Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-01-31
RELICS FROM THE SHIPS.
BONE or THE QUEER THINGS SEEN
III OLD SOUTH STREET.


BONE or THE QUEER THINGS SEEN
III OLD SOUTH STREET.
Quaint FIgureheads which Have later
esttng Histories-How Some Of Thsn
Were Handled During the Dr.ft Riets.
A Pesssmfsttc Old Salt.
A battered looking old fellow, wearing
IN antiquated chin beard that was the
color Of picked oakum, stood on South
street yesterday. gazing at one Of the big
clipper ships that was loading prepara-
tory to trip around the Horn to San
Francisco. His gaze was somber. He
seemed in some way discontented with
affairs as they stood. Evidently he was
not pleased with his immediate sur
roundings.
Handsome ship, that" remarked :
bystander to the veteran.
"Humph,r stiorted he Of the oaken
beard. '.Mebbe you're jedge O ships. !"
"Well. no. but thought
"Oh, yon did," retorts the veteran.
'Well, thort you did. Well, that air
clipper she air well enough for her. /
amt sayin' she amt . bit handsome to
look at, but I've seen heap better. Thar
wuz the Davy Crockett She wuz ship
as was hansum an a. did hansum. An
there wux-but what's the use7 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
them junk shops where they keeps all
sorts Of things that they picks up from
old ships, an shiver ME eft thar in that
shop wuzn't the fgurehead of ship
sailed in thirty years ago. Twuz AL
battered an broke, but knew it at once.
Well, I bought it, an I'm goin' to take
it up to Cnettykut, where live, an
keep it there. An amt goin' voyagin'
through South street any more. II
makes me feel like castaway hulk my
selfr' With this the ancient one re-
lapsed into silence which he would not
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
to the sea in ships within the last thirty
years or more. There are q number Of
shops that keep all sorts of queer thingr
on hand. They pick these things up in
. variety Of ways. and there is consid.
cradle sale for them.
There are figureheads, for instance
In the olden time every ship of any pre-
tensions had a fgurehead. Owners o1
vessels We'd in their efforts TO secure fins
designs, and the enterprising gentlemen
who modelled the representations of fail
maids, sea nymphs, of trim inidshipmer
or of admirals in uniform did a right
pretty business. A simple sort Of scroll
work has taken the place of the dashine
figures of the past.
OF course there are exceptions. Thu
big English four master, the Falkland
has an excellently modelled representa-
ton of the Fair Maid of Perth above hel
cutwater. The clipper ship Seminol.
has Seminole brave in full war paint
and there are others. In the main, how
ever, tie old time fgurehead has faIler
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 crimpet
and shanghaied times beyond number
Part of his nose is gone, some one ha
made a pot shot at one of his eyes, bu
there is jaunty, wicked leer upon hi
face and an expression that says:
Heres a salt as has sailed, an b
blowed to yer
EFFIGY OF GEN. BOLIVAR
There are couple of old fgurehead
to be seen on South street that have ha,
very hard experiences ON land as well a
on sea. One of these is an efigy of Gen
Bolivar, and was the figurehead Of tn
ship of that name.
Originally the effigy was so painted q
to appear dressed in full naval uniform
cooked hat and all. At the time of tn
draft riots the rioters, having nothin
else to do at one time, stood across tn
street and fired bullets at him. He re
ceived full many a wound that day, bu
he stands in his place still, stiff an
erect.
Another figurehead Jared even wors
at the same hands. 1t was intended t
represent Samuel Kimball of Kennebec
Me-, but it left the sea some forty year
ago. 1t was then placed where it nov
stands, to call attention to store. TIL
draft rioters had rare sport with it on
day. They tied a rope around its neck
dragged it here and there in wild glee
Then they made it the central figure c
a bonfire. Just as it was being consume
the police came down and rescued il
1t was reprinted, and today, impassiv
and digniied, it passes its time studyin
human nature as it is on South street.
But there are other curios to be foun
in this locality besides fgureheads
There is one shop where more or les
warlike articles can be found. Their
you can see ugly weapons taken fror
Chinese and Malay pirates; you can fin
queer looking weapons taken from ns
tives on the African coast or the wa
clubs of the Patagonians-at least yo
will be told they are.-New York Ma
and Express.
New Magnetic Telephone.
A new magnetic telephone gives prom
Use or being largely used in England
| Tho ;puoptiop CONSISTS of uv,