The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-10-15
RELICS OF WRECK AT SEA.
The Interesting Collection of the Merritt
Wrecking Company.

An interesting collection Of ouriosities
is contained in large showcase In the
office of the Merritt Wrecking Organiza-
ton, 40 Wall street. tt illustrates the
history of disaster at sea extending over
a period of $50 years.
While a cannon ball from the pirate
ship John Morgan, which was wrecked
$50 years ago, is the most ancient speoi-
men In the collection, relics of almost
every one of the frightful calamities in
the last quarter of century are repre-
sented in great variety. Numerous rel
los of our National history from the time
of the War of the Revolution up to the
present time are embraced in the oollec-
ton. A piece of hemp lost from Brit
ish man-of-war in 1774, and odd pieces
of timber from the sloop Of war Morning
Star, which was sunk In 1778 by the ex-
plosion of 24S kegs of powder at the spot
where Front and Broad streets cross now,
are lying alongside of lamp shade from
the Merrimac, which PERFORMED such
gallant service in the civil war.
An alarm clock with faded iial. which
was recovered from the old Oregon, re-
calls the sinking of that ill-fsted vessel
right of our shores. The cbck shows
the exact time when the Oregon went to
the bottom. Another interesting bit of
history one Is reminded of By photo
graph of the original bill of laling, now
on file in the Custom House al Kirkcud-
bright, Scotland. signed by no othsr
than Paul jones' so we'll lnown TO
American history. He was thH-in the
year 1770-mRster OF the ship John of
Dumfries, which was bound forAnierica
with a general cargo.
A sword sunk three times, on the Tall
lapoosa, Cairo. and Connestog; flags
and othor implements used in The navy
are speaking witnesses of the encounters
at sea OF this late war. A piece d panel
and name plate from Gne White Star
steamship Atlantic. stranded off Golden
Rule Rock at Halifax, N. S., April l..
1878; oandlestick from the Viscay,
wrecked off New Jersey; drawing uten.
sils from the steamship Europa, which
went ashore at Quogue, L. l., in April,
1878, recall to ones mind the fad9 that
disasters at sea have considerably in
creased since the building of th first
steamship.
Bibles, newspapers, Iogbooks. fishes,
fractional currency, specie, watches and
hundred other articles, too humorous
to mention, are to be found, but I'M
doubtedly the most pathetic tale is told
by dolls head, probably once the prop
erty of captain IS child, which, with lis
father and mother, found an early grave
in the sea.
An invitation extended to j T. Merritt
by the New York State Bar Association
to dinner which was tendersd Oct. II,
1888, to Lord Coleridge, late Chief JUS
tice of England, during hi, presence
in this city, also deserves mention as a
part of the collection, iLasmuch as we
are now, thirteen years later, again
honorsd by visit of the most promi-
nent member of the British bar
The Merritt Wrecking Organization was
Incorporated in 1880, but ]. B. Merritt
personally has been identified with the
wrecking business for many years. The
firm operates not only in North, but also
in Central and South America, as well
as in the West Indies.-N. Y. Times.