The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-11-17
PELEG BUNKER's SHIP.
SHE WAS NOVEL IN CONCEPTION,
EXECUTION AND LAUNCHING.

A Unique and Exciting Event That Marked
Red Letter Era In That Section of the
Old Pine Tree State From Charleston TO
Tidewater at Bangor.
Talking of shipbuilding, did you ever
hear of seagoing vessel being built %
miles from navigation and carried on
wheels down to tidewater and launchedi"
said F. w. Norcross of The Shoe and Leath-
er Reporter the other day. ~ have, and
was literally in it, at the launching. Let
me tel you about n schooner that was
built in Charleston, Me-, up in the woods
north of Bangor
captain Peleg Bunker was an old fish
ing skipper, who many years ago thought
he had got enough of the sea- and so bought
him farm up in Charleston and settled
down to live on the land. 1t didn't take
him long to find out that that was no kind
of life for him, and he pinned for the sea.
There were with him on the farm his two
grownup sons, who had saved some money.
They had found sweethearts among the
heighbors' daughters and were beginning to
plan for farms of their own.
"Well, the old captain got more and
more restless, and at last, one July morn
ing, when the wind from the south blew a
breath of the sea up inland, Captain Bun
ker stood snuffing it in. OF sudden he
turned round to his two boys, who were at
work sharpening their scythes for haying.
Boys he said, If you'll build me
fishing smack you may have the farm
1.-THE young men thought it over and
then took him at his word. They got in
Bangor all the materials that had to be
bought. All the timbers chey fount. almost
at their doors waiting to be cut and hauled,
for in that day the lumber woods were all
about them. When everything was ready
at hand, they laid the keel in their farm
yard, and in six months had built the hull
of fine shipshape schooner so feet long,
completely fitted up and painted, with the
spars lying alongside-for her masts and
rigging were to be put in after the launch
| ing.
"The next thing was to get her ahoat.
Twenty-Five miles of billy road lay between
her and tidewater The builders took
time in the year when teamwork was slack
to haul her to Bangor. Maine country peo-
pie were neighborly in those days, and
! when the Bunkers got ready to move their
craft all the farmers in the township were
ready to help. You perhaps know what a
Maine OK cart is--that wide, tieup affair on
| a pair of immense heavy wheels. The
farmers came in with their OK carts, took
off the bodies from dozen of them, ranged
the pairs of wheels in line one after an
other, then, all hands helping, ran the
schooner upon them, blocked her up on an
even keel clear of the tires, and there she
was, ready to start
THE next day the farmers were all on
hand with 20 yokes of oxen, everybody
cooked and primed for Bangor and picnic.
When they had got the 20 yokes of oxen
strung out in long line before the Wheels
attached to them by one great chain used
in booming logs, and the word was given,
every red shirted driver swung his goad
stick, yelled at his oxen, and the schooner,
christened the Peleg Bunker began her
voyage over the hills to Bangor. From a
! pole in the stern fluttered an American flag,
and from the bows another upheld white
streamer bearing the vessels name All
along the route the people came long dis
tances to behold the vessel moving along
the highway going like duck to water.
| The schoolhouses were emptied of their
barefooted urchins, who ran alongside the
schooner, and a procession of farm wagons
followed in it's wake. Farmers along the
route opened up barrels of cider and passed
it in pals and tin clippers along the line,
and when night came their houses were
opened in free hospitality to the teamsters.
II was youngster then. My father was
in the procession with two yokes of oxen,
and he said that might 90 along Proud
enough felt to ride on the schooner's top
gallant forecastle alongside Captain Bunk
er, and standing with my hand on the flag
staff overlook the other boys running
alongside.
1.-The first day we made about Is miles.
On the second, at about noon, the process
sion came into the city. All Bangor had
heard of our coming and turned out to re-
ceive us. The sidewalks were crowded, and
there were faces in all the windows. The
public schools were adjourned that the
pupils and teachers might see the sight,
and they were all there, you may be sure.
The teamsters did their prettiest at
welding the goad stick and shouting to the
oxen as down Main street and the Hamp-
den road the schooner passed to the river
side landing. There the rollers had been
laid, and with the help of many willing
hands the Peleg Bunker glided into the
Peuobscot and hoated with the appearance
fol the first time of being at home. 1t was
the old days of open rum drinking, and the
teamsters were so Hospitality treated by
the citizens of Bangor that they returned
to Charleston in scattered order, and it was
week before the last stragglers arrived
home, but all were happy, and there was
nobody to find fault.
captain Bunker staid by his vessel.
With no loss of time he had her rugged,
nrOvisionpd and with a crew Of or 10 men
was off for the winter fishing on the New
foundland banks. After that he sometimes
came back to the farm for a visit, but he
followed the sea to green old age. The
Peleg Bunker proved seaworthy and
lucky vessel, and for all know may be
still afoat, although her captain, for whom
she was named, has long since paid the
debt of nature. New York Sun.
POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE.