Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-10-22
Captain Collins at Home.


good fortune was left for your reporter on
Wednesday last. When the Star arrived safely
at the Gardiner dock, her long time master
was at work at his own home in that city.
and, in shirt sleeves and corduroys, receiv-
ing dire ctions from the ladies of the house
hold in regard to reporting the house plants
from the border to the winter window gar
den. Recognizing US the Captain invited us
into the house-a substantial, roomy, COM
Portable dwelling, plain outw ardly, interior
bright with six big windows through which
the sunlight warns up the spacious rooms
when there is any sunshine, and down we
sat together in the large double parlor, the
captain still in his shirt sleeves, to have a
little chat. After a moments usual talk
about the awful weather, we said,
well, Captain, you have been long
time on the Boston and Kennebee line"
YES" he answered, dropping his head as
thinking for a moment, and putting his hand
to his forehead, ''you wouldn't believe it,
but came on in 1886. and that is more
than fifty years ago"
what, as captain" we queried, with
some surprise.
"Oh, no, bless you" replied the veteran
ship master. 81 began way down at the
bottom; in fact almost below the bottom,
and worked my way upwards. The first
boat | was on was the old New England, and
| was attached to the engineers department.
Then | was eight years on the old Huntress.
This was the first American boat TO go to St.
John, and | went there with her in 1913"
Has your service on the Kennebec and
eastern waters been continuous since 1882"
mo. | was on the Pacific coast for three
years, as engineer of boat; and at and
about Baltimore, Md, for two years and a
half Ard then in answer to a personal
question, put in parenthetically, he con-
tinued
Yes, | am a genuine 'down-easter.' l
was born in what was then HallowelI !; let me
see, how long agof Well, no matter, call
myself a young man yet, and tell our boys
we don't want any old men round our boats,
and no more old boats, either"
Captain, that makes me think of thing
| wanted to speak of. What about the new
boat yonr company is to build or purchase
know all about it, as see by the papers you
have Just been to New York, probably to
ascertain"
mo. | don't know much about it" he an
swered, vita look which gave me to infer
that he knew more than he could tell any
newspaper man, any way; land what do
know | prefer not to talk about. This much
| will say, however, no more old, second
hand boats. We are sure of that. The boat,
if it is decided upon, will be a new one, and
built this winter. 1t will be longer and wild
er than the Star, more modern and fashion
able like, you see"
"Will it take the place of the Star, or be
run in connection with her"
II cant say about that, but probably dur
ing the height of the season the two boats
will be needed to do the business, although
Judge that at the first and last part of the
season one boat will do the business
"Oh, yes" the Captain said, as reminded
1.-THE place where | was born was in Hal
lowell at the time, and since then it has been
severally in Gardiner, West Gardiner and
Farmingdale."
There have been great changes in Maine
since you commenced boating your report
er remarked.
Eyes, wonderful changes answered the
Captain. When | first went into steamboat
ing there were two lines of stages up and
down this valley. and they did all the bust
ness. One was mail stage and one an ac-
commodaton. They went to Richmond,
Brunswick, Portland, and SO on west, and
carried on an average about twelve passen-
gers day, each, both ways
"IIow long have YOU been master of the
Starr"
Ever since she was built in 1866, peri
cd of twenty two years: and in all that time
have com handed her on every trip with
two exceptions. One was last week when
went to New York; and the other was some
twelve years ago when remained off to at
tend the funeral of brother
what vas the earliest and latest dates
you have made your trips?"
81 don't remember definitely, just now,
he replied; but several times we have made
trips as early as March, and several as late
as December. On an average we make one
hundred and forty round trips year"
Have you ever missed a trip"
well. no. not really. Several times we
have put out and then gone back; and some
times have been day late, as We were last
Saturday; but | think in all the time men
toned we have not failed to make our week
ly trips"
"Iow many passengers have you carried
have you any means of knowingf'
Eyes, we are obliged to keep record of
the number carried on each trip. August
and July are of course our great months for
passenger business. and then we carry three
to one to what we do at other times of the
year Last year, and in fact for the past
six or eight years our total number of pas
sengers carried has been about thirty-tive
thousand yearly
And no lives lost?"
"No," replied the captain with a single
exception. A few years ago lady was in
iured at the wharf at Boston, so that she
died soon after, but it was no fault of any of
the boats men,"
"A remarkable record, and one to be
proud of, captain, said.
I'VE think So"
And we babe the careful, prudent popular
Kennebec ship master goodbye, while he
went to his house plants aud domestic affairs.
In the last number of the San
itary Inspector Secretary Young of
the State Board of Health publishes a
request for information concerning the first
outbreak of diphtheria in Maine. One of
the first well.known localities of infection
was in Chesterville, where the disease APP