Page 26. MAINE COASTAL NEWS February 2015 HISTORY FROM THE PAST - Bangor Daily Commercial - Early 1900s


boat was slow by coming head to it, when for some reason, never satisfactorily Explained, Capt. Johnson gave Second Mate Sears orders to slip the hawsers. It was done before the knowledge of it came to Offi cer Ingraham or myself. This act very nearly cost us all our lives and with a less effi cient offi cer the loss would have proved irremediable.


While this was going on, I had with my brilliant pinhead of a light, strolled through the main saloon quieting the nerves of those inclined to be hysterical and superintending the work of hanging a few kerosene deck lanterns on the chandeliers, etc.


Among other incidents I found one lady weighing 208 pounds bleeding freely from wounds received by climbing through the broken glass panel of her door to reach the saloon.


In locking her stateroom door, she had left the key so that the rolling of the ship caused it to slip out on the fl oor and she was unable to fi nd it in the dark. Seizing a stool she smashed the thick grand glass panel in the door and, passing out a little child she had taken with her, she crawled out through the broken glass, cutting herself in many places. I sent the stewardess to her with bandages from the medicine chest and made my way to the clerk’s offi ce off the ladies’ cabin on the main deck.


Drifting Toward Rocks


Here I was soon joined by Capt. Ingraham and as there were two fine kerosene lamps attached to the sides of the offi ce which I lighted, we had a fi ne place for making our plans. Capt. Ingraham was a fi rst-class pilot and taking the passenger list, we turned to the back leaf which was blank and here the offi cer marked a point, indicating where the steamer broke down and, as he had carefully studied the tell-tale compass hanging over the rudder head in the after saloon, he knew exactly the direction of our drift.


He drew a chart in pencil and from his knowledge of courses we fi gured that the ship was drifting exactly toward Pemaquid Point and that the water was too deep to expect the anchors to hold off the rocks. Unless there should be a change in the wind we would go ashore there and be wrecked. While he was gone on deck to look after things. I arranged to seal the passenger list in a tight strong can to be thrown overboard at the last moment. I included particulars of the disaster, to which I added from the (?) time.


Capt. Ingraham came back and reported he had carefully let go both anchors – the big starboard anchor with 105 fathoms of chain on which he had put springe from the best 30 fathoms of hawser we had on board. The port anchor had 90 fathoms of chain. We were closely watched by many of the passengers who could keep out of their berths and our cool manner of going to and from the offi ce and apparently doing desk work had the effect of soothing the feelings of many of them and the smoking hall in


from of the offi ce soon had quite a few gathered, enjoying the weed.


In the upper saloon quite a religious revival was going on, conducted by Rev. B. B. Thomas of Hampden and it seemed at last as if their prayers were answered as Capt. Ingraham, after carefully watching the compass for a while, reported that the steamer was drifting to the eastward of her course of an hour previous and she might now go in past the Point and fi nd an anchorage.


If the anchors would hold, we might avoid immediate destruction, outlive the gale and be in chance of getting aid after daylight. With all due respect to those who prayed, this change was due to an infl exible law of nature, that if a gale is driving toward a point of land it will be divided some distance therefrom and two or more currents formed, each of which will vary from the direct course of the parent gale. Within an hour of this change of the direction of our drift, Capt. Ingraham came down to the offi ce and reported the big anchor was beginning to “feel the bottom,” although the depth was still too great for it to hold. It was some time after this when the indications were that it was “fetching up.” At last the steamer stopped drifting, but it seemed as if the pitching and rolling increased.


Going into the fore peak, it could be seen that the ship did not “fetch up” with an undue strain and shock on the long cable on account of its heft making more or less slack and our houses that the anchors would hold seemed about to be realized.


Sleep was out of the question so coffee and tea, crackers and cheese and cold meats were dispensed freely to all who had an appetite and all waited for morning to come. About 5 o’clock faint signs of light appeared in the east but everywhere was dense fog. The pilots had kept the whistle going at legal intervals all night, three blasts at a time and at daybreak all of us offi cers met on the hurricane deck for a conference. Fishing Smack Appears


Before it was fairly daylight we head the distant sound of a vessel’s fog horn. Capt. Rogers responded with our whistle and presently the vessel, which proved to be a large fi shing smack from New Harbor in the town of Bristol, came up in hailing distance. She told us where we were, about fi ve miles off the harbor, and then as the sea was high, she was obliged to keep sailing in a circle. While she was out of hailing distance we decided to arrange with the captain to take me on board and carry me to the land, so that I might reach the nearest telegraph station, then Damariscotta, which, like most all the important towns in Maine, is 18 miles from wherever you are. On his next lap we arranged with him to do so by throwing a dory into the water with two men in it and take me from the afterguard of the steamer on the crest of a wave as it came close up to that point.


While they were making the next circuit, I ran to the offi ce, seized a large packet of money, put my assistant in charge with instructions what to do if the ship broke her anchorage and drifted ashore, went round aft on the main deck and clamored over the rail onto the guard.


Pretty soon I saw the two men in the dory close up to where I stood, and we arranged that when she rose on the crest of the next wave her bow should be as close as possible to the guard and I would jump in or overboard, the only difference it made to me being that I should go on board dry in one case or wet in the other.


I landed safe, in the dory and the next


instant full 60 feet of the steamer’s keel was up above me entirely out of water as she plunged to meet a sea coming up to meet her stern. The offi cers were all on the extreme after and of the hurricane deck and I told them what ailed the rudder - viz. that the “rigger head” was broken and jammed in the starboard block and it was impossible to clear it from the pilot house. The only way would be to ship the spare (?) in the head of the rudder in the saloon, rig tackles on the fi ller and put on a big strain to force the rigger head out of the block. This would enable them to put the rudder hard-a-port and about two-thirds to starboard. I then bade them goodbye, assuring them that I would send the smack back to them with one or two more to stand by and went on board the smack. We were not long in reaching the harbor as there was still a very strong breeze blowing. A Race for Help


Assuring the captain of the smack that if he would go out with two other vessels and stay in the vicinity of the steamer until I could send her help, they should be well paid, I went on shore, ordered the best horse in town and a light buggy. I hurriedly took some hot coffee and food and when the horse was ready, started alone for Damariscotta. I know the immense volume of water that fell during the night had ruined the graveled roads and an extra person to drive back the horse would hinder my making a quick drive. This proved to be the case and in several instances I had to pick my way round bad places.


About 9 o’clock the fog lifted and I could look back from a high hill and see the steamer pitching and rolling on the still heavy sea. I met hundreds of people, who had listened to the ever-sounding whistle, going down towards the harbor to see anything that might be seen I had not time to explain to them and hurried forward, reaching Damariscotta just before 11 o’clock. At the present time we can see how valuable a wireless would have been in those days.


I did not succeed in getting telegraphic connection with any place as wires were down everywhere. However, I wrote messages to Bath, Portland, Boston, New York, Rockland, Belfast and Bangor and paid regular tolls on them to be sent as soon as communication could be had with any place ordered a quick lunch, obtained a fresh horse that had come from Rockland two days before and was waiting for a drummer to come along to take him back to Rockland to John T. Berry’s stable.


I did not rush the horse on account of poor roads and the fact that I had a long drive ahead of me, still I made fair time to Waldoborough and found nearly the same state of affairs as at Damariscotta. They were able to talk with an operator at Round Pond a few miles nearer the ocean, and from there I learned that the little sidewheeler, Charles Houghton, was waiting for the sea to run down before venturing on a trip to Portland. The Round Pond operator on request sent for the captain and through the operators I got a little conversation with him. He could see the CAMBRIDGE still safely at anchor and, though he did not care to go out past them; would do so if she broke from her anchors and do all he could. Requesting him to wire me at Thomaston or Rockland if there was any change in the situation and paying a pretty fat fee to the operator, I left some more message to be forwarded and went along to Thomaston. Arriving at the offi ce here, I was pleased to hear the click of the instruments. Asking if I could reach Bangor I received the reply,


“Yes.” I at once wrote a message to Leomis Taylor, agent of the line. The operator seeing the nature of my dispatch at once handed me the one she was taking when I entered the offi ce. I saw that it was from the captain of the HOUGHTON in which he said that a large side wheeler had just come along and, after awhile, had taken her in town and was proceeding slowly east. The CAMBRIDGE’s wheels were turning but her beam was not working. This showed that the crank had been disconnected to make towing easier. I wrote a new message to Bangor and gave offi cers for its repetition to Rockland, Camden, Belfast, Searsport, Bucksport, Winterport, Hampden and Boston. As it proved these messages gladdened many hearts who had been worrying all day, as the KATAHDIN had come through and arrived in Bangor only a few hours late.


The RALPH ROSS Starts Just a few minutes before my wire


from Thomaston reached Mr. Taylor, Capt. Charles B. Sanford had started on the tug RALPH ROSS to go outside and search for some trace of the CAMBRIDGE as the KATAHDIN had not been able to report anything on her arrival from Boston. The KATAHDIN had left Boston after the center of the storm passed over the city, demolishing buildings, blowing down steeples and causing great loss of property, and being with the wind off her afterquarter had gone through all right.


Capt. Sanford left word for the


KATAHDIN to take a little coal and start directly for the sea. But the receipt of my message caused a change of program and she did not sail. My dispatch was repeated to Bucksport and the agent swung it as the RALPH ROSS came around Indian Point and after reading it, Capt. Sanford ordered the boat to Rockland where he knew he would fi nd me.


At Rockland a bulletin had been posted and a line said the clerk of the boat would arrive shortly from the steamer.


I was received by a mass of the citizens and “put through the third degree.” The keys of the city were mine for the time being. After this I went down to the home of Capt. Ingraham and over a cup of tea recited the details of the disaster. From there I went to the wharf.


In due time the tug arrived and Capt. Sanford was much pleased with our escape and the fact that the steamer was not injured to any great extent. During the night she had not leaked and when she was examined only one butt in the hull was discovered to be started after all her pounding in a terrible sea.


About 10 o’clock the mast head lights of two steamers were seen coming up by Owl’s Head and in a few minutes she was securely tied up to her wharf.


Three rousing cheers were given by those on the wharf and were answered by the whistles and bells of both streamers. The NEW ENGLAND, with a parting salute then proceeded on her way to St. John, N. B. The next afternoon the KATAHDIN came down and took our freight and passengers to Boston and Saturday the RALPH ROSS took us in tow for Bangor where, the Hinckley & Egery Iron Works made the necessary repairs. In two weeks we were on the route again and the incident was only history.


I may mention here that about the time we were back on the route, I paid the three smacks $500 for standing by the steamer until the NEW ENGLAND took her in tow. * * * * *


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