The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-07-16
STATE TOPICS OF INTEREST,

The city Of Waterville sells $4,000 worth
of her new city bonds to the Equitable
Mortgage Company Of New York, for 1854,
with accumulated interest
win the Hon. J. p. Bass shoulder the
Eastern Maine Fair this year?" This is the
absorbing topic in agricultural, political. So
cial and grocery store circles In Eastern
Maine.
| The pulp mill industry continues to ex-
pand in Maine. The Richards Paper Com
, pany have just decided to build large mill
on the old Sawyer lot in South Gardiner.
| The building will be Of wood, $50 feet square
| and one story. The building will cost $135,-
! 600, employ about so hands and turn out ten
tons.of wood pulp day.
The prohibitory law is used for various
purposes in Bangor. A widow Of
that city, an amazon of strident
voice and compelling temper, had a
tenant who wouldn't pay rent. That
he sold rum had not formerly troubled her; !;
but the liquor crusade suggested way Of
getting even. Going into her tenants shop,
she seized long-necked bottle and trium-
phantly bore it to the police court Certain
technicalities in the court seem to have de-
feated her complete scheme Of revenge, but
she still keeps the bottle.
Mr.. G. w. Singer of Waldoboro has writ
ten an interesting letter on the adventures Of
one of Boothbay's retired sea captains, who,
in his younger days, during the civil war,
was mate Of the barkentine Spray. clipper,
engaged in the opium trade. The Chinese
ports, in the region of the Canton river,
swarmed with pirates, with whom the Spray
had one tremendous fight. The vessels of
the pirates were known as "lurchas." They
were manned by from so to 70 Cinnamon.
Their armament consisted Of big brass guns,
from which they fired round stones, scraps
of iron, etc. Their powder was so poor that
Yankee powder would blow them out of wa
ter before they came within firing distance.
Near the top of their mast was platform
surrounded by a railing. Here three or four
pirates were stationed with 'stink potts. .
iong-necked earthen jars. IL a few of these
could be broken on vessels deck, every
man would be smothered by the poisonous
| fumes. The Spray was armed with 10 guns,
| 10 and 12-pounders, six on each side two
swivels aft and "long Tom" forward.
Boarding pixies were arranged around the
masts IN rows. The ''lurchas" could attack
vessels only when becalmed. At such times
they rowed up to their prey, and unless they
were sunk or their sweeps broken before
they reached the si6e, their superior num-
bers would soon sweep the crew from the
deck. On the 27th of June. the Spray had a
battle with two of these ''lurchas" from day
| light till late in the afternoon. At one time
the pirates were near enough to hurl their
stink-p0ts, but none reached the vessel. In
| the end, one "lurcha" was sunk. The other
then retired
Two Kennebunk farmers, named Little
| field and Waterhouse, are at war. Little.
field reaches his land over road running
4
he claims is a public road. Waterhouse as
serts the opposite, andoast week tore up a
bridge over small stream, thus making the
way impossible. Legal advice was taken by
Littlefeld, and the bridge rebuilt. Water
house taereupon began new move. There
| were more barns upon the Waterhouse farm