Wichita eagle., 1889-09-29
WHEN SAILS BEAT STEAM.
TALK ABOUT THE GOOD OLD TIMES
ON THE HUDSON RIVER.

How the Model of the Isle of Pines Was
Whitfield Out and Adopted-The Bests
Stole Schooner and Sailed Prosperous
Voyage with Her.
There are some of the old Hudson river
shippers lett. said veteran river captain
the other day-the SHIPPERS l mean, of the
sailing craft that used to ply up and down
before the steamers drove them out Of bust
ness. They are great whittlers, and, strange
to say, the stick they work upon always
turns into the model of a boat. 1t is a curl
Gus fact that in the old days many of these
carelessly whitfield models served to mold the
lines OF some very fast sailing craft.
DEPARTURE FROM OLD RULES.
One notable instance of this kind is that
of the once famous and exceedingly fast sail
ing schooner, the Isle of Pines, which hailed
from Port Even. The story goes that one
Saturday afternoon Morgan Everson, an old
and expert ship builder at Rondout, was sit
ting on a stick of timber in his ship yard.
Beside him sat his most intimate friend and
companion, Capt. Jim" Cogsweu, as bluff
and hearty an old skipper as ever sailed the
North river. They were talking and whit
Ting at the same time. Everson fnall ysaid
Jim, Pm tired of building vessels after the
old lines. believe that departure from
the old rules in the way of following cut
original ideas would benefit the trade and
produce faster sailing craft"
Hum" said Cogswell, Il dunno but wot
yer right, Morgan. How would this do for a
models" at the same time holding up the model
of a schooner which he had whitfield from
pine stick.
That's my idea to dot" said Everson.
"She is sharp in the bow, broad in the waist,
and narrow in the stern, and will ride the
toughest water on an even keel like duck.
Not too much depth of hold, but just sharp
enough in the keel to prevent drift in bad
weather. She looks like pirate, and I'll
gamble she could beat the Tom Powell"
That was the fastest steamboat on the North
river at that time.
After discussing the merits and dement's
of the model for some time, Capt. Jim de-
cided to build a craft after its lines. The
vessel was built, but whether by Morgan
Everson or not l do not know; but the fact
that the predictions of Everson were fulfilled
remains. as the Isle of Pines was not only
the fastest sailing craft of her class that ever
sailed the Hudson river, but the Atlantic
ocean as we'll The schooner was commanded
for many years by Capt. CogsweIl's son-in-
law, Capt bill" Southland, and made long
voyages to the West Indies and South Amer
lea, where she came very near being cast
away several times. She became famous for
her quick passages.
An amusing story is told about Capt. Ezra
Salter, who owned the famous old schooner
Macedonian, the first three master that ever
appeared on the river. Away back in the
thirties she lay tied up to the wharf in Hud-
son. Her crew were all ashore amusing
themselves, except the negro cook, Teneyck
Ticehurst, who was busy about the vessel.
At that time a notorious character named
Jake Best lived on Diamond street, in Hud-
son, where he kept a disreputable resort.
The sheriff was after him and his two SONS,
one called Jockey and the other George, for
some petty offenses
To get away from the sheriff old Jake and
the boys, both of whom were strapping young
fellows of 10 or 20 years, boarded the Mace
DOMAIN, and after having locked the colored
cook in the forecastle they hoisted sail, and
cast off the lines, and set sail down the river.
They were soon out Of sight. Some time
after Capt Salter came down to the dock
and found his vessel gone. He was told that
Jock Best and his Old man had her and had
gone down the river.
PROFITABLE ALI. AROUND
There was no fast mail or telegraph in
those days to intercept them, as most Of the
intelligence was carried by mail coaches and
post riders or by steamboats, S slow as the
sailing craft on the river, if not slower The
result of Capt Salter's visit TO Hudson that
time was that the Bests took the Macedonian
and went on a cruise with her to the West
Indies, being gone over eight months. Being
plentifuly supplied with money when they
ran away with the schooner, they ran into
Baltimore and took aboard cargo for trad
ing purposes. Alter having made their trip
they wrote 10 Capt. Salter to meet them in
New York This be did, and having effected
a compromise with the authorities for the
theft of the vessel, which had been reported,
the Bests shared with Capt. Salter the profits
Of the voyage as a remuneration for his lost
time and the use of his vessel Capt Salter
was often heard 20 say after that that it was
the most profitable voyage for him that the
Macedonian ever made. After their settle
nlent with Capt SaIter, their scrape having
blown over, the Bests returned to Hudson.
The Macedonian and her master were after
ward cast away and lost il a storm at For
tune Island.
In those days many Of the mails, all the
produce, and nearly all the passengers from
the landings along the river were carried by
/ sailing vessels. A steamboat was looked upon
! by the yeonlanry OF the river towns as a pro-
duction OF Satan and thing to be avoided.
; Whenever a farmer along the bank of the
river wanted TO take passage or ship freight,
be would watch for the first vessel coming
down the river and signal it BY blowing a
horn. The vessel thus signaled would haul
close inshore and take whatever he had to
offer. Sometimes races were sailed between
noted vessels all the way from Albany to
/ New York. A coming race would be adyer-
] tised for weeks in advance. On the day on
which the race was to come off the banks of
the river would be black with people, many
of whom had come miles from the interior
towns to witness the race, and the interest
manifested il the possible successor thefavor-
! lite far exceeded that now seen at modern re-
gattas.
/ Two of the most famous racers of the old
time were the schooners Commodore Porter,
commanded by Capt. Hiram Wilbur, and the
! Jonathan Bowen, commanded by Capt. Titus
Whitmore. These schooners hailed from
Troy, and carried grain and other produce to
/ the New York market. They would gener-
ally leave Troy at the same hour on the same
day and race down the river fun tilt all the
way to New York. Every skipper who saw
/ them coming under their cloud of canvas
would Immediately make tracks 10 get his
vessel out of the way, as they sailed hike the
wind. nip and tuck, sometimes one leading,
/ sometimes the other. Whoever got In their
NOV yas spre m h, RIM down After they