Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-02-19

of Casco Bay, and carried thousands to ths
Islands not always returning promptly.
| recoiect her while in the latter service, un
der the derisive name OF "Horned Hog"
nave 10 knowledge Of her fate. There wat
another boat on the coast Of Maine in 1876
called The "KoEncbec.
| The next year, 1923, the ''Waterville" was
commenced at Bath, by Capt. Porter, and
! think the engine Of the unsuccessful steam
mill was altered to marine engine and
| placed in her, but am not sure. In is2C
! she is mentioned as having new and more
| powerful engine. Capt. Porter had 70 pleas
ant recclections Of his last years experiment
| but had obtained some assistance from Port
lard and Bath, which enabled hin to carry
ont his long cherished idea Of establishing
steam communication between Maine and
Boston. lie went to New York aud pur-
chased the then fine steamboat Patent, anu ar
| rived in Portland, CATER stopping in Bostoa, }
on the 1lh Of August, 1928 as the papers say.
A boys impressions of this event may not be
uninteresting. | was then a country lad Of
IA, and with another Of about tie same age,
had gone to Portland on horseback, to see
'the ELEPHANT and other animals Of a menag
erie, then exhibiting. We found the town all
agog owing to the expected arrival Of the
great steamboat" She was signa!led Mt
| the Observatory and was about entering the
harbor. Men, women; and children rushed
10 Union wharf to get look a. the ching"
Capt. Porter stood on the wheelhouse, cane
| IN hand and gave his orders from his elevated
position, with the proud air of a conqueror,
(probably recollecting the "Horned Hog")
and emphasizing with his cane. After the
boa. was hauled in and made fast, the captain
made proclamation that after ~ ooding up
and allowing all WHO desired TO look over the
beat, shc would ut certain hour leave for
Bath. The Patent was q low boat it'll moth
ing above the main deck exccpt part of the
aoiSy engine, while, like all Tie carry built
steamers she had Il heavy fly wheel, with half
its diameter above deck, ard open to view :
THIS va. tie most noticeable feature about tic
boat. After wishing the kennt hec the PA,
tent" made nearly regular trips between
Portland and Bost y for the remainder of tie
summer with the exception of occasional vis-
lis 10 Bath. The Boston Coulter Of August
~, 1873, says the Patent arrived the day be-
fore, in seventeen and 4 half hours from
Portland. i no@ have the United States en-
sign which the Patent wore on staff at The
stem, Oh her arrival 10 Maine; il was pre-
scented to re by Capt. Porter in Dec. 1897,
when he was about leaving Portland for Au-
gusta where he died in March following. He
was soliciting and did obtain state aid 10 ena-
bic him II publish chart Of the coas, of
Maine; his age was 50. l spent the first year
OF my married life in the family Of Capt. Pos-
ter and iro:n him obtained many facts con-
corning these "frst boats
/ am rot clear as to which boat, the ava.
terville" or patent first vexed the waters
OF the he nnebec, but in the spring of 1924,
the "kennebec Steam Navigation Compay y"
advertised the "Watervlle" TO run from Bath
70 Augusta and the Patent" from Bath to
Portland and Boston; one trip per week fare
from Bath TO Boston, 81. The Wa,ervile
was broken up in Portland in 1893 the witt
er owning one share in her.
WM. GooLD.