Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-09-06
GREAT DosNGs Ar scoNsET.
A Fire i'm That Primitive Fishing Vii.
Iage-NOmen a~ Fire BOys-Pyr"tech-
mics and Pumpkin Lanterns-What
The Town Cricr Cried.
Correspondence of THE EVENING STAR.

Correspondence of THE EVENING STAR.
SIoNSET, NANTUCKET, August 1854.
The fire engine has been of use. Scoasct mas
had a coniagration. short time ago the peo-
pie We're startled by the cry of fire. Fortunately
it was about tea" time. and the male pQpula-
ton was at home engaged in the discussion of
that interesting meal. The streets leading to
the engine-house were soon alive with the rum
ming populace. and in a little while the engine
was drawn down Broadway by men and BOYS Of
all aces. from the venerable old sea captain of
eighty 10 the boy in his teens. and stopped at
the reservoir. where the hose was unUOund.
The engine was worked by hand. and quite q
novel spectacle to those who are accustomed
TO seeing such work done by steam In short
time the thrilling CRY of more water" was
given. and double line Of matrOns and maid
ems was formed between the reservoir and the
town pump. Buckets of water We're passed
along the lines rapidly. and owing to their eff
forts Il sufficient supply of water was kept in the
cstern to work the engine. Several hand
grcnades were thrown in, which aided mate
rally in subduing the flames. and confined the
fire to the one cottage In the excitement Il
small boy who had started for yeast with tin
pail and penny hung the pail on picket fence,
deposited the penny in it carefully, and went to
work with will. When all was over he got
his pail and went on his GRAND.
Thursday night was the occasion Of q grand
illumination 10y the Nantucket railroad. 1t was
announced that the pyrOtechnic display would
be under the management OF a noted professor
of Boston. There were rockets. balloons. Roman
candies. cOlOred lights and three set pieces -
1.-The morning SUM-" the evening star" and the
climax proved to be an ''enlerald wreath sur
rounding the word ''Sconset." There were over
two thousand visitors on the banks. The cot
tages were brilliantly illuminated with lanterns
of various shapes, flags and streamers. jack
O'lantern made of watermelon was suspended
from a tree in front of one OF the cottages, Civ
ing a CHASTITY grin in the direction of the rail-
road. The reporter of a Nantucket paper de-
clared himself to be 'struck dumb" at the sight
of it and unable to express any emotion. OF
course the boys were in a high state OF glee and
revealed in a torchlight procession, led by q gal
liant knight on horseback, who gave the word of
command and waved his torch in the air. We
have heard that next summer u roller Skatin q
rink and bowling alley are to Invade this ancient
village. The afternoon train brings out the
town-crier, who blows his horn and tells that
there will be con-n-cert by the Nantucket
band" They are coming to 'ScOnset.' He
has the Nantucket paper, the New ork papers,
the Nantucket papers. the Boston papers. and
the Nantucket paper with everything in it
Autumn has appeared with its glory of golden
rod and purple aSters. 1t Is sad to see these
flowers. tor they seem to hasten the ending of
summer at ScOnset..
Capt. BaXterhas at last given up bringing out
the mail and now the baggage car boasts of a
Z. S. NJ attachment; but the Captain is still in
/ bis element when taking in" these summer
visitors. and had room full of distinguished
and undistinguished mOrtals to see Il
red bat" that he had caught with much
difficulty on his way out the evening before.
Such a rare curiosity. all were anxious
to gain admttance into his sanctum One of
the ladies announced that they always went for
her hair and her head was completely enyeloped
in shawls. The Captain had every door and
window tightly closed. for he wanted to be sure
and prevent its flight. The expected moment at
last arrived and the box was cautiously opened,
containing red bat literally (brick)
| The great place for picnic berei is Wauwinet.
/ There is no railroad there. and the ScOnset
sctOoners are started off on cruise across the
moor to the place of the Squdittuna. That is in
Nantucket dialect. At Wauwinet there is a
| hosiery. where shore dinner can be had, con-
| sstng of chOwder, steamed CLAIMS, lobster blue
! fish. clam fritters and Wauwiuet cakes.
| Being situated at the head of the harbor. the
! bathing is still water, and the beach is strewn
| with scallop shells, which the little folks
| gather.
A short walk across the ''haulover" brings us
| to the ocean beach where there is a boat Tor
sharking.
| The two match base ball games between the
| Nantucket and the Sconset mines were exciting
and also the tennis tournaments.
A poem has come to light on the fly leaf of q
book found on the table in room OF boarding
| house on Main street, Nantucket before the
fire of 46. The writer had a sad time there evi.
IDENTIFY:
Farewell to Nantucket, forever good bye!
May each one who leaves it be happy as /,
For of all the strange places this, the strangest
must be-
They whale it by land. and they whale it by sea.
| They live by their Oil, tt is all they desire,
| Prepare then for Judgment, you'll all be ON fire.
From the number of summer visitors here now
Nantucket must have changed for the better
and become more attractive. A.W