The Portland daily press., 1899-02-01
CAPT. CHARLES SPEAR.
Death of Former Promin ent Maine
ship Builder.

The bingham (Mass, Journal gives the
following sketch of a citizen formerly
we'll known to Bangor and Portland
people;
lin the death of Captain Charles spear,
which occurred at his home in this town
January 10, Hignham loses resident hut
| little known to his fellow townsmen. but
activities of Boston in the COS. Born AT
Quincy in 1918, Captain Spear entered
business as boy at Bangor, Me He
entered the employ of the Boston and
Bangor Steamship company, passed rapid
ly through the various positions from
purser upward and soon became master
Of the steamship Daniel Webster of this
line, the first iron propeller boat on the
New England coast In ls4s Captain
Spear went to California as manager of
the steamer Senator, plying on the San
Joaquin river. Seeing the immense posi-
hilities for profit in the river business,
he, in connection with two other gentle
men, purchased the large side whee |
steamer Ii. L. Clay, which had been
brought around Cape Horn inside of a
sailing ship. and started new line on
the river. Rival lines entering the field,
the business became Improbable, and as
coal was selling at the enormous price Of
So ton, the business was IN way TO
become total failure. So low did the
rates become that free passage was offered
to the miners, and every man was given
u pair of boots. Realizing that heroic
measures were necessary, Captain spear
conceived this iiea OF removing the oppo-
sition. lie chartered every boat on the
river. paying the owners "a large sum
weekly to remain at their docks. He then
advanced his rate sufficiently to cover this
entire expense and the running Of his own
boat In addition, and in two years Melted
nearly 1900, 900. While in San Francisco,
Captain Spear was intimately associated
with Leland L. Stanford. S. p. Hunting
ton, Olney Gushing, and other prominent
men. Returning to the Fast, Captain
spear invested largely in real estate, and
in the transportation business, being the
builder and owner of the Cape Cod Iele-
graph line, the line connecting Boston
and Albany; several submarine cable
lines, and was also the proprietor OF the
Merchants Exchange News Room on
State street. In connection with the lat
ter, Captain Spear established the first
weather report In the United States, the
Indications being telegraphed from High
land Light and other outlying points, and
being by flags displayed on the Boston
building.
Captain Spear was known In Boston
as a steamboat agent, builder and broker.
being owner of the steamers Nellie Baker,
Maple Leaf, Daniel Webster, Regulator.
Expounder, Oriental and Harvest Moon,
the latter boat being the fastest sidew heeler
for her inches ever operated IN eastern
waters. This boat was designed and built
by Captain Spear at Portland.
"At the outbreak of the Civil war, the
government calling for transports
sufficiently sea-worthy, Captain Spear al
once responded with his entire fleet. They
all served throughout the war with great
success, especially the Maple Leaf, which
was destroyed under circumstances similni
to those surrounding the Maine. With
over thousand men in HIS employ the
tardiness of the government In meeting
their obligations caused him serious diff.