The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-07-18
ARTHUR sEwALL.
Sketch of the Next President
of the United States.

Arthur Sewall was born in Bath, Me-, No
vember %, 1885, of stock long prominent
and honored in his State and identified with
the Democratic party from its birth. He in
herited capacity for large business interests,
as did also his brother Edward, and while yet
a very young man, with his brother he as
sumed the management of the large ship
building plant which had been developed by
his father and his grandfather. Through the
combined energies and abilities Of the two
brothers the business grew and the ships null
tipled until, when American shipping had
reached its heyday, there were few ports III
the world in which there could not be seen
at any time at the top Of lofty mainmast the
navy blue square supporting the white IS.
His brother met his death in New York city
several years ago by fall over balustrade
in hotel to the corridor below Mr. Sewall
continued the business, the son Of his brother,
Samuel, becoming associated with him.
No family in America has done more for
the ''merchant marine than the Sewall fam
lily has. Its list of ships shows steady and
almost unchecked line of progress covering
period of fseventy-f years. Ships after ships
has slid from the Sewall ways into the Ken
nebec river, and the Sewall collection of
models, ancient and modern, is superior to
anything of the kind in this country.
The Sewall family has always been Demo
cratic, although as family it has seldom or
never sought to ccntrel in any way party ae-
ton in either municipal or State affairs.
Twenty wears ago this fall, when Indiana
swung into the Democratic column for Iilden,
the Sewall satisfaction found expression in the
bestowal Of the name Indiana upon one of the
largest and finest ships ever built in the yard
and which was about ready for the launch.
Arthur Sewall is about the only man in the
4 =
ships in the face Of what otiser builders have
considered disaster Mr.. Sewall, believing
that turn for the better had or soon would
come, resumed building, and with greater
earnestness than ever before. There followed
in quick succession four monsters, each repre-
senting a sum beyond $l25,O00. These were
the Rappahannock, Shenandoah, Susque-
hanna and Roanoke, all wooden vessels,
averaging about thee thousand tons net each,
capable Of carrying easily tonnage in cargo
of half as much more. The last ship CON
structed by Mr.. Sewall is the Dirigo. This
vessel was launched two years ago and meas
ures 1856 tons, She is built Of steel, and is
the first steel sailing ship built in America
To show in what proportion the business of
the Sewal family has grown in comparison
with the growth of other large businesses of
the country it may be stated that the tonnage
of the Indiana, launched in 1876, is l,4SS,
while that of the Roanoke. launched sixteen
years later, is 3,400, nearly two and half
times as great.
In addition to his large feet Of square,
rugged ''deep water ships Mr.. Sewall has
constructed and manages large feet of three
and four-masted schooners which are engaged
in the coal, ice and lumber trade on the At
lantic coast. One of these vessels, the Carrie
4. Lane, three-masted schooner of less
than 500 tons, was sent some years ago around
Cape Horn from New York to San Francisco.
She was the first vessel Of anything ike her
kind or size TO make this voyage.
Besides his extensive interests in shipping,
Mr.. Sewall is interested in railroads, the Bath
Iron Works, which built the United States
gunboats Cast;ne and Machias and the ram
kalahdin, and other enterprises. A few years
ago he was the president Of the Maine Central
Railroad BE Is now president Of bank IA
Bath. He is reputed to have made q large
sum in leather IN New York city some mouths
ago.
Mr. Sewall has always lived in Bath. His
wife was also born in Bath. He has two
sons-Harold NJ. and William D. The latter,
the younger, is associated with his tatherSss
business.