The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-10-20
II Was a Craft Novel in Coneep-
ton, Execution and Launch
ing.
A Unique and Exciting Event That
Marked u Red Letter
IRA.
The Old Pine Tree state, From Charles.
ton to TidcwAtsr Mt Bangor,
Much Wrought Up.

hear OF a seagoing vessel being built 2
miles from navigation and carried OF
wheels down to tidewater and launched''
said +. w. Norcross Of The Shoe and Leath
or Reporter the other day. ~ have, and
was literally in it, at the launching. lie
me tell you about q schooner That wa.
built in Charleston, Me-, up in the woods
north Of Bangor.
captain Peleg Bunker was an old fish
ing skipper, who many years & thought
he had got enough of the sea, and so bought
him a 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, aud 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
neighbors' daughters and were beginning to
plan for farms of their own.
well, the old captain got more and
more restless, and at last, n 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 a 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 q
fishing smack you may lave the farm
9TH 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 they founC 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 a fine shipshape schooner 80 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;
Twenty-Five miles of hilly road lay between
her and tidewater. The builders took a
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
q pair of immense heavy wheels. The
farmers came in with their OK carts, took
off the bodies from u 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 OF an
even keel clear Of the tires, and there she
was, ready to start.
THE next day the farmers We're all on
hand with 20 yokes of ken everybody
cooked and primed for Bangor and a picnic.
When they had got the 20 yokes of oxen
strung out in a 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 fiuttered an American flag,
and from the bows another upheld a 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 a duck to water.
The schoolhOuses We're emptied of their
barefoOted urchins, who ran alongside the
schooner, and a procession Of farm wagons
followed in its wake. Farmers along the
route opened up barrels of cider and passed
it in pals and tin dippe,s along the line,
and when night came their houses were
opened in free hospitality to the Transfers.
Il was E youngster then. My father was
In the procession with two yokcs of oxen,
and he said that | might go along. Proud
enough l felt to ride on the s~chooner'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-
celve 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,
anu they We're all there, you may be sure.
The teamsters did their prettiest at
welding tbs goad stick and shouting to the
oxen as down Main street and the Hamp-
oen road the schooner passed to the river
landing. There the rollers had been
laid, and with the help of many willing
hands the Peleg Bunker glidcd into the
Penobscot and tioated with the appearance
Tor 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
9 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,
provisioned, and with a crew of 8 or 10 men
was off for the winter fishing on the New
foundland banks. Afterthat he sometimes
came back to the farm for a visit, but he
followed the sea to a green old age. The
Peleg Bunker proved a seaworthy and
lucky vessel, and for all | know may be
still nhoat, although her capt:in, for whom
che was named, has long slice paid the
debt OF nature."-New York Sun.
A FNFefasfp of Ikenfhl