They are supplied with steam power so as to descended to the distressed man’s assis-
was a man’s only true friend. east from the breakwater in the mouth of the be handled by a few men, and can thus be run tance. Woods was dead when, after consid-
MARINE JOURNAL. Delaware River. There were 13 in all for this at a small expense. From a knowledge ac- erable difficulty, he was gotten clear of the
Disasters. steamer to feed from our vessel. quired by years of experience in both modes wreck and hoisted to the surface. It is sup-
Ship ST. MARK, Nichols, from Pisagua; This is what is called a tramp steamer. It of transportation, this firm has found that posed that the airpipes connected with the
while towing into New York 30
th
ult., is going to Genoa, Italy. When we land there their profits from the big four-masters are diving suit became entangled so that the
grounded on Flynn’s Knoll, but came off with the American Consul will send us home in the from eight to ten percent greater over what current of fresh air was stopped, suffocating
the rising tide without damage. next steamer, which will be in a day or two. they would be from the towboats and barges. Woods. He was 48 years of age and a native
Schooner T. A LAMBERT – A letter What is true of the coal trade must be of California.
from one of the survivors of the abandoned 3 January practically true of all coast-wise traffic, and
schooner T. A. LAMBERT states that the HOW IT ORIGINATED. the demand for large fore-and-aft vessels,
Continued on Page 22.
vessel’s masts went out of her just before The First Coal Barges on the Coast. which is not bringing so much work to Bath,
dawn on Monday morning, November 26; the Among the gentlemen whose business
foremast alone remained standing; the deck connections for years have intimately identi-
was covered with spars and sails, and the sea fied him with our citizens, there is none better New England Fiberglass Company
broke clear over the vessel. The sails and known than Captain J. M. Phillips, of
loose rigging were cut away. The mizzenmast Taunton, MA.
got against the rudder and rendered it use- The firm of which he is a member has had
Yacht Repair/Restorations
less. The jib stays parting was what caused several larger vessels built in the Bath ship-
the masts to go. The steamer GLENDOWE, yards, and the attention which these crafts
bound to Genoa, took off all hands on the 28
th
, require has called Mr. Phillips to our city so
58 Fore Street, Portland, ME 04101
as before reported. often, that he has become a very familiar
(207) 773-3537 Phone (207) 874-7926 Fax
San Francisco, December 24. – Bark figure on our streets. In conversing with him
www.nefiberglass.com email: newenglandfibe@conversent.net
GERARD C. ROBEY, Delano, which arrived regarding the fine large schooner which he is
here yesterday from Liverpool, reports very so soon to add to the magnificent fleet of coal-
severe weather to the westward of Cape wise vessels his house already possesses, a
Horn. On October 26 a heavy sea boarded the TIMES reporter referred to the immense coal
vessel, washing away the bulwarks, staving carrying trade which this firm has built up.
PAUL E. LUKE, INC.
in side of after house, carrying away binnacle “Yes,” remarked Captain Phillips, “I sup-
compass and filling the cabin with water. One pose I am the first man on the Atlantic coast Fireplaces - Automatic Feathering Propellors - 3-Piece Storm Anchors
man was washed overboard by the same sea that undertook to transport coal in barges by
and drowned. means of a tugboat. It was in 1865 that I made
Full Service Boat Yard
the experiment. The tug I used was a little
15 Luke's Gulch, East Boothbay, Maine 04544
THE WRECK OF THE LAMBERT. forty-five foot propeller which government
TEL. (207) 633-4971 A. Franklin Luke FAX: (207) 633-3388
SOME INTERESTING PESONAL had used as a picket boat on Albermarle
ACCOUNTS OF THE DISASTER. Sound during the war. She had been made
The following from a private letter from bullet proof and her pilothouse was so cov-
Mr. William M. Waterman of Charlestown, ered with iron that there were only little peep-
RALPH STANLEY, INC.
Massachusetts, to his father, will be read with holes left through which the helmsman could
WOODEN BOATS
interest as giving the first personal details of look out upon his course. She had but one
for work and pleasure
the wreck of the Bath schooner T. A. LAM- twelve inch cylinder and could hardly be
BERT. considered an able sea going vessel but we
STEAMSHIP GLEADOWE, resolved to put her into open water. Our
CUSTOM-MADE
ATLANTIC OCEAN. barges, or more strictly speaking our canal
INDIVIDUALLY DESIGNED
Saved and all well, but at one time we all boats, were there in numbers, carrying one
excepted to go down at any moment. I know hundred and seventy tons each and one
Southwest Harbor, Maine 04679 (207) 244-3795
how you feel at home, for I do not think the T. purpose was to take them from Baltimore to
A. LAMBERT was seen by anything before Taunton. It was small encouragement we
she went down, except one steamer that received. People laughed at us, declared we MAINE COAST LUMBER, INC.
passed us in the night. This one came along, could never make the trip in safety, and de-
and she went away and left us in a sinking scribed with the greatest particularity the
condition. insurmountable obstacles we were sure to 4 Warren Ave.
17 White Birch Lane
On Monday morning, the 26
th
, the masts encounter. Westbrook, ME 04902
York, ME 03909
went out of her just before dawn. They broke But in spite of all we made fast to those
(207) 856-6015
(207) 363-7426
off just about 25 feet from the deck, all but the three barges and started for the sea. We made
(877) 408-4751
(800) 899-1664
foremast, and that was left standing. The the trip to Massachusetts in six days, bring-
Fax (207) 856-6971
Fax (207) 363-8650
M-F 7:30am-4:00pm
deck was covered with spars and sails, and ing two of our freight boats in safety, the third M-F 7am-5pm
Saturday 8am-12pm
the sea broke clear over her. When they came being lost in some rough weather we encoun-
down everybody was on deck but three, and tered, and this originated that system of
I happened to be one of them. One sailor, who freighting which has now grown to such
was at the wheel, was killed, but the rest were proportions.
*HARDWOOD LUMBER*SOFTWOOD LUMBER*
not much hurt. When the masts felt they made Shortly after my successful experiment
*HARDWOOD PLYWOODS*MELAMINE*MDF*MARINE
three holes in the deck. We then cut away the with these canal boats, the barge towing
PLYWOODS*MDO*PARTICLE BOARD*SLATWALL*LAMINATE*
*EDGE BANDING*VENEER*HARDWOOD MOLDINGS*
sails and let them all go overboard. When company of Staples and Phillips was orga-
*CUSTOM MILLING*DOVETAILED DRAWER BOXES
they cut the mizzenmast it got against the nized and built up an immense business on
rudder and broke that so we could not use it. the lines thus indicated.
The reason that the masts went was that the For years the traffic was carried on in this
We Deliver www.mainecoastlumber.com
jib stays chafed off when the vessel put her way, the barges and towboats being gradu-
ME, NH, VT, MA, RI mainecoastlumber@yahoo.com
We Ship UPS
bowsprit out to sea. Her pumps all went by ally increased in capacity and power until it
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