Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-02-25
REpICS FROM THE SHIPS
some or THE QUEER THINGS SEEN
IN OLD SOUTH STREET.

Quaint Tigurehcads Which Have later
esting Histories-How Some of Them
Were Handled During the Draft Riots.
A PessimIstic Old salt.
A battered looking old fellow, wearing
an antiquatcd chin beard that was the
color Of picked oakuin, stood on South
street yesterday, gazing at one Of the big
slipper ships that was loading prepare
tory to trip around the Horn to San
Francisco. His gaze was somber. He
seemed in some way Disconnected with
affairs az they stood. Evidently he was
not pleased with his immediate sur
roundings.
"Handsome ship, that" remarked
bystander to the veteran.
"Humph," snorted he OF the oaken
beard. "Mebbe you're a jedge o ships"
"Weil. no. bat Thought
"Oh, you did" retorts the veteran.
"Well. thort you did. Well, that air
clipper she air well enough for her. |
amt sayiE' she amt bit handsome TO
look at, but I've seen heap better. Thar
WIZ the Davy Crockett. She wuz ship
as was hansum an rs did hansum. An
there wuz but what's the use? Times
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
I them junk shops whore they keeps all
sorts Of things that they picks up from
old ships, an shiver me ef thar in that
shop wuzn't the figurehead of ship
sailed in thirty years ago. 'Twuz all
battered an broke, but knew it at once.
Well. bought il. an I'm goin' to take
it up TO C'nettykut, where | live. an
keep it there. An amt goin' voyagin
through South street any more. II
makes me feel like castaway hulk my.
self!' With this the ancient one re
lapsed into a silence which he would no,
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
10 the sea in ships within the last thirty
years or more. There are a number Of
shops that keep all sorts of queer thing
on hand, They pick these things up il
variety Of ways. and there is consid
cradle sale for them.
There are fgureheads. for instance
In the olden time every ship Of any pre-
tensions bad figurehead Owners O.
vessels We'd in their efforts 10 secure fin,
designs, and the enterprising gentlemen
who modelled the representations of fail
maids. sea nymphs, of trim midshipmer
or Of admirals in uniform did a RICH
pretty business. A simple sort of scroll
work has taken the place of the dashinI
figures Of the past.
OF course there are exceptions. Tn
big English four master, the Falkland
has an excellently modelled representa-
ton Of the Fair Maid of Perth above he
cutwater, The clipper ship Seminol
has Seminole brave in full war paint
and there are others. In the main, how
ever, the old time fgurehead has fallei
into desuetude.
just off South street. before shop il
! which nautical instruments ARE sold
there is the figure Of sailor that ha
evidently seen many and many a storm
He looks as though he had been crimpe
and shanghaied times beyond number
: Part of his nose is gone. some one ha
made pot shot at one of his eyes. bu
, there is Il jaunty. wicked leer upon hi
. face and an expression that says:
i Here's ealt as has sailed, an b
/ blowed 10 ye.'
EFFIGY OF GEN. BOLIVAR.
There are a couple of old igurehead
to be seen on South street that have ha
very hard experiences ON land as well 4
on sea. One of these is an effigy of Ger
\ Bolivar, and was the fignrehead OF I'll
ship of that name.
Originally the effigy was so painted {
> to appear dressed in full naval uniform
!, cooked hat and all. At the time OF I'll
draft riots the rioters. having nothin
else To do at one time, stood across III
street and fired bullets at him. He r.
! ceived full many wound that day, br
. he stands in his place still, stiff an
a erect
]. Another igurehead Jared even won
o at the same hands. 1t was intended |
i represent Samuel kimball. OF Kennebe
Me-. but il left the sea some forty yea
!, ago 1t was then placed where it no
: stands. to call attention to a store tt
draft rioters had rare sport with 1t or
n day. They tied rope around its necl
a dragged it here and there in wild gle
d Then they made it the central figure
r a bonfire. just rs II was being consume
9 the police came down and rescued /
0 Il was repainted. and today, impassis
7 and dignitied. it passes its time studyin
human nature as il is ON South street.
But there are other curios to be foun
in this locality besides tigurehead
There is ono shop where moro or ieI
] warlike articles can b. found Thel
You can zee ugly weapons taken froi
! Chinese and Malay pirates: you can I'm
: queer looking weapons taken from nj
tives on the African coast or the va
clubs Of the patagonians-at least yo
will be told they are.-New York Ma
q and Express.
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