February 2011 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 23. HISTORY FROM THE PAST - 1907


The Following are articles from the Belfast Republican Journal for 1907.


13 July


MAINE VESSEL SENT TO BOTTOM The NICKERSON of Boothbay Sunk in Collision Three Men Drowned. Three victims were added to the long death toll of New England fishermen who have lost their lives in wrecks caused by collisions with ocean steamers in the thick fog off the Massachusetts coast when early Friday, the White Star line steamer ROMANIC from Boston to New York, run down and sunk the two masted auxiliary fishing schooner NATALIE B. NICKERSON, of Boothbay, ME, in a blanketing fog of the Nantucket lightship and while most of the schooner’s crew of 18 men were sleeping below decks.


Three fishermen were still missing when the big ROMANIC steamed away, after a two- hour search. 15 fishermen were picked up from the wreckage by the ROMANIC’s boats and landed in New York. the last man picked up was Bert Wylie, a one armed fisherman from Maine, who was found clinging to a piece of wreckage and shouting lustily for help.


Capt. Bendell of the ROMANIC says that his ship was steaming slowly, and when the flare of the NICKERSON’s light showed through the fog, the ROMANIC was not under sufficient way to veer off before the crash came. Within one minute after the sharp steel bow pierced the little fishermen, the NICKERSON sank in 27 fathoms of water. The three missing fisherman believe to be drowned are: William Winchester, Digby, Nova Scotia; Everett Greenleaf and Elwell Greenleaf, two brothers, both from Maine. The smart schooner NATALIE NICKERSON sail from Newport, RI, on the evening of July 9, for the Nantucket Shoals under the command of Capt. John Seavey and with a crew of 17 men all of whom with the exception of the Winchester, were from New England. A water spaniel called “Spot Seavey,” was not on the schooner’s list but was a pet of the crew. The fishing was good and Friday when the weather began to set in thick Capt. Seavey and his men were in high spirits over the good catch.


The ROMANIC, under the command of Capt. Beadnell, left Boston for New York at noon Thursday, after a long voyage from Italy to make a special trip out of New York. Of the Highland light an easterly wind blew in a nasty mist and as the big White Star liner near the Nantucket Shoals an impenetrable fog bank shut in, and Capt. Beadnell, realizing the great danger of running down the fleet of fishermen, reduced the speed of the ship. “About midnight,” said Capt. Beadnell, who was on the bridge of the ROMANIC from the time she left Boston until she reached New York, “we could hear the foghorns fear- ing they are on the water and from the sounds


I could pick out the location of the many fishing schooners. The ROMANIC’s whistle was blowing constantly, for the fog was very thick and we were barely moving along for fear of striking a vessel. I heard the NICKERSON’s horn but once, when sud- denly out of the fog I saw the rule of her light. Orders were given to throw the wheel over but the ship was hardly underway and before we could veer off the NICKERSON was struck. We clung to the spot where the acci- dent occurred for over two hours searching for the three missing men but we were unable to find them.”


Fifteen of the NICKERSON’s crew were asleep below when the two men on watch saw the big ROMANIC bearing down upon them. Quickly they ran below to rouse the sleeping fisherman but before the men could tumble out of their bunks the ROMANIC crashed into the after quarter of the NICKERSON which was moving lazily along under foresail and mainsail. The crew, half dressed, rushed to the deck, now crumbling to pieces from the impact and managed to get overboard and into a dory which had been carried on deck. Hardly had the dory been put overboard, when the NICKERSON sank and several of the crew were drawn down beneath the wa- ters by the suction. A few managed to reach the dory, while others seized bits of floating wreckage. Capt. Beadnell gave orders to stop the ROMANIC and boats were quickly low- ered. One by one the fisherman who could be located were picked up and “Spot Seavey,” who had swam after Capt. Seavey was taken into the dory.


Capt. Seavey broke down Friday from shock and was slightly delirious. The surviving fisherman will be sent back to Boston.


The NATALIE E. NICKERSON was a vessel of 128 tons gross register and 68 tons net. She was 106 feet in length, 24 feet beam and 10 feet deep, and was built in East Boothbay, Maine, in 1901.


Continued on Page 24.


Downeasters Forty-Niners


Continued from Page 22.


with Enoch Fowler master, Moses Pike 1st mate, Clofus Pike 2nd


steward, and Senegal Thompson as 2nd


mate, William Ramsdell cook.


Passengers included the captain’s wife and child, Mrs. Hannah Goodwin, William McFadden, Lorenzo Allen, J. Goodwin, T. Goodwin, J. Goodwin, Frank Goodwin, Tho- mas Rumery, Horatio Brown, Hugh Quinn, B. Nugent, Edward Nugent, Thomas Burnham and William Calkins. On May 5, 1850, they saw the entrance to San Francisco Bay. The QUODDY BELLE did not return.


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