The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-02-27
RELICS FROM THE SHIPS.
SOME or THE QUEER THINGS SEEN
IN OLD SOUTH STREET.

Quaint Fisureheads which Have Inter
esting Histories-How SEINE of Them
Were Handled During the Draft Riots.
A Pessimistic Old Salt.
4 battered looking old fellow. wearing
an antiquated chin beard that was the
color of picked oakum, stood on South
street yesterday, gazing at one Of the big
clipper ships that was loading prepara-
tory 10 a trip around the Horn to San
Francisco. His gaze was somber. He
seemed in some way disseminated with
affairs as they stood. Evidently he was
not pleased with his Immediate sur
roundings.
Handsome ship, that" remarked a
bystander to the veteran.
''Humph," snerted he OF the oaken
beard "Mebbe you're jedse o ships"
We'll, no, but thought"-
"Oh, you did," retorts the veteran.
well, thort You did. Well, that air
clipper she air well enough for her.
amt sayin' she amt a bit handsome 70
look at, but I've seen heap better. Thar
wuz the Davy Crockett. She WIZ a snip
as was hansum an as did hansum. An
there wuz-but what's the use: Tines
is changed an ships is changed an South
street Is changed. There's more wrecks
along here than anything else.
What dye think / seen along here
while ago? Well, | went in one Of
them junk shops where they keeps all
sorts Of things that they picks up from
old ships, az shiver me IF thar in that
shop wuzn't the figurehead Of ship
sailed in thirty years ago. 7Twuz al
battered an broke. but knew 1t at once.
Well, bought it, an I'm goin' 10 take
il up to Cnettykut, where l hive. an
keep it there. An amt goia' voyagin'
through South street any more. Ii
makes me feel like castaway hulk my
selfI' With this the ancient one re-
lapsed into silence which be would not
break
THE OLD STYLE FIGUREHEAD.
In one respect the old salt was right
enough. South street can show an
abundance Of queer relics of wrecks and
relics of brave men who have gone down
to the sea in ships within the last thirty
shops that keep all sorts Of queer Things
on hand. They pick these things Hp in
a variety Of WAYS, and there Is = ecnsld-
cradle sale for them.
There are figureheads. for instance.
IN the olden time every ship Of any pre-
tensions had a fgurehead. Owners Of
vessels We'd IN their efforts TO secure fine
designs. and the enterprislng gentlemen
who modelled the Representations II fam
maids. sea nymphs. Of trim rnidshipmea
or Of adnirals ii uniform did . night
pretty business. A simple sort Of scroll
work has taken the place Of the dashing
figures Of the past.
OF course there are exceptions Ths
big English four master. the Falkland
mas an sxcelleatly modelled representa-
ton OF the Fair Maid o. Perth above hei
cutwater. The clipper ship SerniEols
has Seminole brave N full war paint
and there are others. In the main. how
ever. tie cid time fignrehe@d has faIlsE
into desastude.
just OF South street, before s1op il
winch nautical instruments are sold
there = the figure Of sailor that tas
evidently seen many and many a storm
BE looks A. Ghoagh be hsd been crimps'a
and shanghalei times D-yond number
Part Ct his nose Is gors. seAs che IA
made Poi shot at ore & lbs eyes, Dat
there Is . jzznty. wicked lser Epon n
face and Al expression thai says:
Here's sals as has szales, az b
bowed 70 ysF
EFEIGY OF sgy- BOLIVIA
There are couple Of Old hgureheadi
to ce seen % South street tazs have hze
very hard experiences On lsnd az well a,
ca sez- One CO the-e il an e.ngy q Gen
Bolivar. and was tas fZuTstead 81 -.
AMP q that name
Originally tss efsi.yy was 20 painted a
10 aurssa- dressed ia fui! naval Uniform
enckaa hat and all. AZ the time CT 10
draft riots ttss rioters, having nosAins
else 10 Go ~ cne tine. stood kcrcss TIA
s;r-et ard fred baiLsts ~ hi1n- Hs re
csiye6 FIJI many . vsEnd tia. day. bur
be stands IA his place s-ili. SIT az
erecs-
Another hsayeb=a1 Jared even wors.
a. Us sazas hsEds. Il ~zs In-endesi Z
rgprsssat szus2si Kimbsll. - Kess-e.@-
Nj. bat u lsf- toe ga sosse forty year.
40. i va ts<E placed sasxs i: sOz