The Portland daily press., 1894-01-06

Evening-Yarns Spun and a General Good
Time-Who Built the First Portland
Vessel
The annual dinner of the Portland
Marine Society, that ancient and honor
able organization, founded in 1886, oc-
CURED at the Falmo nth hotel last eve
ming. In the absence of Captain E. G.
Willard, the president, and Vice Presi-
dent Andrew W. Smart, Captain John W.
Deering, by the unanimous choice of
those present, was chosen to preside.
The banquet, as goes without saying,
was bountiful succession of all the use
full viands known to art. The following
were the mariners seated around the
table: Captain C. B. Norton, Captain
James Keazer, Charles F. Guptill, A. S.
Oliver, William Leavitt, R. Harding, j.
P.Tenney, Mn. Rich, Fritz H. Jordan,
Charles H. Chase, Hall L. Davis, j. G.
Thestrop, H. B. Whittier, Edmond r.
Norton, William Thompson, Oscar
Charleson,ssJ. E. Farr, Fl. Turkey, j. W.
Deering, Us. Winslow, Leslie B. Clark
ana L. ii. Ii. EOr1SGal.
After cigars had been lighted, Captain
Deering arose and expressed the regrets
of all that President Willard had been
unable to be present. He then referred
to the reports that had been published
that division exists in the society. In
view of these reports he wished to make
some explanation. There had been, some
years ago, time when the society was
at rather low ebb SO far as the interest
of it's mem bers were concerned At that
iuncture Captain Charles Chase was
elected president and the annual ban
quets were instituted to create an in
terest. These had been successful. But
at the last meeting few of the older
mem bers thought the banquet was I'M
constitutional. The society would have
respect for their feelings, and another
year all would be present, united again.
Captain Deering then spoke of.the.deaJhs
of Captains Henley and Mountfort,
both of whom had been lost within the
year, and complimented them as sailors.
Captain Charles II. Chase was next in
troduced. He spoke of the recent growth
of tie society from twenty to sixty-four
mem bers, and congratulated the mem
bers on it. Captains Sennet5 and Denni-
son were sick and unable to be present,
for which all were sorry. In conclusion
Captain Chase expressed his appreciation
of the society and his delight at being
present.
Captain Us. Winslow said there was
no time so pleasant to him as the meet
ings of the Marine society.
Alderman Guptill, as one of the honor
airy members, expressed his pleasure at
being present.
Captain Richard Harding of Var
mouth, said it was great pleasure to
him to be present with his old associates.
He was in his jolliest vein and paid
witty compliments to the reporters, and
the captains of three masted schooners.
Mr.. M. N. Rich, secretary of the Board
of Trade, expressed his appreciation of
the occasion, and spoke of pleasant ac-
quaintances with the captains who have
sailed out of this port in the last thirty
years. He spoke of the old Dewitt
Clinton, the first steamer running to the
Eastward from this port She took the
place of line of sailing packets. On
the first trip to Rockport the captain
blew the whistle as he came into the port
On the wharf they were met by Mr..
Carlton, who said:
captain, what did you bolw that
whistle for?n
"To let you know that we were COM
ing ggs..+ b. vens a;a,,+ ~, rno,, a.+
we had seen you off here ever since day
light?n replied Mr.. Carlton.
In conclusion Mr.. Rich rendered the
use of the Board of Trade rooms for the
meetings of the society.
Mr.. Fritz H. Jordan was introduced as
descendant of an old shipowning fami-
ly. He recalled that one of his ancestors
had built the first ship in this district.
previous to 1850. The last year had been
serious one for Portland. We had lost
many vessels, thirteen in all, and what
was worse, many lives. But the losses
of previous years had been worse. In
1872 a privateer went out of here with
fifty of Portland's young men on board.
That vessel disappeared with all on
board. That was a heavy loss for the
Portland of that day.
After Mr.. Jordan had concluded Capt.
Deering said he was a modest man; but
should have to say that his ancestor,
Geroge Deering, built the first Portland
vessel. He did it at Prout's Neck in
1884
MIR. Hall L. Davis was introduced. He
said that he had been aboard of four or
five hundred square rugged vessels that
used to come into this port. He knew
all the masters personally. Every one of
those vessels-of which the PRESS pub
lished list few years ago-was gone
now, and only eight or ten of the
captains were alive. Captain Winslow
was one of them.
At this point Captain Deering recalled
the first time he met Captain William
Leavitt One day, thirty-six years ago,
Captain Deering sailed into the port OF
Havre. AS he went ashore and stepped
upon the landing stage the crowd of
captains greeted him:
where from?
New Orleans"
"How many days?"
"Twenty-six.
Then you are commodore of the fleet, !"
they said.
At this point hand some man with
hair black as jet stepped out of his boat
Where from?" they shouted
New Orleans"