The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1888-05-31

| We're. but the cabin was of size sufficient to seal
all Passengers at meals. should say w
had thirty passengers. The >taterooms were
| twice the size As in ocean steamships in Oui
! days. ! have gone through many fine steam
ships at the piers of this CITY. and thought how
miserable il must he for passengers to have Il
| pack in. three and four in cubby hole. will
/ barely room to stand in outside the births
| The Tallahassee had eight or zen cNtra->ized
| rooms besides. as much rs twelve feet square
| | should say. and bedStead in cact--not !:
! berth. bat regular double bed-leg> fixed to
the floor. of course. and tall posts holding up Il
| tester over the whole bed curtains dependent
| from the tester. all in an oiden-time bed
! chamber. There was sofa. ease of drawers.
| chairs that set bv the legs into sockets in the
| floor when The ship rolled. \ fixed wa>hba>in
| and tank above it. filled from the deck above.
both made of the Wedgwood ware. that then
was a new thing and co>tly-at least it was in
| this city. The cabin floor and >tateroom floors
were covered with Brussels carpets. Cabin.
/ >tateroonl> and >tairway> We're paneed with
I hirt'>-eNc mapie-it was the first of that wood
| ever >aw-tl' trimmed with dark wood. and
| Gilt or liver border. think il was mahogany
1 the dark wood: black walnut WAS not in vogue
/ then. 10 not know a> hal ever seen any of
il. Cabin furniture was all solid. honest ma
hogany. The ladies cabin was Just forward of
the main cabin. in which We ate. and in there Il
pianotorte was liked. The stewardes> was
quite a LADY; She and lady or two besides
vices there and singing evenings. when good
weather. The table fare wa, equal TO what it
was at the finest New York hotels. Mr>. =
says meals come often we We're kept eating
pretty much all the time.
We came back the next year. 1892. in the
Roscoe, Captain Deano She was splendid
ship. Inside and out. Her >tateroom floors
We're polished hard wood, pretty much covered
with Il lHr-e heavy rug. Very >oft-Mr>. -
says il was Persian rug-in every room. but
possibly il was not Persian. The >tateroom
doors and others We're ore large pane of
-round-gia>>. figured. and below an oval panel,
cnamelled. painted with some design. floral or
"mblematical. All around the cabin walls
(bulkhead> the >hip-folk call them two rods of
brass ran. brightly FURNISHED brass. one a little
up from the floor peoples feet could not
hit against the beautiful polished work; the
other four feet up or thereabout. The rods
seemed unhrohen across the >tatcroom doors.
but Were 80 nicely jolntcd. every door opened
with it, section OF the rods. \ round brass
ROD ran under the long dining tables. 30 people
hraccd their feet against ii. from both sides
when the ship was rolling. The stairs were
hra>>-coVered. with brass rails. The after part
of the l"ris was a step OF two above the main
deck. The rail all around this stern deck WAS
hra>>-toverel aud Il round brass rail stood in
and up from il on brackets. 50 people would
not ilch over the outer rall when the
ship was pun-ing. They had AN awning
over thi> deck and Il carpet on it in fine wealth
en- Most part Of the WAY to New York it was
boi>terou~. 2ni the Roscoe drove on at fear
fu' rate. making the run across in sixteen ,lav>.
yet The last three or four days it was a light
breeze. gentle sea and >ultry. Those days the
passengers >aiI up on the after deck. and till
late at h-ht also. We read. played games and
talked, and the young folk danced on the main
deck in The moonlight. All. my friend, Mrs.
- and were Young folk then, The servants
were anxious to 40 all they could for Us: they
l.lt,f
brandy and soda. >herf,ct and >Ioe juice. and all
the fay orte drinks of that period in Europe or
America. Both the Roscoe and the Tallahassee
had an ice room on board. TWO or three of
the crew played mIi>ica instruments for our
dances. and played for some OF Us who sang.
Two were kept busy polishing brass work most
all day. The cabin floor had very soft carpet
on it-moquettt. should say. If the panels
and trimmings were not >atin-Wood and ebony.
there were fr>t-cla>> limitations. and the brass
rails. cnamellc,l and painted doors. -it mould
ing> and mirrors sci them off in splendid style.
\ long wide >kyiight lighted the cabin. \
silver vase stood fixed in the middle of each
table. which was filled with bouquet of fresh
flowers al every breakfast. The passage price
WIS Slio. wines included at mid-iay lunch and
At dinner. but charged Ntra when served other
times. There was 10 stint of wines 1T dinner.
The table ware was fine china; cut-..la>> and
cutlery WAS made 10 "ii>tcn afrc>h. like new.
every day. Thirty to forty passengers Were
on the Roscoe. Among item was Martin Van
Buren,, aftcrward President. President Jack
son >cnt him over a. minister to England but
" hen The senate met they would not confirm
him. and 80 he packed his trunk and came
home. Ii did not seem to annoy him. The
R0>coc> >tatcrooln> were a> nicely fitted up a>
the Tallala>>rc'>. No bcd>teal in them. but
very wide berth-. with carved facng> and
'!ama>h and lace curtains. The Roscoe had
bathroom and barber shop. The grandest
ocean steamers today have dome rising from
the grand >alo0n-What they used to call the
cabn->tuccocd, fre>coed. with painted Win
doW>; supported on columns all around, and
>uchikc ornate features. 1t shows different
taste in decoration from that fifty years AGO.
hut do rot know IL if is finer. The Roscoe
and Tallahassee did not have smoking rooms.
but neither did they have Il faro bank and
gambling going on. H. | am told i the chief use
If smoking rooms on the Atlantic steamers to-
day. No profant nur loud talk either on those
old ships Captains Deluno and Glover Were
perfect gentlemen and very able commanders.
D,laDo WAS rather slight OF built. if | remem-
Der right; he did not hook over ihirty-he must
have been thirtv->iN-wa~ quiet and lina>sllnl-
Ing of manner. unless different manner was
necessary. lie used to come on deck. look up
at the sails. at the Whcesman. look in ut the
hinnaclr. take observation with his instruments
give some order in a low tone. contidential-like.
10 his first or second officer great hurv mem.
then turn to the passengers with little pleas
ant talk. He would inquire very politely about
the ladies. especially for any he did not see
about. il they were sick. etc. Then he would
disappear till the next meal time. and .hat was
never very long. This i all can think up to
tell YOU. my fricnd it has been much assisted
with Mrs. -'- good memory. and more so.
as to particulars, from letters to my parents
wrote on the voyages. and they afterward fell
| into my hands arain. | Went over to England
| and back on business. "A few months later.
| alone. and was gone from this city seven weeks
NEtr nIIt.h il,,t tlai
others. and never have been since.
For those who suppose that all the comfort.
luxury and spendor that ever was aloat are
embodied in this or that famous steamer we
see advertised in the papers to-day. and that
our fathers and grandfatheI> had but a sorry
| time Of it 1T sea- the foregoing letter should be
| interesting and corrective. As regards interior
ornaintniation. have seen something of sea-
going steamers Of different periods in the past
forty Wears, and for simple, tasteful beauty,
none showed ANYTHING finer than the cabins of
"A >hpof the cl,l Lombard line. on board which,
when a boy. ! once sailed down Boston harbor,
outside the BreWStcrs, with pilot named
Lunt who was a ncghbor. and his son George.
who grew up to be an eminent navigator, As
afterWarI learned.
Quite distinguished man as Martin Van
Buren, was ReN. DR.. Wilbur Fisk. then presi-
dent of the Wesleyan University at Middle
| town. Conn. The doctor and Mrs. Fisk Went
to Europe in the Roscoe in 1S33, and We're
there two years. 1t is not depression, for it
belongs toa view of "Some Things That Were"
| to say that Rev. DR.. Fisk was the author of an
engaging volume of foreign travel, that had
hosts of readers in those years. 1t was pub
| shed hy Harper & Brothers in 1888, and covers
| the two years of journeyings and >ojourns Of
| DR.. and Mrs. Fisk in Ireland, Great Britain
and continental countries. Many things in DR..
| fisk'> book have now an interest that the
readers in his day could not have seen IN them.
| Those who would like to have seen France,