The huge 11 ton boulder the local fishermen called “The Boiler” had been lodged in the mud just off Fish Point at the entrance to the Pool or harbor on Great Cranberry Island. The Pool, a good sheltered harbor for schooners, is shallow with a 2-foot draft at low tide, rising to an 8 to 10 foot draft when the tide is in. Vessels kept in the Pool were deep draft vessels and only came in and went out at high tide. There was an area called the "Deep Hole" in the Pool where six or more vessels could anchor. “The Boiler,” about 6 feet wide and 4 feet above the bottom, was not visible when the tide was in and, therefore, a hazard to navigation in the narrow channel. It was called "The Boiler" because the water "boiled" around it when the tide came and went. Samuel Newman Bulger (1835-1919) caught his boat on it one time. Enoch Boynton Stanley (1820-1903), “Uncle Jimmy’s” father, told Sam to turn his vessel around and it would come off the rock. The tide came in, the boat spun around and floated off the rock. Ralph Warren Stanley remembers his great uncle, Lewis Gilley Stanley (1869-1957), William Doane “Uncle Jimmy” Stanley’s brother, telling him about the enormous effort it took to move “The Boiler.” “First the group of men went out on several low drain tides to dig around the rock to break the suction. When they finally got enough dug away, they put an iron eye bolt into the rock, put a big log across two dories and tied a line to the rock. When the tide came in it sank both dories. They worked for months on the project. Next time they tried to move ‘the boiler’ they used four dories and just barely floated the rock. The dories were down to the gunnels. With a line on the dories, eight or nine men stood on the shore where they wanted it and hauled it hand over hand about 80 yards toward them, but before the rock reached its destination, the eyebolt [which had been welted into the top of the rock] came out and the dories popped out of the water. They just left the rock there where it sank on the north side of the Stanley wharf (E.B. Stanley & Sons - the Stanley wharf - on the map - now gone). ‘The Boiler’ is still there. “William D. Stanley and others have at last accomplished their long cherished wish to remove the rock designated as “the Boiler” from the channel near the Fish Point. After much hard labor, they succeeded, by the help of 4 dories in raising, floating and dragging it across to the flats, owned by the late Capt. John Stanley, when it struck a rock and in hauling on it caused the welted iron bolts to pull out, and “the Boiler” was anchored somewhat sooner than had been bargained for, but as it is now safely landed it will probably be allowed to remain where it is. It is very doubtful if any further attempt will be made to change its position, and as it is estimated to weigh 11 tons, it will be the cause of much comment for years to come. Wm. D. Stanley is very elated the he with a few others, should have accomplished the feat of removing the rock, which during the last 140 years has been in the way, and a menace to all boats coming in and going out from all parts of the creek, and they are to be congratulated for having removed the dangerous obstruction.” The Bar Harbor Record, February 23, 1900 - Cranberry Island.
Description: The huge 11 ton boulder the local fishermen called “The Boiler” had been lodged in the mud just off Fish Point at the entrance to the Pool or harbor on Great Cranberry Island. The Pool, a good sheltered harbor for schooners, is shallow with a 2-foot draft at low tide, rising to an 8 to 10 foot draft when the tide is in. Vessels kept in the Pool were deep draft vessels and only came in and went out at high tide. There was an area called the "Deep Hole" in the Pool where six or more vessels could anchor. “The Boiler,” about 6 feet wide and 4 feet above the bottom, was not visible when the tide was in and, therefore, a hazard to navigation in the narrow channel. It was called "The Boiler" because the water "boiled" around it when the tide came and went. Samuel Newman Bulger (1835-1919) caught his boat on it one time. Enoch Boynton Stanley (1820-1903), “Uncle Jimmy’s” father, told Sam to turn his vessel around and it would come off the rock. The tide came in, the boat spun around and floated off the rock. Ralph Warren Stanley remembers his great uncle, Lewis Gilley Stanley (1869-1957), William Doane “Uncle Jimmy” Stanley’s brother, telling him about the enormous effort it took to move “The Boiler.” “First the group of men went out on several low drain tides to dig around the rock to break the suction. When they finally got enough dug away, they put an iron eye bolt into the rock, put a big log across two dories and tied a line to the rock. When the tide came in it sank both dories. They worked for months on the project. Next time they tried to move ‘the boiler’ they used four dories and just barely floated the rock. The dories were down to the gunnels. With a line on the dories, eight or nine men stood on the shore where they wanted it and hauled it hand over hand about 80 yards toward them, but before the rock reached its destination, the eyebolt [which had been welted into the top of the rock] came out and the dories popped out of the water. They just left the rock there where it sank on the north side of the Stanley wharf (E.B. Stanley & Sons - the Stanley wharf - on the map - now gone). ‘The Boiler’ is still there. “William D. Stanley and others have at last accomplished their long cherished wish to remove the rock designated as “the Boiler” from the channel near the Fish Point. After much hard labor, they succeeded, by the help of 4 dories in raising, floating and dragging it across to the flats, owned by the late Capt. John Stanley, when it struck a rock and in hauling on it caused the welted iron bolts to pull out, and “the Boiler” was anchored somewhat sooner than had been bargained for, but as it is now safely landed it will probably be allowed to remain where it is. It is very doubtful if any further attempt will be made to change its position, and as it is estimated to weigh 11 tons, it will be the cause of much comment for years to come. Wm. D. Stanley is very elated the he with a few others, should have accomplished the feat of removing the rock, which during the last 140 years has been in the way, and a menace to all boats coming in and going out from all parts of the creek, and they are to be congratulated for having removed the dangerous obstruction.” The Bar Harbor Record, February 23, 1900 - Cranberry Island. [show more]
Ralph Stanley and Charles B. Morrill went out to the Cranberry Isles in Ralph's boat, "Seven Sisters", on October 29, 2009 to photograph the boiler for the story in SWHPL 9935. While searching for the rock they came across this old 2 cycle, 2 cylinder Knox engine. Ralph remembered that the engine, an old "hand cranker, had originally belonged to his grandfather, Arno Preston Stanley (1865-1937). He never did anything with it. Ralph considered putting it in his first boat, but it was too heavy. The engine lay on the wharf for years and when the wharf was blew down in a storm c. 1978 the workers tossed it, or it fell, onto the rocks below where it is today. "The Boiler" started out at the end of Fish Point on Great Cranberry. Ralph is standing near the point of the arrow on the map where the boiler is now. The blue house in the background of the photograph was Charles "Peter" Emery Richardson's boat house. Peter was born to Meltiah Jordan and Mary Catherine "Carrie" Stanley Richardson on January 14, 1885. Peter married Nellie G. Curley who was born in 1884 and died in 1957. Peter died on July 14, 1971.
Description: Ralph Stanley and Charles B. Morrill went out to the Cranberry Isles in Ralph's boat, "Seven Sisters", on October 29, 2009 to photograph the boiler for the story in SWHPL 9935. While searching for the rock they came across this old 2 cycle, 2 cylinder Knox engine. Ralph remembered that the engine, an old "hand cranker, had originally belonged to his grandfather, Arno Preston Stanley (1865-1937). He never did anything with it. Ralph considered putting it in his first boat, but it was too heavy. The engine lay on the wharf for years and when the wharf was blew down in a storm c. 1978 the workers tossed it, or it fell, onto the rocks below where it is today. "The Boiler" started out at the end of Fish Point on Great Cranberry. Ralph is standing near the point of the arrow on the map where the boiler is now. The blue house in the background of the photograph was Charles "Peter" Emery Richardson's boat house. Peter was born to Meltiah Jordan and Mary Catherine "Carrie" Stanley Richardson on January 14, 1885. Peter married Nellie G. Curley who was born in 1884 and died in 1957. Peter died on July 14, 1971. [show more]
Left to Right: Cora A. Richardson, Mrs. Gilbert H. Rosebrook (1867-1954) Mabel Estelle Stanley Cora and Mabel would have been third cousins if Cora had been born to her adopted father as she and Mabel would both have escended from John (1741-1811) and Emma Cross Rich (1740-1803). Island relationships being what they were, the two women were distantly related by marriage to each other anyway.
Description: Left to Right: Cora A. Richardson, Mrs. Gilbert H. Rosebrook (1867-1954) Mabel Estelle Stanley Cora and Mabel would have been third cousins if Cora had been born to her adopted father as she and Mabel would both have escended from John (1741-1811) and Emma Cross Rich (1740-1803). Island relationships being what they were, the two women were distantly related by marriage to each other anyway.
Left to Right: Stanley - Esther Maybelle (Stanley) Spurling (1895-1984) - Mrs. Francis Marion Spurling - daughter of Mabel Estelle (Stanley) Stanley Stanley - Mabel Estelle (Stanley) Stanley (1868-1955) - Mrs. Arno Preston Stanley Stanley - Albert Ernest Stanley (1871-1949) - brother of Mabel Estelle (Stanley) Stanley The woman at the far right of the photograph may have been Edna (Lewis) Coulter (1907-) - Mrs. Winfred Everson Coulter. Her husband, Winfred, was a first cousin once removed to Mabel Estelle (Stanley) Stanley, according to Ralph Warren Stanley.
Description: Left to Right: Stanley - Esther Maybelle (Stanley) Spurling (1895-1984) - Mrs. Francis Marion Spurling - daughter of Mabel Estelle (Stanley) Stanley Stanley - Mabel Estelle (Stanley) Stanley (1868-1955) - Mrs. Arno Preston Stanley Stanley - Albert Ernest Stanley (1871-1949) - brother of Mabel Estelle (Stanley) Stanley The woman at the far right of the photograph may have been Edna (Lewis) Coulter (1907-) - Mrs. Winfred Everson Coulter. Her husband, Winfred, was a first cousin once removed to Mabel Estelle (Stanley) Stanley, according to Ralph Warren Stanley. [show more]
Left to Right: "Kit" - the horse Charles Samuel Spurling (1880-1911) Viola Florence Joy (1887-1911) Bernice Spurling (1904-1929) Clarence Freeman Joy (1893-1988) In the wagon (tentative identification): Walter F. Joy (1891-1974) Clyde E. Spurling (1910-1934)
Description: Left to Right: "Kit" - the horse Charles Samuel Spurling (1880-1911) Viola Florence Joy (1887-1911) Bernice Spurling (1904-1929) Clarence Freeman Joy (1893-1988) In the wagon (tentative identification): Walter F. Joy (1891-1974) Clyde E. Spurling (1910-1934)
Left to Right: Clarence Freeman Joy (1893-1988) Charles Samuel Spurling (1880-1911) Bernice Spurling (1904-1929) - died of TB in Arizona In the wagon (tentative identification): Walter F. Joy (1891-1974) Clyde E. Spurling (1910-1934)
Description: Left to Right: Clarence Freeman Joy (1893-1988) Charles Samuel Spurling (1880-1911) Bernice Spurling (1904-1929) - died of TB in Arizona In the wagon (tentative identification): Walter F. Joy (1891-1974) Clyde E. Spurling (1910-1934)
"Front Row – Left to Right: Unknown boy Elmer Adelbert Spurling (1901-1984) Second Row – Left to Right: Elva Leone Spurling (1898-1980), later Mrs. Harvard Riley Beal Elva Lena Bunker (1901-1997), later Mrs. Ora Joseph Mountain Lena Marion Wedge (1897-1965), later Mrs. Harold Leslie Stanley Esther Mabelle Stanley (1895-1984), later Mrs. Francis Milton Spurling Hazel Belle Bunker (1900-1965), Mrs. Carl Raymond Hardy Vincie Millicent Bunker (1895-1993), later Mrs. Charles Stephen Hulbert Third Row – Left to Right: Unknown boy Ina “Inie” Mildred Bunker (1898-1945), later Mrs. Walter Richard Stanley Bertha “Bertie” Moore Stanley (1899-1918) Enoch Arno Stanley (1897-1977) Unknown boy Fourth Row – Left to Right: Teacher – possibly George Russell Hadlock (1881-1958) - lawyer Ralph Clifford “Cliff” Stanley (1897-1988) Unknown boy"
Collection of the Great Cranberry Island Historical Society
Description: "Front Row – Left to Right: Unknown boy Elmer Adelbert Spurling (1901-1984) Second Row – Left to Right: Elva Leone Spurling (1898-1980), later Mrs. Harvard Riley Beal Elva Lena Bunker (1901-1997), later Mrs. Ora Joseph Mountain Lena Marion Wedge (1897-1965), later Mrs. Harold Leslie Stanley Esther Mabelle Stanley (1895-1984), later Mrs. Francis Milton Spurling Hazel Belle Bunker (1900-1965), Mrs. Carl Raymond Hardy Vincie Millicent Bunker (1895-1993), later Mrs. Charles Stephen Hulbert Third Row – Left to Right: Unknown boy Ina “Inie” Mildred Bunker (1898-1945), later Mrs. Walter Richard Stanley Bertha “Bertie” Moore Stanley (1899-1918) Enoch Arno Stanley (1897-1977) Unknown boy Fourth Row – Left to Right: Teacher – possibly George Russell Hadlock (1881-1958) - lawyer Ralph Clifford “Cliff” Stanley (1897-1988) Unknown boy" [show more]
Left to right: Edwin Marion Spurling (1896-1977) Francis Milton Spurling (1896-1958) - brother to Hervey Merton Spurling (1899-1971) Francis and Hervey were third cousins once removed from Edwin. There is a sidewheel steamer, possibly the "Mount Desert" in the background.
Description: Left to right: Edwin Marion Spurling (1896-1977) Francis Milton Spurling (1896-1958) - brother to Hervey Merton Spurling (1899-1971) Francis and Hervey were third cousins once removed from Edwin. There is a sidewheel steamer, possibly the "Mount Desert" in the background.