The morning news., 1889-04-20
WILLIAM PARAM BROOKS DEAD.
An Eventful Life Brought to It's Close
An Engineers History.

An Eventful Life Brought to It's Close
An Engineers History.
William, Param Brooks. chief engineer of
the steamship Tallahassee, died at o'clock
last night at his home, No. 22S Anderson
street, from complication of diseases. He
has been in bad health for the last three
weeks His last trip on the Tallahassee was
made March Is He went to Suwannee
Springs in the hope Of regaining his health
and was there, two weeks. He returned Mon
day and grew worse gradually until his
death. DIR. Read attended him in his last
hours.
Mr.. Brooks was born in Edgefield district,
South Carolina, March 81, 1882, and has
devoted his whole life TO the sea. His
career has been most remarkable one, aud
is full of valorous deeds and notable
services. In early youth he served as engi-
neer on line OF steamers of his fathers
plying between here and Charleston.
His skillful management of the steamers
soon brought him into prominence, and
when he entered the confederate
navy he was appointed first assist
ant engineer Of the Sumter, which
sailed out of New Orleans on her first trip.
He served with marked ability on the Sum
ter until she became unseaworthy and was
laid up at Gibralta. He was not destined
to be long idle, and within short period he
was appointed first assistant engineer on
the Alabama. He was on the steamer,
during the fight with the United States
steamer Kearsarge off the coast of France,
in which the Alabama was sunk. He es-
capped by swimming away from the enemy.
Later he was appointed chief engineer of
the confederate ram Stonewall and served
on her until she surrendered in Havana at
the close of the war As in former in
stances, when almost everybody on his yes
sells was captured but himself, he escaped
aud entered the Spanish navy as chief
engineer, and remained there until 1876
when he resigned and returned to Savannah
and accepted the position of chief engineer
on the Ocean Steamship line.
During his term of service in the Spanish
navy Mr.. Brooks was instrumental in
cane and tidal wave on the island
of st. Thomas, in which it is
said that over sixty sailing vessels and their
crews and ten steamers and their crews
were lost. The loss of life was appalling,
and, for the bravery exhibited by Mr.
Brooks In endeavoring to save the vessels
and rescue the people, the queen of Spain
conferred upon him cross of the Order of
San Isabel, which he preserved with other
valuable relics. Being at one time con-
nected with the Sumter, the Alabama and
the Stonewall, he had an historic album
containing the pictures OF each one of the
vessels and a photograph of the officers.
The deceased had in his possession a whales
tooth, on which were cut, by some of the
staff, the picture OF both the Alabama and
the Sumter. The pictures are said to be
exact lkenesses of the vessels and Admiral
Raphael Semmes, in securing a picture
of them for his Memoirs of Service
Afioat, took copies from the whales tooth.
Among other relics are two flags of tne
Alabama and the Sumpter. The former is
bunting and the latter is Of silk. Both
have been carefully preserved.
Mr.. Brooks was untiring in the perform
ance Of his duties, and his promptness to
his post was characteristic of the man.
He leaves a wife and six children. Two Of
his children are sons. William B. Brooks,
the eldest, is employed at the Baltimore
wharf, and Robert S. Brooks is about to
complete bis education at Newbury, s. G.
The deceased was a brother of Mai. Jordan
F. Brooks, who remained by the bedside
Of his brother during considerable portion
Of his late illness. Mr.. Brooks was a MEM
Ter of the Confederate Veterans Associa-
ton, which will attend his funeral to-day.
| Capt. Fisher of the Tallahassee and his off
GERS are in port, and will also attend the
funeral.