The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1893-08-21
MARRIED ON THE DEEP.
A Romance In Which Humboldt Parties
are Concerned

~ AoiioNlliS sui "PpoaiS AZ ohS
San Francisco Chronicle OF yesterday
and is of interest as itconcerns Hum
boldt county parties
A towboat marriage took place yes
terday afternoon outside the heads.
The parties were Frederick More
Wightman, % years of age, and Miss
Emma Snow Downs, a young lady
just under the mark of sweet is.
The contracting parties are from the
sagebrush state of Nevada. They
were joined in the holy bonds of mat
rimony by Captain Gilbert Fl. Bro
kaw, who was in command of the tug
Reliance on this memorable trip.
Five reputable residents of this city
witnessed the ceremony on the sea.
This sea marriage is the latest up
to date. 1t is to some degree runa-
way match. According to the story
which the bridegroom tells, the law
OF the state of Nevada would not al
low him to wed his lady love in the
town of Lovelock in Humboldt
county, Nevada, because the young
lady had not reached the age of six
teen years. The two agree that her
parents have no objection to the
union Of the pair. Wightman says
that he did not inform his father in
Churchill county, Nevada, that he
was going to come to this city and
marry, but he knows it will be all
right.
True love did not run as smoothly
with the pair. When Wightman ar
rived in this city yesterday in COM
pany with the young lady he went to
the Russ House, where the two Sc
cured separate apartments. They
afterward went to the county clerks
Office and wanted a marriage license.
There Miss Downs is recorded as
stating that she was about Is years of
age, although she looks to be 20. The
license of course could not be granted.
Wightman proved to be man of
resources. John Reed, plain grocer
of Lovelock, bad given a letter of in
PRODUCTION to Accountant Cooke and
q. W. Wesgate of Moore, Ferguson
q Co., on California street, and these
young gentlemen were all attention
Did he want tug to make trip out
side the heads? Certainly. Spreck-
els towboat company was notified by
telephone and the tug Reliance placed
under waiting orders at O'Clock in
the afternoon. In the meantime the
prospective bridegroom and his lady
love were at the new city hall hest.
tating between the possibility OF a
marriage license and a civil marriage
contract. All this time the tug was
"hooked on" and only needed the
bell and the casting off of the lines to
start.
Two hours went by and no sign OF
the bridal party. Things began to
look dubious when, at 4:l5 o'clock,
one horse chaise drove quickly down
the dock and out got the pair. Two
minutes later the tug was steaming
down the bay at full speed.
The wedding party were comforta-
bly, looked after in the cabin, and
everybody else came in for a good
share OF attention. As the tug passed
beyond the heads the prospective
bride began to feel the terrors of sea-
sickness. She was spunky but she
felt ILL., The tug was slowed down a
little to help matters.
When the whistling buoy was
reached Captain Brokaw made the
turn and headed the tug for port.
This point is three marine leagues
from land and the Mecca for runaway
couples. Everything of a marital ma
-ure that takes place on the high seas
beyond this point is legal where a
licensed captain gives his
Captain Brokaw is not a novice at I
ibis nautical tying up of hearts. Half /