, 1880-09-06
Captain Charles P. Smith.

The thrilling story of the heroic cap.
tain of the Saawanhaka. who stood
bravely at the wheel, wrapped in flames,
until his work was done, has been read
in every household in the land, ana has
taken its place in the chronicles as
among the greatest deeds of daring
done by men. Few, even of the most
courageous, would have faced fate so
terrible as that of being roasted alive.
And yet with the almost certainty of
such q death before him lie never
finched, but remaiped in his burning
cage until the fire had scorched his
face and blistered his arms and shoul-
ders. When at last his boat was safely
beached he sprang, all ablaze, into the
water below, and at the same instant
the wheehAouse crumbled and fell in
ruins behind him. He was barely able
to drag his exhausted body through the
mud to the shore, and when found
there he was utterly exhausted and
quite unconscious.
boatman, the gallant conduct of Cap
tain Smith was not surprise. An in
innate associate and friend of thirty
years-Captain Post, Of Glen Cove
gave an interesting account of his Ca
reer to reporter of the New York Sun.
Charley" said he. has been used to
the water since he was big enough
to dig clans and catch horse-feet.
He knows the East River, top and bot
tom of it, and has piloted all manner ot
craft throughit. He has run sailboats,
sloops, schooners, and ferry-boats, and
all kinds of boats, big and little. His
father was boatman on the south side
Of the island, and went to Roslyn
about the time Charley was born-say
| fifty years ago to sail sloop for Viii
liam Hicks. Charley was brought up
on the water. When he was only
eighteen years old he piloted the sloop
Martha Ann. Next he had charge of
the sloop Mary KIRBY. when he was
about twenty years old. Then his fa-
ther built another sloop, called the
Ruth L. Hicks, AMI Charley piloted her.
He has been familiar with the Sound
aud the East River from boy yhood.
the Seawanhaka. He could not have
picked out q better spot. Then Char
ley thought he would like to be pilet
GU ferry-boat. and Mr.. Havemeyer
gave him position on the Grand Street
ferry to Williamsburg. Next, through
my Influence and that of others. he got
appointed pilot on the Fulton Ferry.
But he joined the famous strike of the
Fulton Ferry pilots about twenty years
ago, and lost his place. He has two
brothers who are now pilots on the Ful-
ton Ferry. You see it's family of
pilots. His next place was as pilot of
the tug-b boat J. s. Underhill. When
MIR. Somerindyke ran the steamboat
Long Island. Charley Smith was pilot.
La 1857 the boat ran on Execution
Rock, or Success Rock, at Sands Point,
but all of the 400 passengers got of
safely, as it was broad daylight, aud the
pilot was not blamed. The boat sus-
tanned little damage, and Mr.. Somerin-
dyke kept him on. In 1861 or 1869,
when had charge of the big steam
boat Arrowsmith, which was chartered
to carry troops. took Charley with
me- as pilot. 1 always had confidence
: h m as man who would do the right
thing in an emergency. He had cool
head and steady hand. He was 8
man who could take a long watch when
wanted.
"When the Long Island North Shore
, Freight and Transportation Company
was formed, aud the Jesse Hoyt was
put on the Glen Cove line, Charley
, Smith was given the place of pilot.
, thought he was the best man We coulC
get. He knew his business, was SO
Der, steady man, and q reliable mar
when there was trouble. have never
:, known him to take glass of liduor
When the company built the Seawan
haka, in 1866, Captain Smith was pu
in charge of her as pilot, and he hui
been there ever since. He was pro
). moted to be captain about four year.
y ago, when left her. have seen hin
,uany times in dangerous places will
= boats, aud no matter how heavy th'
- storm or how dense the fog, he coulG
manage boat we'll.
= He is married, and has three chill
!, dren, and lives very comfortably II
, b. ooklyn. One OF his brothers wa
lost in schooner that went to Georgi'
for load of lumber, and was neve
heard of afterwerd."
A purse of money is being raised Il
% this city to be distributed ameng tn
4 officers and crew of the Seawanhaka
=. including the captain. in grateful recog
81 nition of their valuable services. Ia
u sum already amounts to $500, AM
J, will doubtless be largely increased
y Hnper's Weekly.
Sc The very earliest specimens we pos
e. sess of printing, by means OF ink o
as any similar substance, is the Romal
,e stamp, which is preserved in the Brit
a ish Nj useum. It is made of metal,
- ID brnSS the OrQuQd e