The Portland daily press., 1871-02-23
DAILY PRESS
PORTLAND
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1871.

PORTLAND.


An obituary notice of Joh, No., .,.r
pape. over tue initial "P" Tin which I recog-
n'le an acquaintance OF other days) saws .be
extended his enterprises to the West Ina,or
AFRICAN and European Seas" This st;rs ,,,,
recollection of the feet of rakish LITTLE ve.s.;.
in which he carried on his trade betwoo,,
Portland and the coast of Africa 40 wears aoo.
was then young man just Commencing
business and he was my daily and welcome
visitor on his way to his counting room ON
Long wharf through Exchange street. The
vessel of which I have the best recollection
was the jaunty little ship John" of about $50
tons, not so large as Bennett's yacht Daunt-
less OF New York. She was built at Flying
rolnt on the Kennebee, and first rigged as a
pr's and made one voyage to Africa, in COM
mand OF Capt John Wait now 80 wears cid to
whom am indebted for many facts. He Is
one OF the very few shipmasters of those days
now living in Portland. The brig needed
more sail aft and a mlzenmast was added
making her full rigged ship, having all the
"sky scrapers" and "moon rakersu of a New
York "Linel" with light sails of all shapes
wherever one could be rigged to catch the
light winds of the African seas. Mr.. Cox had
an eye for beauty as well as gain. The John
was his favor.te vessel and bore his Lame. I
recollect her first arrival after her alteration.
She was hauled into the dock on the south
side of Losg wharf, outside OF large new
felshting ship, light and high out Of water.
The John was deep loaded, making the con-
trast in the size OF the two ships very striking,
the masts of the John reaching about up to
the top gallant yards of the latter ship, and
appeared about the size for long boat Ior
her. Mr.. G. also owned a new "long Legged
schooner called the Romp. Capt. Wait sailed
In her the brst voyage and was capsized off
Georges Bank in gale, but succeeding in
Fighting her and getting back to port Her
foremost was shortened and she was made an
hermaphrodte brig. Capt. Wait then made
the voyage in her. She afterwards made
several voyages in Gcharge of Capt. Joseph
Barton, who died at Cape Mesurado, lof coast
fever, while in command of her.
Captain Allen then took charge of her,
Mr.. Cox's brother Josiah, who had been in
the dry goods business with Charles Rogers
lnow living) under the firm name of "Rogers
and Cox in store on Exchange street where
Hall L. Davis's bookstore now is, went pas
senger in her for his health, and died on the
second voyage at Madeira, OF consumption.
Mr.. c. also owned the schooner Reporter,
Captain Enoch Preble, who made one voyage
In her. then considerably advanced in life.-
He was brother to the Commodore. Mr.
Wills says of him, "Aiter long course Of
faithful service at sea and an honorable ca
reer on land In civil life, he died in 1S42 at the
age OF TO-" He was the father of Mr.. Cox's
End wife, and OF Capt. George II. Preble of
the navy, who married daughter of Mr.
Cox. The brig Union, 1 think afterwards al
tered to ship, was also one Of this feet Of
African traders, she was commanded BY Capt
Ciough. Their outward carsoes usually con-
sisted of lumber, provisions, soap, candles
and New England rum. Their first port was
Madeira, selling what they could OF their car.
goes there and replacing it with wines for
Portland and then sailed for the coast At
Goree and Port Praya they got hides and goat
skins, at Cape Mesurado they got loswood
aud Elephants teeth, recoliect some of
eS2 gS4atHeoMas gale " cape e'zp 'aPaadf aVPerd Islands.
must relate humorous anecdote il it is
out Of place. While one of the vessels was
taking in salt at Cape Verd Islands New
Bedford whaleman came in with oil, OF which
the Portland vessel took $50 barrels on
freight. ON top of her salt. The heat of the
climate caused the oil to swell and leak
badly. After her arrival in Portland,
another Portland Captain who sailed his
own ship had just arrived with another cargo
Of salt from some other port aud was peddling
it out He had fears that two cargoes would
gaut the market and went on board to see
what the Cape Verdi salt looked like and
found that the oil had completely saturated
the salt, spelling its sale, and for the want of
dunnage they had used goat tskins to stow
the oil casks which were also soaked with ol
and moistury,'a pile of which laid near, which
perhaps did not, like the Danish Kings "of-
fence, smell to heaven" but could be smelt a
long distance in that direction. There was
no one on board bat an Irishnan whom the
Captain asked if the goat skins were not
spelling. In reply he said, mot at all, at all,
they are entirely swate it's the mater of the
baste; they stinks alive, they do." 1 think
Mr.. Cox vas the only Portland merchant who
| ever made an attempt TO establish legti-
mate African trade. His brother-in-law, 10.
seph Harrod. who for many years sold dry
| goods in the store ON the eastern corner Of Ex-
change and Middle streets, had an interest
with Mr.. Cox, but was not known in the
business. Both "went UNDER in the same
commercial revulsion. They gave iup their
property to their creditors to make the most
Of it, and commenced other business, which
did not require so much capital. Mr. Harrod
now lives with his son nin-law, who has a fine
situation on the North River, near New York
l and yet makes an annual summer visit. 10
Portland. Mr.. Cox after busy and honora-
BILE lie was stricken down few weeks ago by
paralysis, aged Is years. W. G.
i Windham. Feb 10th.