The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-28
DIDN'T SEE THE SHAMROCK.
CROWDS OF DISAPPOINTED TISI-
TORS AT ERIE BASIN.

CROWDS OF DISdPPOlhIHD 1Abt-
TORS AT ERIE BASIN.
rh. Lament Of tho Guard aud His Animosity
Toward tho Trolley Oar SiEns-Commouts
nv Visitors of Many Kinds Upon What
Tb.v Knew and Didn't Know About.
From outside the high enclosure whore the
guarded shamrock lies, ono gets bewidering
yi.y Of lofty spars and an occasional funnel
nv walking further along the Erie Basin the
Visitor comes to an open space whore he can
ace the ships to which the spars and funnel
b.lops None Of thom 10 the challenger for the
ou, They are weather-beaten transports.
trm yachts and q squat tug or two. but the
boat which is at present the object OF nation
wide conjecture on two sides OF the Atlantic
ao.ts far over beyond o high shed which
scr,ens her from Wow. A thick. stubby mast
ia all OF her that projects above the shelterinE
shcd to the view OF the outsider and TO see
that small length OF mast some three thousand
Interested persons made their way to the Erie
Basin yesterciay OF which number probably
not one in a hundred would have picked It out
from tho little forest OF spars as representing
the Shamrock.
The little, active. xood-patured guard at the
cato OF the yard spent ono Of the liveliest days
az his life keeping people out who had no bust
ness there, and blamed the crowd upon the
strset-oar signs. These road a. follows;
SHAMROCK ON VIEW AT ERIE BASIN.
TAXI THB CAR
Nov Amt that shame" said no patheti-
oslly DO a SUN reporter who had just disem-
barked from one Of the offending trolleys.
Here's all these people como over hero thinking
70 eet sight OF tho Shamroc and here's me
having 10 turn EN- back BY orders. and they
with all their trouble and their car fare spent
for nothing. Who gave them cars right to
say the Shamrock was on yiew2 She amt on
view to any body unless he's got business here
or can hire balloon to hist him up. HI. therel
you man with the camera. what do you want
herei"
Tho camera bearer explained that he wanted
10 see the challenger and was promptly
-shooed" out through the gate he had Just en-
tered. into the street, where he was immedi-
atsly beset by n number OF youths crying:
Want boat sir7 Take you all round for
n quarter, You can git all the pictures you
want"
This was quite true as far AZ II went By
taking a boat any person could get all the pic
lures no wanted. but not OF the Shamrock.
She wne protected pretty wei! on all sides from
picture takers and no man or woman with q
camera got within the gates on any pretext.
',Theyre the very ones I'm ordered to look
out for most" said the guardian Of the gate.
III you want to SEQ how much man can be
bothered Just sit down here and watch for
while"
During the next three minutes forty-seven
persons by actual count applied at the gate for
admission on one pretext or another. and as
many moro stood about outside peerinR
through the little opening In the high fence at
the dirty white bows OF a couple OF United
States trans ports and the sides OF two other
ships at the further pier. Between addresses
to the crowd and explanation to the reporter
the guards monologue kept up pretty steadily
something like this:
No, sir; l can't let you in. Them's my
ORDERS No admittance without you have a
pass or have business In the yard. Don't be
crouding there. please. What's that. ma'am2
You have boy on the transport Which
transport? All right maam: just ahead OF
you there there's half dozen transports In
the yard. and that makes my work all the
harder).
Folks that has friends on the transports is
not to be shut out. So have to-Hold on.
there. You can't go In. Friend on the Meade.
hey? Well why didn't you tell me that when
you was trying to get past ten minutes ago.
That don't go. my friend. tThats the tricki-
moss OF them) Hold up. young man. What's
your business. Friend on the Shamrock. have
you? Well. what's his name Murphy. hey?
Good name. but which Murphy is it? Is 1t
John l. Murphy or Daniel o. Murphy Daniel
o.. did you say? There's no such man aboard.
and you can't get in. Caught him all
right that time. didn't I2) No. sir: you
can't come In with that camera, even
II you was the President. Them camera.
Hends do beat the Old Boy.J What'syour busi-
iness hero, old gentleman Want to see the
ship? sorry. but she's not on view to-day.
That's q mistake Of the street cars. There 1t
Is again. you see.) know you're a good Irish
man and I'd like to let you In but whole lot
OF good 1rishmen have boon turned away from
here to-day. 1t amt my wishes it's the
orders. No. ma'am, Sir Thomas Upton amt
aboard and don't think it's any use you're
waiting here to see him. He hasn't sailed yet.
as know OF. and you'd have q mighty long
walt THE women are crazy to see Sir
Thomas; they think more OF him than the
yacht. and most Of EN- think he's aboard.)
Stand back thers. please. One at a time. No
admittance except on business. Cant you
read the sign up there?"
30 1t went on in almost unceasing repetition.
Once In awhile an obstinate applicant would be
encountered who would return to the charge
time and again. OF this kind was an old
bent man, who came in Just as the reporter
was going out.
You back again1" cried tho gatekeeper.
This is tho fourth time that you've been
here"
WELL" began the old chap. "oi hov
friend"
i've heard all about"
His name is O'Connell-"
Il don't care II his name 10 George Dewey;
you can't como in"
Me wife's uncle In Oirelan'-"
Come, walk out Your wife's uncle won't
help you here"
ITS dirty shame thot mon wit o friend
Of his own an his wifes unele's"-
There was a slight commotion OF the crowd
and the old man issued forth into the street.
where he explained In great detail to the crowd
that his friend who was also ste son OF his late
wite's deceased uncle. was a deck hand on the
tug that had towed the Shamrock out from her
dock on the other side. on which ground he
considered that he should have been admitted
to SEQ what kind OF a yacht 1t was that his
Aforesaid friendly step-nephew-in-law had