Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-06-08

vote for Cleveland and Stevenson.
During his long service az clerk of the
House Colonel Bigger saw the following
Speakers inducted into office:
Turner. OF Rappahannock; Marshall
Hanger. OF Augusta; Henry c. Allen, OF
Shenandoah; Il. w. Lacy, of New Kent;
]. c. Flower. of Washington: Charles' y.
stuart, OF Alexandria city: r.. II. Card
Well, OF Hanover, and John f.. Ryan, Of
Loudoun.
WAS AN ARDENT DEMOCRAT.
Colonel Bigger was an ardent Democrat.
He was answering in his devotion TO the
party and served IL long and well. He
had been chairman Of the City Democratic
COMMITTEES OF Richmond and leading
figure in every Democratic convention for
a third of n century. He was the score
tary of most of them No other man fil-
ed the office perhaps quite so well. he
was perfectly at home, and 1t was natu-
raj 10 see him at the Clerks deck. Coio-
mel Bigger was also at different times and
for many years secretary OF the state
Democratic Committee. Two of the most
notable campaigns through which he
served were those of 1879. when General
Logan was chairman, and of 1854, under
Mr.. Ellyson as chairman.
and a ready and fluent speaker His
speeches were generally short and always
full OF wit and humor. His speech I'm the
Stanton convention OF 1896. of which he
was made temporary chairman. was one
OF the shortest ever made by the presid-
ing officer of such a body in Virginia. lie
said:
Fellow Democrats,-I am proud Of this
honor. | have ofttimes been the record
ing angel~of Democratic saints Harvest
is upon us. and we are good laborers.
already feel the inspiring influences Of the
statesman who is the idol of Virginia and
the impressiveness of the presence of
other shining lights of our party, and If
we, like the self-binding reaper. shall act
in harmonious accord, next November
will find an unbroken column of uncon-
querable Democracy. The Chair is ready
for business"
HIS SEA VOYAGES.
Colonel Bigger was a most entertaining
conyersatiOnalist, and was a devoted dis
ciple of Izaak Walton. Fishing was the
great sport with him. He had travelled
much, having sailed across the briny deep
in two well-known war vessels, the San
Jacinto and the flagship Independence
The "reminiscences of his travels were
highly interesting. On the San Jacinto
was a brother-in-law of young Bigger,
Charles II. Manson, whose home was in
Columbia. S. c., but who had been in the
navy for several years after graduating
from the United States Naval Academy
at Annapolis. Manson married Miss Ell
vira Clayton Bigger He was first assist
ant engineer Of the San JacintO. 1t was
through him that young Bigger became
acquainted with the captain of the ship,
and was given the position as his clerk.
Colonel Bigger kept a diary, or "jour-
nal" as he preferred to call il, of his
cruise in which are many quaint entries.
Under date Of Saturday. February H,
1852. is written: Entered upon duty with
annual pay of $500 and one ration per
day. which ration is equivalent to 20
cents per day. Nothing of interest trans
PRED"
The closing entry, under date of Mon
day, July 9TH, is as follows: Reached
City Point about A. NJ. reached Rich
mOnd about s A. NJ. All well at home In
vited to dine with the Richmond Light
Infantry Blues at Buchan Spring.
Went over to the spring. l am happy TO
say the Blues seemed to be enjoying
themselves l now cease to keep my
daily journal. If it interests any one, or
all who may read 1t, i am satisfied. ]
ME much pleasure to glance over my
little journal. Thank Heaven / am at
home"
TOLD OF HIS TRIP.
When the Ensign" in which the San
Jacinto figures quite prominently, was
presented here few years ago. Colonel
Bigger, at the request of the Dispatch
wrote some "reminiscences of his trip on
that boat. In these he said:
EncOuntering a severe storm, some
part of the machinery of the San Jacinto
became disaIranged or was broken, and
IL was thought that we would have to
run into harbOr at the MADEIRA Islands
and have 1t fixed before proceeding fur
Their, but somehow or other the work was
patched up at sea and we went putting
along like a Mississippi-river steamboat,
i'm view of Cape St. Vincent, in Portugal,
but stopped not until we came at anchor
at Cadiz. in Spain, after being out twenty
two days.
The san Jacinto was a propeller and
must have had some new kind of ma
chinery or engines, as l found in my
diary copy Of an acrostic written by
Robert Johnson, a coal-heaver on the
San Jacinto, which reads as follows:
Steamers beware and boast not your
mighty speed.
At last here's one will beat you all, in
deed,
Not one of your unweildy river boats
Just look at her majestic as she floats,
And other points too numerous TO men,
ton,
Can any of you beat the new invention?
Inclined engines she has. they tell me so,
Neither of them inclined at all to go,
That they should send such thing as
her to sea,
OF all things in the world ii puzzles me-
The San Juclnto was great roller, her
upper deck often nearly, if not quite,