Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1891-10-20
The Late Cantain Meade

Tne des IL OF Capt. Wm &. Mea ia which
occurred et Philadelphia week or Two ago,
has been noted In the GAZETTE. he vas
an od resident of this city. and was kDoEn
by numbers now iViue. The Philadelphia
Record apesk5 as follows concerning the de-
ceased
Captain William q. Meade, the night
warchman stationed ct the G:ay's Ferry
bridge for The Baltimore end Ohio Ralroed,
who dropped dead with heart aeesee last
wsek, was In Command OF ihe fret vessel
that arrived at g. Irish pert with grain end
provisions st the time of the terrible irish
famine Ia 1847 He was cue o' the cd5st
sea csDiaiGs ~ PhiIadndhie, and hia early
maritime onreer dates back 30 these OLD dave
wien Philadelphia was little town. He
was born at Aiexeudris, Ve, then f CUT
isblpR seaport, In 1927. Faeoipated by the
glimpse Of sea life which be obtained ou bis
native whsryes ae ran away from hcme IN
his 5oybood and sought adVen ure end for
tune upon the 6esp, only abandoning his fa-
vorite element for dry land zen years ego
Re eeemed 30 have genius for deep'sea
navigation, ard while yet mere youth YVES
inst allied In the responsible pos tioD of Csp-
lain Daring hie many years OF voyages TO
and fro over the waves he sailsd Ia com nant
| OF numerous ships aud touched many
snores. He was a taii burlY-built mariner.
ghoss courage wss proverb among bia
| shipmates, aDd whose long black beerd had
been blown about bis sea-heaten face in
mHny Wild gale. He generally sbipped
| from PalGdsiphis, and Was ;eVotite oap-
tain OF tha old vessel froa, snoh as Penrose
& Barton, Dlllet AMI bers. When the po-
tao crop failed 10 Ireland 10 1916, and our
ing that and the succeeding year most d!s
tress.ng famine caused thoueands cfIreiand's
poor to perish from starvation, the p!tiful
news stirred the generous hart of oil Amer
| lea. The bark General Hsrrison, lying IN
| the Pniedelpha port, was soon crowded
| from hold TO foreoastle With cargo of grain
and provisions destined for ths suffering
| peop!e OF Iceland. Bet the great sea Icy be-
tween si this welcome relief and those for
| whom IL was intended, A trusy, reliable
| sea captain, whc could guide the vessel safe
| iv to her destination, wes needed, and the
choice, responsible ss ii wes, fell upoE Capt.
| William Meede.
| Five other vessels had also been fitted up
with cnrgoos for the relief Of the fsmished Irish,
+, and they all started very nearly upon the same
| day. In midocesn severe squall arose, and yet
| despite the angry storm Captain Meade Kept his
| bark plungng along on her csreering way through
tho heavy sea, with all sails unfurled. The other
vessels were held back by tho gallo. Captain
I Meade brought the General Harrison into port
| two and s-half days ahead OF them all. His was
! the first vessel to bring yeiof to Irish shores.
Guards had to watch the ship carefully during
the distribution of food TO prevent the famishod
| inhabitants from raiding the ship. Captain
| Meade had many other adventures at ses. He
was stricken with ship fever OF one voyage, cast
| away on another, and once returned to this coun-
| try with wrecked British vessel in tow. The
same ipdomitabe spirit displayed by him on his
memorable relief expedition to Ireland eventu
ally landed him in prosperous berth financially,
| and he had for tome time largo fortune invest
cd in old Philadelphia vessels"