Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1874-07-31
A Few Things From Many Places.
Correspondence Of tie Times.
LoNGMEADow HOUSE, r. l.,


Correspondence Of tie Times.
LoNGMEADow House, r. l.,
July 81, 1874.
We went from New York to Providence
in the steamer Frances, but there is no
thing remarkable about the Frances but
| her moderation. All the other boats pass
ed us, even the little tugs and some of the
canal boat captains looked as though they
would not run from IA challenge to Il race
on the Sound. When one is not in hurry
let him 90 in the Frances for the appoint
ments are good, and we had an excellent
supper at moderate rates on the European
plan. The steward of the boat is Il most
rotund individual with Il frank counte
nance that incites confidence; and wanting
to speak to somebody and not daring to
invade the august presence of the captain.
we attacked the fat and trolicsome steward
who received our advances i'll the same
|splrlt as they were made. An eventtul
life has the steward experienced. He has
been on all kinds of craft on seas and
sounds, lakes and rivers, CULTS and bayouS,
and has met and survived all the perils
tnat steamboats, have power To put il man
Iunder,-wrecked on coral reefs. snagged
in the currents of the Mississippi, founder
Ell IN the guilt, run on the rocks of Il dan
| gerouS coast, caught in Il vessel on fire.
blown up by an explosion, and last and
mot least, he was on the MctiS of the Nep-
tune line, which was lost last year off
| W atCh Hill, having survived a terrific gale
to be destroyed 10y "A collision with a mis-
cradle sloop. His account of the disaster
was better than that published. They felt
the shock, but did not regard 1t as danger
lous. Another steamer hailed, and the
captain said all was right and no assistance
was needed: 50 they laid down for another
map, and the other steamer put OF into
darkness When beyond the reach of
sound or signal, word passed that the MetIs
was sinking They got out the life presery-
ers and dashed the cork mattresses together
and arranged them for the women to get
away on, but the poor things stood and
looked at them, pronounced them danger
ous and utterly refused to try them. Not
a woman could be persuaded or scolded
into trying them. and they all persisted.
! The steward. weighing two hundred and
eighty, tioated on one six hours, was then
picked up and survives yet To tell the story
and encounter other perils. If 4 steward
can tell such adventures, we could not help
asking ourselves what must be the tale OF
u captain Bat we did not get at the cap
tain, and must leave him to the reader for
a pumping when he chances TO travel on
the Frances
| The Frances brought us safe to Rhode
Island. We came to Rhode Island u get
cool. The State is So small that il cools
! of very readily after warm spell, and
we find its breezes most delicious. On
some of the maps the State is indicat-
eel by a dot or point, and to the inhabi-
tants and visitors it is more specifically
known As Rocky Point, which is a charm
| ing spot, though il does make merely
! spot on the maps. The feature of the
! Point is an eating house, being the only
one in the country capable of feeding the
whole people of a State, which this one
/ does easily. There is a tower here, and
| from the top you can see the whole of
| Rhode Island and segment of Massachu
sets. The State has recently been stakcd
off into lots for building purposes, and
these lots can be seen from the tower, and
| that is the best situation for max ing a Sc
| lection. They don't sell SO well rs was
expected. on account of the scarcity of
room for exercise, but this difficulty il is
| thought viii he obviated ultimately by
establishing q ferry To SeCkonk. The peu
| pie are proud of the State on account of
its diminutiye size, and call it a gem,
which il is, set in the silver of Narragan
sett Bay. and studded with shells, many
| Of them of the fayoritc order of the clam,
the most popular edible of Rocky Point.
| We shall attend clam bake before we
| leave.
Rocky Point reached its present state
Of glory through the efforts and money of
one of the Spraguc family. Byron Spra
que, cousin of the present senator " lillian,
and son of the first Governor William, after
| the death of his father, tired of mills and
water whecls.-and water too,-toOk his
money out of the manufacturing firm and
! invested it in watering place, Rocky
| Point. where he shortly died from a too
| persistent disregard Of cold water princi
pies, It's said. The investment for a time
did not prove profitable, but recent i'm
provements in the taste for clans has i'm
proved matters, and Byron's course is now
approved with acclaim alton. Had he
! lived till to-day be would have been the
Colossus of Rhode. able to snap his fingers
at clans and cldmG.
We shall touch the clam question rath
er gingcrly, we stdi, from motives of dis
erection, as we propose To stay at the Point
and in the ncighborhood Il couple of weeks,
and our own clam shells would be in dan
ger of summary closing not CONSTANT
with the snmniery pleasures we come to-
enjoy, should we disrespecttully speak OF
Rhoda's favorite tivalve. But it is cool
down here at the Longmeadow, which is
mile from the Point VIAToR.