Mattie C. Bell

The Bell went ashore on Summer Island with her escort, the steamer James Sherriffs, in a snow storm. Both crews escaped to the island where they were rescued by the tug Anabel. The schooner rested on a bed of boulders which had penetrated her bottom. She was heading southeast in the bay, on the east side of the island and north of the east point with her starboard side towards the island in about seven feet of water. There was nine feet of water on her port side. Efforts by wrecking tug Wright to free her proved fruitless. The steamer Joseph L. Hurd in attempting to assist only succeeded in losing her anchor and 20 fathoms of cable. The anchors and remaining deck machinery of the Bell were stripped, as well as 150 tons of coal. This is one of three wrecks that touch each other. These wrecks lie off the south point on the northeast side of Big Summer Island. There is lots of debris scattered around in about 5-25’ of water. Lies in about 7.6 m; sank 1895.