Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-09-11

LETTER FROM CALIFORNIA.
SAN Francisco, August 10Th, 1871.

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To the Editor of the Journal:
Those of your readers who have visited
California since the completion of the Pacific
Railroad know that the terminus of that great
overland artery is in the Bay Of San Francis
CO, some two or three miles from the shore.
The ferry boats which run every hour for the
accommodation of the Oaklanders belong to
the X. II. Co. One year ago last tth of July,
the company was extending its wharf farther
into the bay and building new warehouses
and sheds for the accommodation of the over
land travel and freight At that time the
boats ran into the old slip at the wharf, which
was about one mile from shore. On the day
above mentioned, frightful accident occur.
red at the wharf. BY the breaking of de-
fective casting at the slip one hundred and
fifty persons were precipitated into the water,
as they were passing from the boat to the
wharf, and fifteen of them found watery
graves. The old slip where the accident oc-
CURED has been abandoned and the long
sheds are unoccupied. 1t is desolate, lone
ly looking place even by daylight, but at
night when the waves are lashng against the
timbers of the wharf, and the wind is howl
ing through the buildings, it must indeed be
very far from attractive.
| To guard against fire, the r. r. Co. has
long kept night watchman marching up and
| down the wharf from the old to the new slip.
This watchman's name is Brewer. He is said
| to be temperate man, and has hitherto been
| held in the highest esteem by those who
| know him.
| A few days ago Mr.. Brewer gave notice at
| the Co.'s office that he could no longer watch
on the wharf. Being reliable man, the CON-
pany was 10th to part with him, and asked
his reasons for leaving them so abruptly. At
first he declined to give any, and also declined
| to go on duty another night in order to give
them time to fill his place. Thinking there
was something mysterious aboutit, they pressed
him for his reasons, and finally he reluctant
ly told them that the old slip or part of the
wharf where the accident occurred was
haunted He asserted that for FIVE nights in
succession he had seen the figures of man
and woman promenading the wharf. At first
ne thought it was some one '.playing ghost"
ghosts, he did notpay much attention to them,
until at length he saw them deliberately walk
off the wharf and disappear in the water be-
low then he began to feel his chair to raise
and stand on end like quilts upon the fretful
porcupine." And he noticed, toe, with great
wonder, that they made no splash or even rip
pie, as they went under.
The next time they visited him, he '.went
for them," and chased them into one of the
old sheds, where they put on invisibility, and
he lost the scent. Then he began to think
Oakland II. r. wharf was not healthy place
for him to be perambulating alone onights,
hence he gave up the job. Ne man who
| took his place was not afraid of ghosts, oh no!
| He could eat ghosts every night and not suf-
Ter from indigestion. He was ghost-hunter,
he was. But one night ESQ he says), one of
the ghosts called on him, and very politely
opened conversation Dy inquiring how he
liked his job. Now, almost any person would
be delighted to have an opportunity of con-
versing with genteel, gentlemaply looking
ghost. There are so many interesting ques-
tions one would like to ask, and points to be
settled in regard TO that other world where
ghosts are supposed to reside, that most any
one, say, would have jumped at the chance
and thought themselves fortunate if they
could only have pumped few satisfactory
answers from him; but this man evidently
was not of that philosophic turn of mind, for
he Immediately picked up an empty nail keg
and hurled it at his ghostship with all his
might and skill. 1t passed completely through
him without meeting any apparent resistance.
Evidently this was not the kind of reception
the ghost had been accustomed to, and natur-
ally enough he took instant departure. ANY
one would, l think, under similar crcum-
stances. 1t must be a little rough passing a
nail keg through person.
The next day the X. r. Co. was notified
that there was a vacancy on their night watch,
and third man was employed, but up to
this date the ghost has not made his acquaint-
ance. He is prepared TO fight whole regi-
ment of ghosts, if necessary; but l am de-
cidedly of the opinion that it is not the proper
: way to treat respectable ghost, throwing
a nail keg at him. 1t is said that this ghost
and ghostess take the form of two persons
who we're drowned at the wharf at the time of
the accident, and who when fshed up were
found locked in each others arms This re-
minds me of another young couple, one of
whom, at least, wanted to be locked in the
others arms. TIE story might aptly be
termed "a Put-up Hymenial job"
"a young gentleman and lady had bar
gained to get married. The preliminaries all
being settled they started off for the parsons,
accompanied by the lady's sister and the sis
ter's lover. This lover had for some time
been importuning this sister to marry him,
but without success. With the advice of the
other couple, he had agreed that as soon as
they were married, they should fall back and
he would advance with the sister, and it was
thought that under the spur and excitement
of the moment she would not have the cour-
age TO hold back. To this end the would-be
husband had procured license without the
I knowledge or consent of the wonian't-be
bride. When the time arrived to spring the
!. tran, they found the young gal was equal to
: the occasion. She stubbornly refused point
blank to connubiate. The poor fellow plead