Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1895-06-21
A POPULAR RESORT.
Captain w. IA. Burtis and His Sailing and
Fishing Resort-Some Interesting
Incidents

Captain w. III. Burtis, the veteran
boatman, foot of Prince George street,
who is one OF the most popular as well
as charitable men about the wharf, and
who is always on the lookout for any
mishAps, has had many experiences in
his thirty-one years of boat life. His
business is to hire sail and row boats of
all kinds for fishing and pleasure pur-
poses, and being familiar with every de-
tail of the business, he never allows a
boat TO go out with yard too much
sail, or with one person more than 1t
will safely carry. He is man of good
Judgment and can be relied upon at all
times, and his word is his bond. His
place is general resort at all times for
yonng and old. a large open house,
with comfortable seatings, and plenty
of soft, refreshing drinks, (for the Cap
tain never allows anything strong about
his premises) makes his place one of the
most inviting TO strangers and others TO
while away few leisure hours. The
following interesting incident occurred
the other day:
"Wh0 is that gentleman looking
through spy-glass Z" remarked lady
excursionist on the Emma Giles, point
ing in the direction indicated, ''every
time come TO Annapolis | notice him
in the same position as though he ex-
pected to find something valuable in the
water"
"That gentleman, - replied her escort,
sis Captain Burtis. l thought every
body knew him, especially excursionists.
He has lived at the edge of the water
since / was boy, and am now-well,
never mind, that makes no difference
and he doesn Z seem to get a bit older.
He is as big.hearted and genial as ever,
and, by the way, he has some excellent
ginger beer and if you have no objec-
tion we will just call on my whilom
friend and sip the exhilerating beverage
while we lnll few minutes in the shade
enioying the refreshing breezes from the
bay and the merry chatter of talkatiyc
pall-parrot. Afterward we can take a
sail and have our friend, the captain, ac-
company u.s."
An inquisitive reporter, after having
his curiosity gratified as to the persons
engagingin in the above conversation, learn
ed bit Of marine history from Captain
Burtis. 1t was Captain Burtis, it will
be remembered, who rescued son OF
Mr.. Kerr from drowning last Sunday.
The captain is always on the lookout
for boats in distress and has rendered
aid in many cases. His place, there
fore, may be termed ''life-saving sta
tion," with the money consideration left
out. Very few vessels that pass up and
down the bay escape the watchful eye of
Captain Burtis. lie had been looking
through the glass at what he supposed
| to he a disabled boat when the attention
of the lady excursionist was attracted
| to him.
During the thirty-one years he has
been engaged in the boat hiring business
Captain Burtis has never had a boat to
capsize or to meet with any mishap.
This is a good record, and is largely
due to the fact that his boats are safe
| and are never loaded with an excess OF
sail, which invites danger sometimes
He also sends experienced and trust
worthy persons to handle them. Ere
quently Captain Burtis himself accom-
| panies excursion parties in his larger
vessels. His boats are always in good
order, and it is really pleasure to look
at them bobbing up and down in the
water, inviting people for sail or a
row. Persons wishing to spend an hour
or a day on the water can he accommo'
dated with any kind of boat by giving
friend Burtis call