March 2013 MAINE COASTAL NEWS Page 27A. HISTORY FROM THE PAST - Disaster at Mount Desert Ferry 7 August 1899


Mrs. Herbert Dunning, whose condition is very critical, is still at the Bluffs. It was not though advisable to move her on Monday. Portland People Saved.


Fred’k M. Thompson, of the Portland


Courier and Telegram, and his mother, were members of the Maine Press association party, 13 of whom were among those thrown from the plank. Mr. Thompson was in ten minutes or so, keeping on top by treading water. A young woman fl oated near him and he grabbed her and held her up. Presently a settee was lowered. He seized the back of it and told his rescuers to lift up but the combined weight of both himself and the girl was too much and the rail gave away. After being in the water for fi ve minutes and having become nearly exhausted he reached a rope that was thrown down. Thinking fi rst of the girl whom he had saved, he tied the rope around her waist and then getting hold of the end he was lifted up to the wharf. Mrs. Thompson was saved by Editor Robbins, of the Old Town Enterprise, who was one of the champion life savers of the day.


They returned home on the night Pullman.


“I had almost given up all hope of being saved,” said Mr. Thompson, to a reporter, “and had the rope not come just when it did I don’t think I could have held the girl any longer. The rescued ones can’t be too thankful to the managers of The Bluffs for they were untiring in their attentions to all of us. The guests should also have great praise. Young Men Heroes.


One of the most successful life savers was Blandford Green, of Brewer, a young man not 20 years of age. He went down the slip with a piece of rope and saved a dozen or more people besides getting several bodies. Howard Stone, a well-known Bangor young man who is employed at the Maine Central western ticket offi ce, succeeded in getting four people ashore. Other Hard Workers.


Among others who helped save lives and restore consciousness to those who were brought out were E. C. Ryder, Esq., Postmaster John M. Oak, Geo. S. Chalmers. Mr. Whitmore Safe. H. A. Whitmore, with Blake, Barrows & Brown, who was reported missing, is at his rooms in this city, but is confi ned to his bed. He was in the water for some time but was fi nally rescued. Mr. Whitmore was very sore and lame on Monday morning from his injuries.


* * * * * Ferry Slip a New One.


Railroad Offi cials, According to this Report, Overpowered by the Onrush of People to the Boat. (By Associated Press)


Portland, August 7. – In connection with the accident at Mt. Desert Ferry Sunday, it is understood that the ferry slip which was broken was a new one, it having been built within two months. In this case the railroad company’s employees were stationed on the wharf at the slip to regulate the passage of excursionists from the wharf o the boat, but they were overpowered by the mass of people who crowded together towards the slip, and who by their combined pressure and weight caused the slip to break. All the trains carrying the excursionists were run over the road without detention or accident, under the immediate personal supervision of the general superintendent who was at the ferry directing operations. Everything possible was done to prevent trouble and afterwards to alleviate the sufferings of the injured. The offi cials of the road had made


every arrangement as they supposed, to prevent overcrowding. When an excursion train arrived the passengers were taken on the SAPPHO and conveyed to Bar Harbor. Then the boat returned to the ferry before another train arrived. In this way there was to be no overloading of the boat or anything to cause the passengers to get nervous for fear of being on the wharf. The offi cials of the company did the best they could to keep the people from crowding on the wharf, but all at once a great rush was made and the offi cers were swept back by the weight of the crowd. * * * * *


Bar Harbor, August 7. There is a great deal of speculation as to the cause of the break in the ferry slop to which the disaster was due. The structure was nearly new, and, it is claimed, should have been capable of withstanding the weight of as many persons as its dimensions would permit to get upon it.


The material of which it was made apparently was well seasoned and sound and its appearance after the accident seemed to indicate that its substantial construction had been taxed to the breaking point. The Inquest.


The inquest is to be begun at once. Several persons who witnessed the accident are inclined to the belief that the slip would have sustained the weight of the crowd upon it had they moved in an orderly manner but some were running while other were almost a continuous line of person who, impatient to get on board the ferry, jammed over the rail which guarded the opening in the pier to which the slip swung, which it is pointed out, must have added greatly to the strain. Coroner D. L. Fields of Ellsworth, who


will have charge of the inquest, although he impanelled his jury Sunday night, was busy during the forenoon, and the inquest, which, it was expected, was to begin the fi rst thing Monday forenoon, was somewhat delayed.


8 August 1899 Coroner’s Verdict in Ferry Accident. The Jury Has Reported That Deaths of the Victims of That Horror Were Due to Insuffi cient Construction of the Slip. Inquest at Mt. Desert Ferry Ended Tuesday.


Jury Busy Monday Afternoon Listening to Testimony of the Witness to the Accident- President Wilson Interviewed. Mt. Desert Ferry, August 8.


That all the person killed in the terrible disaster at Mt. Desert Ferry on Sunday came to their deaths by drowning caused by the insuffi cient construction of the slip, - is the verdict of the coroner’s jury holding the inquest on that horror; this verdict was reached on Tuesday forenoon. The inquest was opened on Monday afternoon at the Ferry, the cottage of B. C. Addition, Esq., having been tendered the offi cials for the occasion.


Coroner D. L. Fields of Ellsworth and


County Attorney J. E. Bunker of Bar Harbor were present and conducted the inquest. Capt. H. N. Fairbanks and the coroner took 15 minutes for hunting up witnesses and at the end of that time announced that the following had been found: Mrs. John M. Oak, Mrs. W. L. Miller, Mrs. A. C. Higgins, Mrs. J. S. Smith, Miss Ethel Stratton, Miss Ryder, Miss Miller, Mrs. Herbert A. Dunning. But they thought Mrs. Dunning would not be able to render testimony on account of her weakness.


Then came the announcement that since no stenographer could be found all the evidence of the witnesses must be put into writing, and that each witness must sign his or her statement.


Capt. Fairbanks was the fi rst witness. Capt. Fairbanks’ Testimony. “I was standing on the wharf at about 10:20 a.m., awaiting the arrival of the train. The people that were on the train moved in a mass toward the slip or gangway, and fi lled it. I should judge that perhaps 200 had gone into the boat when there was a noise followed so closely with a crash that the two were scarcely distinguishable. The slip broke in two about three feet at my right and let the mass down into the water. My fi rst move was to seize a settee and with aid it was put over lengthwise. Next myself and others took hold and moved one of the gangplanks around to the head of the slip and that was lowered down to the people who were in the water. To the best of my judgement, after having counted the planks in the slip (46 in number), I estimated fi ve person on each plank, that would be 230 persons on the slip.” County Attorney Bunker began asking the witness questions, which he answered as follows: “I found fi ve stringers had given away: four had broken and one had parted where it was nailed together. Later examination developed the fact that the bolts had pulled through the timber on the outside of the slip, which let the truss down into the water; and it is my impression that the fi rst noise heard was when the bolts pulled through the timber. I should say that the head timber was such as would ordinarily be used in such construction. I did not measure it as it was in the water. I should think the iron trusses were in good order. I examined them casually. The stringers were of spruce and seemed to be of the usual strength for such lumber, without any appearance of decomposition. Question by B. C. Additon, Esq., who said he represented friends of dead: “Were not those stringers of unequal thickness and shaky and gnarly?”


Answer: “In thickness they were about alike; in width, variable (did not measure the width) and I did not observe any gnarls. They were cut away before I could see that part of them.”


Question by coroner: “Have you noticed any change in the condition of that slip since last night?”


Answer: “The part of the slip next to the wharf had been removed to give the diver an opportunity to do his work, either by cutting away or sawing. The stringers were cut or sawed away and the planking had been taken up.”


C. H. Drummey, Esq., of Ellsworth asked the witness how, in his opinion, the dead met their death.


The answer was: “By being drowned.” Question: “When?” “Between 10 and 11 a.m., August 6, 1899, in consequence of the breaking of the slip.”


Question: “And where?” Answer: “At Mt. Desert Ferry.” At this point, 1 o’clock, the court adjourned to the hotel for dinner. About 2:15 the offi cials went back to the cottage and after having been there a few minutes went down to the wharf at the suggestion of the county attorney. That gentleman, the coroner and the jury got down on their knees on the slip and gave the timbers as close an examination as they have had since the accident. The court returned at 2:43. Miss Fairbanks Testifi es.


Miss Nora L. Fairbanks of Bangor, daughter of Capt. H. N. Fairbanks, was sworn at once. She testifi ed as follows: “I was at the wharf when the accident


occurred. The 10:15 train arrived crowded with people; all made a rush for the boat. Some climbed over the side of the railing


of the boat and were pushed under the chain where I was standing, but that was soon stopped. Next came the crash. All were thrown down into the water. I did not notice the slip dropping slowly. I heard one loud crash. In my opinion the death of the people whose bodies I saw was caused by drowning. Mrs. Billings was the only person taken from the water whom I knew. I do not know whether she was dead when taken from the water.”


Question by Mr. Additon: “Did you see any of the employees of the railroad or offi cers of the boat preventing this mass of people crowding onto this slip?” Answer: “I did not.”


Question by same: “How far were you standing from the slip when it went down?” Answer: “I was standing a foot away


from the slip.”


Miss Stratton’s Testimony. Miss Ethel M. Stratton, of Bangor, was the next witness. Miss Stratton said: “I was present at the accident. I was on the wharf when the 10:15 train came in. The train was crowded and the wharf was soon thronged. Many climbed over the bow of the boat and others tried to push by the chain on the sides of the slip and were prevented only by the bystanders. I think about 200 people had gone down into the boat, when I heard an awful crash and saw the slip go into the water with all the people. The water seemed to rush right in on top of them, I turned back. That is all I saw.”


Then occurred a lull in the proceedings while there was a wait for new witnesses to come from the hotel. He lull was interrupted fi nally by Mr. Additon, who handed up a short piece of stringer from the ill-fated slip for inspection. One of the Hancock men on the jury advanced the opinion that the lumber was not spruce but fi r instead. Capt. Fairbanks and Mr. J. N. Taylor, reporter of the Boston Globe, felt satisfi ed that they had seen enough Maine lumber to be able to tell spruce when they see it, and they declared they were looking at it at that moment. After some discussion and more or less whittling, the disputing critics agreed that the wood must be white or Norway spruce. Mrs. Fairbanks Testifi es.


Mrs. Abbie A. Fairbanks, of Bangor, was called next. She told the following story: “I was at the accident. At about 10:25 I was leaning against the chain which extends along the side of the slip, when I heard the train coming down the track. Almost before it came to a stop a throng of people seemed to rush upon the wharf, going at once to the prow of the boat and to the slip. I was frightened then for fear of the torrent of people which came pouring down on the rush. Harder and harder they crowded onto the slip until all at once it seemed as if there was a moment of suspense and then a long, creaking crash and a splash and scream and they were under. For a moment all seemed unable to know what to do, and then all hands set to work in their different ways of trying to help the distressed. Then I turned from the scene.”


In reply to the questions of the county attorney, Mrs. Fairbanks said:


“I was impressed with the feeling that the slip dropped slowly at fi rst; that is why I was frightened for the people on the slip. I remarked to someone that they would never get through without an accident. Mrs. Billings was the only one of the dead whom I recognized. As far as I could see there were no precautions taken by the offi cers of the boat to prevent the people from rushing onto the slip. People around me were asking, ‘Where are the offi cers’ I did not see any


Continued on Page 28A


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