The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-06-01
LUCK IN A WAECK.
Blown Ashore at Chicago, He Stayed
There, and Made 100000.

Blown Ashore at Chicago, He Stayed
There, and Made 100000.
From the Chicago Daily Tribune.
Capt. George w. Streeter and his wife
are going to vacate the old soow at the foot
OF Superior street which they have so long
called home, and which, with the property
that it stands on, they have held against all
corners and against all kinds of odds-often,
when necessary, resisting invasion with
fire. arms. But they are not going GU IN
worthy Of the rich land they hold.
The history Of Capt. Streeter's scow and
his war for sQuatter sovereignty is an old
and oft-told tale. An old seafarer, the cap
tain tired Of the active work Of the mariner,
determined to become a landlubber-but
not full-fedged one. Chance had hand
in making this decision, for the old scow,
Of which Streeter was captain, was cast up
high and dry one day by the waves during
q storm. aud when the elements subsidized
the captain found himself his wife, and his
craft safely lodged at the foot OF Superior
street. From that day to this he has been
a landlubber, although the old hull has
served him for home, and he has been day
and night within earshot of the swish of the
water. Gradually the land grew farther
out into the lake, or rather the lake was
gradually filed up at and about that point,
and Capt Streeter, by sduatters right
claiming the land on which his cabin was
located, extended his claims Of domain over
the property that was converted from the
lake east of the nautical home
Superior street, near the lake, is lined
with handsome aud costly residences, and
the houses of several select boat clubs skirt
the lake shore near by. The captains un-
slightly scow dwelling, and, perhaps, his &c
centric mode of life, were Objectionable to
- I
freQuenterS of the boat houses. N. X.
Fairbanks, John V. Farwell and other
owners of property in the vicinity have at
times claimed the land on which Capt.
Streeter has lived and thrived by virtue OF
riparian rights, but the captain has 80 far
succeeded in convincing the court that his
riparian rights are just as good as those of
the other claimants. aud, If he is ever ousted,
it will be after the highest courts have de-
cided against him.
While the captain was engaged in resist
ing invaders he had many thrilling expert
ences. The last notable one was when he
shot young Mr.. Avery during an attempt
to fence him out OF his property. In fact
Capt. Streeter was not popular in North
Side society. No more so was his vile.
She troubled her husband occasionally, too,
and only last year there was great scan
DIAL in squatter circles when the captain had
her arrested on charge of insanity. But
peace was restored, and only an casional
storm has disturbed the captains peace
since that time.
Hereafter all will be different. The cap
! tain has determined to abandon the scOw
| and to erect on his property large, G-story
apartment building, modelled after the
Marquette structure on Ohio street. An
| architect has already been employed to
| draw the plan for the new structure, which,
| when completed, will be furnished with all
madam inn ANT hA 81
| for the building has south frontage of 100
| feet on Superior street $50 feet east of the
| elegant Anita fats, owned by T. j. Shay.
| The captain claims $50 feet more, which is
now held by Mr.. Farwell. Now that the
report is gone about that the captain in
| tends to improve the district by the cree
ton of this great building he is a trihe
more popular. But the prospect has not
| made him proud, for he was found hard at
work remodeling a boat.
This is excursion steamer, and she
| will be launched a week from Saturday.
1t is the Rutan, thoroughly rebuilt, and
| she will now be called the Squat:er- Yes,
sir, this is the craft l was wrecked in six
! years ago, which has made ne rich man
! by the land that has been made all around
US heren
1t was Capt. Streeter who was thus talk
| Ing. Il name her the Squatter" continued
| the captain because she was wrecked here
and she and l became squstters, and we
have grown up with the country as wealthy
and as respectable as most Of the other
sIuatters in the neighborhood. l am not
very tony myself just yet, but you see the
| Rutan, born again as the Squatter, is a
saucy, tony craft She is as good as new
She is thirty-nine feet in length, twelve feet
! beam, and measures about twenty tons.
| She is fitted out for passengers, and will
comfortably carry about fifty. | am going
to ruo her between Chicago and the gov
ernmSnt pier. Her engine is an upright.
| 6xl2, aAaQ she has a new upright boiler
| She viii We about 18-horse power.
YES, sir, my property here is worth
about $500,000 My dear old Rutan did all
this for me- love that ship with the az
fection that any sailor has for the craft that