BAR HARBOR ICE BOUND

Bar Harbor Record
February 9, 1918

BAR HARBOR ICE BOUND

Ferry Steamer Disabled - Only Means Of Travel Via Trenton Bridge Over Difficult Roads

Bar Harbor is icebound with the Ferry steamer unable to make trips to the mainland over a course blocked with ice from 18 to 22 inches in thickness.
The Ferry steamer just after leaving the dock at Mount Desert Ferry on Saturday morning, broke the cast iron fans from her propellor while turning in the ice and became locked in the ice about 200 years from the dock.
About 50 passengers were on board, including traveling men and teachers returning from the convention at Ellsworth, and they were put over the side and made their way on the ice to the wharf where they waited until the afternoon train back to Ellsworth and continued their journey to Bar Harbor on sleighs by way of the Trenton Bridge.
Immediately following the accident Capt. Sadler was sent to Rockland to get the steamer Samoset and on Wednesday, accompanied by the Government ice breaker, Favorite, succeeded in clearing Rockland harbor, which is also filled with ice,  and after a hard trip through thick vapor, in which she saw land but once, reached Bar Harbor Wednesday evening.
Thursday morning, the Favorite, which is a Great Lakes steel wrecking tub of about 1000 tons with 1400 horse power engines and has been in these waters only about two weeks, attempted to make a passage to Mt. Desert Ferry.  Owing to the discontinuance of regular trips the channel had become closed and it was only after seven hours she succeeded in cutting a four mile channel through the ice from 18 to 22 inches thick and followed by the steamer Samoset arrived at Mount Desert Ferry.
The Favorite took the disabled Pemaquid in tow and brought her back to Bar Harbor while the Samoset loaded freight at the terminus of the railroad and conveyed it to Bar Harbor a few hours later.
Friday morning the Samoset made the trip through the channel in one hour and ten minutes, which was most favorable, since the regular running time is 45 minutes, and returned to Bar Harbor with a boat load of express.
On attempting to make the afternoon trip, however, she found the channel completely closed, due to shifting winds, and had to put back with her much disgrunted passengers.  The ice breaker Favorite had left during the morning for Rockland where her services were required and it is uncertain when she can return.
Consequently, it looks like a case of wait until the weather conditions change before the boat can continue her trips.  The only means of reaching the mainland is by sleighs via the Trenton Bridge and Ellsworth, a distance of twenty miles, over almost impassable snow drifted roads and mail and passengers are traveling over this route.