New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-09-29

ster a dragon perhaps: Neptune with his trident
an Indian chief or chieftainess. a statesman or
king. always even when badly carved vivid en-
bodlment OF the name of the vessel carried at Prov
ana stern.
As nearly as can be traced the fgurehead went
ont OF use twenty-five years ago. Then the age o.
wood I'm shpbuildng began to die, and with the con-
s,ructon Of craft of iron the superstition OF the seas
began to dwinde and yield to the severely practical
What was the good. they argued, Of spending from
a hundred to two hundred dollars merely for use
less ornament?
IN IN. English wards the custom held little
longer but with the building Of IRON ships the an
Gent art went 10 the wall Last of all TO let 1t go
were the Scandinavlans and Italians On a few old
ships Of these nations the fgurehead may be seen
now. dscolored 10y wind and water, only the re-
II .nder Of a past era. but still venerated deep In
the hearts OF the captain and men.
4 walk along the water front the other day re-
vellcd but a single hgurehead on ships prov.
In every other case the prov was pain ana severe
4 busy Of commerce presented itself every
where. Ships from all parts OF the world were
In all the array-shps barges, barkentines, brgan-
tines. steamers. schooners-the hgurehead was
il was only a strange chance that directed the
writer to the man who Is the last of the carers
Years ago Newly 1rk had at least half dozen men
I'm this business. and Boston as many. But Ander-
man and he still keeps up his carving loft far down
in south-st. only now al he has TO occupy, his
ornamental work for the Sound and Hudson River
steamboats, His last lob, in tgurehead carving
for the yacht Mohawk In 1876.
Il have one old igurehead, though" he said lying
back i'm his chair "and don't believe you can find
another in New-York city: All gone, yes. they are
all gone None Of the SHIPS carr mem sd now ana
or other have all rottcd away and fallen 10 pieces.
herc on a poie. II was stolen half a dozen times.
but they always got it back 1t was some heather
rottel SO that they had to take 1t down and throw
".Thi: old ngurehead | was just speaking of and
that I'm going to snow you in minute is Old.
older than | am in this business, and I'VE been
S earn ths ed to be- of the uS me The
trade picked il up somewhere long before | came
Win him For years IT has been lying down cellar.
ought to have brought il up for it's mighty fine
piece OF work, and 1 verify believe the last of the
1T is the ngurehead Of a, man. Lord Chatham.
and 1t came OFF the British ship Of that same name
somewhere along in the thrties,' rambled on the
old carver as he pulled UP the cellar door out In the
quiet side street below You'll have TO stoop over
ali the way here. You know these cellars have to
he built mighty shallow cause they're close to the
waters edge and get flooded easy
hareIy four feet high II was crowded with barrels
boards ard heaps Of waste lumber; and chained
o ooIv RiISS came from the cellar door at one end
and pickering candle that an GA man of all work
held in his hand he acted as pilot As each board
was stepped upon 1t sank with an oozy sound into
| Lord chatham the last OF the tgureheads. at least
three-q quarters Of century old' iay on pile Of
rubbish in the urthest corner Almost Incanny
| light OF the candles gllmmer. Here was bit OF
wood once the patron 5 t S 81 b Wa
yet young. readily to be DISTINGUISHED In az It's de,
tail and bresnbes To tse man hail
! bent double that gazing at 1t. II brought up
touch OF the romance of long ago. The wood was
i've had offers to buy him said the last OF Tho
Sa ever Srn ee so suppose Lord Chatham vii
| keep on lying there until the crack o DOOM