Page 26. MAINE COASTAL NEWS January 2018 HISTORY FROM THE PAST - Maine Industrial Journal - 1880 Continued from Page 25.


an excuse for such a loss of life as occurred in the NARRAGANSETT catastrophe. In the fi rst place, the life preservers (?)


placed on board most of our steamers are incapable of fully supporting in the water a full-grown person, and furthermore in the excitement attendant upon collision or any disaster of a like nature, a majority of passengers are incapable of securing them to their persons in a proper manner, so that when once afl oat they are as likely to be heels up and head down as any other way. The fact is, they are not intended for use, but are placed there in order to give patrons of the line a fancied security and to serve a further purpose as an advertisement. “The steamship GREAT REPUBLIC is supplied with 800 life preservers of the most approved pattern.” How nice it sounds! What a feeling of safety inspires us we sail on board the GREAT REPUBLIC! But Alas! We fi nd to our sorrow that whenever an occasion occurs for their use they are almost totally useless for the purpose for which they are warranted. Everyone knows this to be the case – has known it for a long time, and yet they are still in use. There are improved patterns – plenty of them – which can be secured in an instant about one’s person in such a manner that there is no possibility of his sinking when battling with the waves; there is however, a fatal objection to their use – they cost a trifl e more than the old fashioned kind. Another thing; the offi cers of steamboats


are supposed to be thorough and experienced seamen and in most cases are, but the crews – composed of deck hands whose only qualifi cations are handling of a truck, and the waiters and cabin boys whose only duties are to attend to the wants of passengers – usually know no more about seamanship than they do about the Comstock lode. The result is that when a catastrophe occurs the natural inclination to save their own lives outweighs all other considerations. Consequently, if the so-called life-boats are in a condition to be use (which is very rarely


the case) there is no one at hand capable of lowering and managing them and the task usually devolves upon the passengers themselves. With regard to the boats, they are nearly always securely fastened to the decks, in which position they remain month after month without being disturbed, and are either fi rmly covered with canvas or if left open the plugs are removed to let out the rain-water and frequently are not found when wanted. Last but not least, the laws should be


such as to compel offi cers of steamboat lines to provide some means of registering each and every passenger, and placing the record where there is no possibility of its being lost. If it is impossible to make out a complete list before the boat starts, (as it should not be under any circumstances) several duplicate lists should be made on board the steamer and placed in keeping of the several offi cers. In the present case, although the NARRAGANSETT had accommodations for twice as many passengers as the CAMBRIDGE of the Sanford Line, and notwithstanding all accounts agree that not only the staterooms and berths were all occupied but many were compelled to stretch out upon mattresses on the fl oor of the saloon, the offi cers persist in saying that only about 300 passengers were on board. How many human beings lost their


lives in this disaster will probably never be known. It is suffi cient for us to know that it has brought sorrow to many a happy home and desolation to many a household. It is not for us to moralize upon even so fruitful a theme as this, but we do wish to draw a lesson from this painful occurrence and impress upon the minds of our readers the necessity of compelling the managers of steamboat lines to adopt some diff erent systems of carrying passengers from those at present in vogue. Whatever the public seriously demands, the servants of the public must accede to. In these days of enlightened science there is no earthly reason why the element of risk in travel, whether by sea or land, should not be reduced to a minimum. We ask our readers’ pardon for


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occupying so much space with a subject which has no apparent connection with the fi eld to which this journal is devoted; but we couldn’t help it.


Captain Richard Snow of Bucksport


is absent on a brief visit to Portland and Boston.


The steamer MAY FIELD makes two


trips per week each way between this city and Blue Hill. The trip by water is one of much interest during the summer months. * * * * *


On Saturday the steamer NEW


BRUNSWICK will be introduced on the Sanford Line between Boston and this city and during the summer season the steamers of this popular line will make daily trips. * * * * * * * * * *


On a recent trip to Portland, Captain


Ingalls of the schooner CHALCEDONY reports having seen what he supposed to be the carcass of the original “sea serpent” which has been seen on the coast of Maine for a number of years. It was very calm at the time or Captain Ingalls would have towed it to Portland. – [Exchange] * * * * *


Too thin. We don’t believe there is


a skipper on this coast so ignorant as not to be aware that by freezing to a prize of that nature and bringing it ashore he could make more money than in the pursuit of his legitimate business for ten years.


2 July The curious name “state” for rooms on


a steamboat is said to have originated in this way: A certain Western steamboat captain called the rooms in his boat after the states of the Union – Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire etc. The name Texas, which fell to the lot of the pilothouse remains in common use on our Western waters today.


Captain Moyle, Superintendent of the Blue Hill, has been on a trip to Boston.


A small steamer is soon to make regular trips between Sullivan and Bar Harbor.


Those who were last winter were


engaged in the mining of ice in the Maine waters have been very fortunate in securing high prices for that commodity. The scarcity of ice in the leading markets and the


Blue Hill Bay has abounded in mackerel for the past few days.


Page 104. A MAN WITH HISTORY.


Benjamin Fish, of Trenton, New Jersey,


has rounded up 94 years of a remarkable existence. He lent Commodore Vanderbilt $1,000 when that gentleman fi rst started out in his career; brought down the fi rst anthracite coal that descended the Delaware in 1823; managed the old stage line and steamboat company between New York and Philadelphia, fi fty fi ve years ago; was one of the fi rst directors of the Camden and Amboy rail road in 1830, and has been elected every year since. In 1833 he drove the fi rst freight car that moved over the road between South Amboy and Bordentown. Horses were used that year. The fi rst locomotive was imported from England; is now standing in the shops at Bordentown, and is known as “Johnny Bull” and “Number One.”


The steam yacht BLONDE is kept at


Fort Point for the convenience of guest at the house.


FOR SALE at THE LANDING SCHOOL ALDEN 21


YANKEE TENDER ARUNDEL 19 30 July Another patent lime kiln is being


built in Rockland by Joseph Abbott on the waterfront near his old place of business. * * * * *


Mr. Peabody of the banking fi rm of


Kidder, Peabody & Company, Boston, “coaled up” his steam yacht at Rockland on Monday last, on his way to Bar Harbor. * * * * *


The yacht AMERICA with General


Butler on board stopped in Rockland harbor last Saturday en route to Mount Desert. The Courier says the General came ashore and expended ten cents for a shave.


extreme heat have raised the price to very high fi gures. About $5 per ton is now being off ered here in Maine with a good prospect of going higher.


* * * * * A few days ago a Rockland schooner


found a Matinicus fi shing boat anchored, with lines out, but no man in the boat. Upon hauling in the lines they found a big halibut and a man on one end of them with the gaff through his wrist. Both were dead. He had probably got the hook in his wrist, and been pulled overboard while trying to haul out the halibut.


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