Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-07-01
,e East Journey undertaken for the special pur-


pose of writing an exhaustive book on the Orient.
The volume has just bsen issued in splendid style.
and bears the appropriate title of "Backsheesh.'
1t is impossible to give within the limit Of an ordi.
nary notice. an adequate description of this truly
admirable book, which needs only to be seen to be
appreciated. Its seven hundred Royal octave
pages contain two hundred and fifty splendid Illus
traons, and its forty-eight superb full page en-.
cravings are among the best Many Of these ele-
gapt plates were executed in London and Paris
at al enormous cost.
Tow Boat Notes.
From "New Iceland" so called, comes the most
encouraging reports Of the progress of the disposal
of the article from which it takes its name
Richs orders for the following month arc about as
| follows: For the Butchers and Consumers OF
Philadelphia, little over q thousand tons per
week and their fleet have begun to arrive and are
on the way; for New York, each contract a
thousand tons per week, making over three thous
and tons per week in all. knicbeIbockers, which
Stacked off little last week, go ahead again at the
rate of ten thousand tons per week. Weeks Con-
sumers' over thousand tons per week. Barker
and Oler double that; Great Falls and Indcpend-
ent of Washington, and Haley, as fast as they can
ship; Lawrence and Atkins, South GaIdlHer, the
same; kennebec Mutual, Gardiner Ice Co.,
Checseman and Berry all doing fair business
kennebec Land 4 Lumber suspended in Pittston
for while to hurry off their ice from Haynes &
DcWitt's at Richmond. The lot on Nahaumkeag
Island, understand, is going light off to Smith
| of New York, Capt. Potts at Gardiner, agent
And so it goes. There will be wonderful clean
| ing out in few weeks. 1t is said that our New
Iceland is the busiest place in the United States,
at the present time. .
This all sets the tow boats busy, and they will
have all they can do. They now make a fine fleet.
and exhibit feats of skill and wonders of work in
| the towing world. The approaching high water
is the time for their performances in the iceland
regions. Last Friday there sight rarely
| seen in our water. A squadron Of vessels moved
out of the lower reach past Swan Island in the
| following order: First came the fiery "Hamil
with ship (without yards) of nearly seven humid
| red tons She was followed by the well known
| "Adelia" with two of the same sort. Then came
the powerful new "Weed" with three; following
| her was the magnificent "knickerbocker" with
three or four; then the speedy "Resolute. OF
barge fame, with two, and the beautiful little
"Cuy of Lynn" with two more. Six tugs and
thirteen sail of vessels of large size, carrying an
average of 300 tons of ice. Well, 1t was sight
| that IN ght put one in mind Of Porers bomb fleet
moving up the Mississippi, in the war, only it was
peace instead of war In addition to thi. was the
little american Cnion," dating and putting
about, performing wonders and one OF the most
useful Of all.
There is well known lone" in this busy sea
son that we miss. From his beautiful home in the
Clover reach" his family look in vain to see the
steady hand guiding the powerful little boat he
once commanded. We refer to Capt. William
| Blanchard, one of the best known of all the tow
boat men. Kennebec's water rolls lovingly by his
| new made grave, gently washes his shore, muir
murs softly to his vacant place; and the sweet
breeze, laden with odors of the Towering fields,
signs its requiem where he rests near the river he
loved so well. We cannot but stop in the busy
scene to think of those who so lately were asso-
ciated with us, but nov gone forever, and to try
| like them TO do our wol faithfully and well.
Saturday last the third boat of the kennebec
| line, the "Mary J. Finn, arrived from New York
She is a beautiful craft little over year old
built BY Neatfe x Levy of Philadelpha. She is
light draft twenty inch square, and eighty feet
.. long, ard designed by the company Tor Augusta
and Hallowell towing. She Will show herself at
Augusta as soon as she gets vessel to tow up
there, and the company hope to get good share
of the Augusta work.