The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-07-28


N-orualk conn. and FOR years command
"a whaler I'm the Arctics. young
Couch started with his father wheh onnlR
seven years Of age, as canln- boy; ~ i,,,,
father was then captain OF d I NJ f5er
packet The young sailor aoon are
his father in his love for the sea- am.
gradually climbed up TO the pos'....yNrt %
captain Of the packet schooner 49,
n,outh" I'm 1913 There were no steamers
nivina between Richmond and New YORK
then. and nearly all the travel between
the TWO cities was on DQaiu the Phpnese'
The passenger accommodations were Noii4-
plcte and satisfactory In every respecs'
rho statc-roOms were Handsomely llhlsh-
el and many comforts supphel- 81 81
parties frequently took the trip LOT pl,l9,
;iro. others for health, and many sociu
features were INDUCED IN during 'he
weeks voyage. These trips were ol'cn
nothing less than yachting parties on
pleasure bent. IL, ,o,,,ra
Captain Couch. with his genial nature
and biz warm disposition DuDoHts ~ ~.
with fun soon became great ldNo4itc
win the Yachting parties. lie engaged
i'm the suirit OF The OccaS ons. ana a.
WAYS took hand in any practical JOKE
that some society woman lldili.i' .',,,,,sc
mis- day he IS one OF the most popular
sea-captains in America. There are lew
men with a wide. acquaintance. Ire
knows nearly every passenger lhdL W.
travelled on his snip, ana eNeIyoo.Sy
likes him. Frequently nc ADMITS tNc
passengers 10 his private museum up near
the pilot-house, and entertains them Win
a rich collection OF valuable cuilos' %
which no has been collector iol years.
Among some of his rdrest specimens az
"a rustN ehocmakcr's hammer Drought over
from England 10 jamestown ~ lpi.
choice trnkots blessed by the Pope
cccoanut stained and beautifully carved
with a pon-knifc by prisoner in vera
CRUZ prison during the Mexican war, the
pipe of peace which was SMOKED Dy
famous Cherokee cnlef lu Nrllh 'dIv.
lima before the Revolutionary War, ara.
indeed many grOtcsque looking cuIoS
closely associated with some OF the most
notable events in history. These anord
anv amount of amusement 10 MS Iduy
Messengers. Many Of them reNol IN me
CAPTAINS museum for hours AT lihe-
AAsr ANsHIP cAPTiIT.
Captain Conch commanded several sail
ing vessels until 1851, when he accepted
inc position of First Officer on the Oid
dominion steamship Roanoke" or the
New York and Virginia steamship COM
panv Captain Thomas skinner was ~
command. The snip was sile-wi Il, ,,,,
$50 tons register with douhle-bcam en-
eines. Her speed with fresh water IN
her boilers was y miles an hour. She
had accommodations for about luO hIsi-
required 70 do rhe plotting OF one-hali
OF the James river. az well as 10 attend
to the stevc1orng at Norfolk Clly Poih''
and RichmC nd. $50.
polntcd to take command OF the "kra-
no<e" and continued to run her until
the breaking out OF the war IN 1851. Inc
Roanoke" was the last steamship TO
leave Richmond I'm that year Vhe
trucking interest, which IS now so large
in Virginia. was just commencing before
the war. and coo barrels Of truck on one
ship was considered very large snip
mcnt The Roanoke would not carry
more than onc-sixth part Of the cargo OF
the "Old Dominion" and wren loaded
deep would not make over ten miles an
\ .ur.
Captain Couch ran to Havana and
New Orleans from Richmond when the
civil war stopped tho service between
Richmond ana New York. In 1863 he
took charge Of the steamship Creole"
OF the same company and on the same
route and a year later he commanded
the screw-steamcr "Yasoo." which piled
between Richmond and New Orleans, oc-
casicnally touching at Key West ana
subsequently, he commanded the Mag
ara" IN the same company's service, ana
in i>s was made captain OF the steam
ship General Grant" I'm the Cromwell
Line. running 20 New Orleans In the
latter part OF the same year he resigned
from the Cromwell Line, and was ap-
pointed commander OF the steamship
"Hatfrras m The OLD Dominion Line,
running from NV York TO Norfolk. City
Point, and Richmond From that date
10 the present time he has been in COM
mand of various vessels owned by the
Old Dominion Company. AMI for the past
seven years he has commanded the "Oid
Dominion" plying between Richmond ana
Norfolk and New York.
THf WONDERFUL ivPROvsMTST.
In an interview with Captain Couch
he told me that while his experience on
sailing vessels was very hard. with much
more exposure than on a steamer, he re-
garded this experience as invaluable TO
him. Through IL he became more thor
.t..t. - Aat
he ever could have done had he COM
mcnced life In a steamer. He attributes
a large degree OF lis success In the steam
ship service to his earlier experience on
sailing vessels.
"In looking back over the whole Pc