Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1893-11-28

a Sailing Vessel That Han Away From the
Famous Alabsns-s,ery Of the nses.
Hisssry ss ths Bark sises the wsr-css-
aligned 70 the risoss
The old bark Msmnon. one Of the most
ancient craft ON the Pacific coast, viii
70 to sea no more. She has fought her
Last battle against wind and water and
win be towed to the marine crematory
ut California City, where she win be con.
signed to the flames.
The Memnon was built In Boston In
1853, and when she started on hes frst
voyage was one Of the finest vessels afiost
Of her size. For several years she was
the pride Of the western ocean and could
show her heels to any craft In the trade
She was one Of the very few American
vessels that when chased by the pirate
Alabama succeeded In making an e.
rape. The Memnon was on her way
from Liverpool to Boston st the time
md fell In with the Alabama when about
half way across the Atlantic.
The Alabama concealed her identity
until she got within half mile Of the
Memnon. when the Confederate hag was
hoisted to the peak and the astonished
crew Of the Yankee bark began to realize
the true character Of the strange steam.
er. The captain Of the Memnon called
hll hands aft, and In q very few words
told them that capture meant many long
months In q prison. and that he proposed
to escape II possible.
The crew wero no more anxious to
visit Confederate prison than the cap
tain. and when he gave the order to square
away the yards the command was obeyed
In very short time.
II was blowing gale from the north.
west at the time, and the bark was under
her topsails, but M soon as the yards
were squared the men ran aloft, aud sail
after sail was loosed and set. The men
took no time to cast of the gaskets. Ev
erything was knife work. and In almost
less time than 1t takes to tell 1t the daring
Yankee was flying away to the eastward
under cloud Of canvas that threatened
to tear the masts out Of her every minute.
Captain Semmes Of the Alabama had
no idea that the bark would try to es-
cape and was below when the pros
pective prize changed her course and
began to make sail. He was quickly OF
deck, however. and sent shot after shot
at the flying Yankee In hopes Of Grip
pling her. At the same time the Ala
hama crowded on all steam and sail, but
O stern chase is u long one, and In q
breeze like that the Yankee bark was as
fast as the Alabama and just trife
faster.
In spite OF everything Sernmes could
do tho Memnon slowly but surely drew
away from her pursuer, and M the Ala.
bama dropped further and further asterr
the hopes of the Yankee crew revived.
The chase lasted until night, and then
the pirate steamer gave 1t up and hauled
of to hunt for something not quite so
speedy. But II the Alabama gave the
race the Mennon did not. for she never
started tack or sheet until she hal put
several hundred miles Of ocean between
the Alabama and herself.
She then resumed her course for New
York, where she arrived after rough
passage Of 81 days.
After the war she was placed In tho
East India trade and then was sent out
to this coast. She has traded 10 China
and the Australian colonies and when
too old for that was engaged In the coast.
wise trade.
She has also made several voyages ny
to Alaska and has always made money
for her owners.
Many u fine ship has ended her career
over In the marine crematory ut Cali.
fornia City since Captain BOudrow be-
gan operations there, and some OF them
were once the pride Of the United States
navy.
Here the fine old steamer China Of IT,
Pacific Mail company went upin smoke
as did the steamers Antelope and Barila. |
The barks Frazer, Lady Bowen, Rosie
Sprague and the whaler Shooting Sta
also ended their careers there. and 81
did the old warship Cyane.
Captain B0udrow has been located ni
California City about five year,. and fo'
10 years before that he ran til, crematory
ut Tiburon. It was In the Tiburon yar,l
that the mail steamers Montana, Arizona
and Constitution were cremated, snd
the torch was applied to the John l..
Stevens, Orihamme. Great Western, Bue'
mn Vista, Maria Murana and Colorado.
Seven Of Uncle Sans old fighting ships.
the Nyack, Saco, Tuscarora. Naragnn
sett, Alaska, Benecia and the old mon
itor Monadnock-ended their carcers
and yielded up the vast amount Of iron
and copper In their hi.lls In the Tiburon
yard, and they made u grand bonfire.
The Monadnock. being constructed nj.
most entirely Of iron, was Of course
and had to he broken to pieces
with dynamite.-San Francisco Chroni.
Gle.