The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1899-07-06
The Old Brig Katahdin.

Briggs are SO few nowadays that the old
katahdin, recently loading lumber at the
wharves of the Ashland Mfg. Co. in Ban
gor, attracted more attention than would
schooner six times her size. The Katah-
din is an old timer, but she is still in bust
ness, and likely to continue for some
years to come. In her day she was a great
vessel, and she went on long voyages-to
the Mediterranean, South America and
the West Indies She has carried enough
sugar and molasses to sweeten all the tea
ever raised in China; lumber enough to
build a city and coal enough to heat it for
a hundred years. also heaps and heaps of
salt and general cargo, and perhaps little
Jamaica rum to lend naughty flavor to
it all. Now the katahdin is in her old
age and reduced to dragging lumber from
Bangor to New York, with coal back, but
she manages to get around all right and
pays dividends with most of them.
The Katahdin was built in 1864 by
John Tewksbury, whose yard was in
Brewer, where is now the repairing dock
of William Warren. She is of POS tons,
net register, and carries about 230, 600 feet
of lumber or $40 tons of coal. She was
first commanded by Capt. John Saunders
of Bangor, a famous old-time master, who
sailed her for 20 years or more. When
Capt. Saunders died, the brig was bought
by A. T. Neaze Il Co. of Bangor and
Capt. Otis Coombs of Islesboro. Capt.
Coombs sailed her for two or three years,
! and then sold out his interest to Neazie &
Co., and Capt. Simon NJ. Dodge of Orring-
ton next took command, remaining in her
for long time. Then came, in succession,
Captains j. O. Hayes of Islesboro, Isaac
Herrick of Islesboro, John f. Leathers of
Bangor, Captain Lord, now of schooner
Rabboni, Capt. Albert Phillips, and Capt.
j. 2. Marshall, her present commander.
OF these nine masters four are dead
Captains Saunders, Coombs, Phillips and
Herlick, the last name having been lost
in the schooner Lester A. Lewis in the
great gale of November, 1898.
Many adventures has the old brig had,
but few disasters of any account Once
she was chased and overhauled by the
Confederate plivateer Alabama, but for
some reason the rebels released her. Her
latest exciting time was this season, when
Captain Marshall had a crew of negroes
on the trip from Perth Amboy to Belfast
The colored Jacks were both lazy and
saucy, and one of them wasn't a Jack at
all. When he shipped in New York this
man claimed that he was used to square
, riggers, and that he knew all there was
to know, but when the vessel got outside
it was found that he couldn' steer. That
caused trouble right away, and a nice
time they had of it down to Penobscot
bay. Several things happened that must
have impressed the colored gentlemen
that they were not on personally con-
Quoted pleasure trip, and when they got
into the bay, the wind being ahead
Captain Marshall didn't try to beat up,
but went into Rockland. There the sulky
and no good crew got enough exercise to
last them for a lifetime. 1t is related that
they were called upon to get the anchor
up no fewer than eighteen times, Captain
Marshall changing his anchorage pretty
often just to keep their blood in circula-
| ton.
The crew made all the trouble they
could, and the man who couldn't steer
was finally arrested and locked up in
Rockland. A lot of sea law was paid
out, and the upshot of it all was that the
man was paid off and left in Rockland,
while the brig proceeded to Belfast,
where there was more trouble. The up
shot of it all was that Captain Marshall
settled on his own terms with the crew,
and left them there, shipping other men
for the run to Bangor.
The Katahdin, which is now chiefly
owned by A. P. Veazie, has lately been
extensively repaired, and Captain Mar
shall says that she is good for lots more
of hard work and hard knocks She has
outlived big fleet of vessels, and there
are few of her age that are fit to go around
Cape Cod with load of coal. Bangor
Daily News.