The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-04-17

the introduction of steam crowded them
 out of the passenger trade. The asso-
 ciation disbanded in 1913 and the yes,
 sels were sold. Captain Bunker after
 ward became master of the steamboat
 Fulton, which had been built to run on
 the East river, but the danger of cap
 ture by British cruisers during the war
 of 1872, induced her owners to r un her
 on the Hudson until peace was declared.
 The fare on the experiment sloops, from Hudson to New York, was five
 dollars and found. Both vessels were
 fitted up in a very elaborate style for
 that day The passenger sloop EXperi-
 ment, Captain Elihu Bunker. of Hud-
 son. is Interestingly described by John
 Lambert, an English traveller who pass
 ed through Albany in 1867, on his way
 from Montreal to New York. After de
 scribng his ride in the stage from Al hany to Hudson, his narrative goes on
 to say
 The next morning, Sunday, Noyem-
 Der 22, we embarked on board the EX-
 pertinent, a fine new sloop of 130 tons,
 built expressly for carrying passengers between Hudson and New York. The whole vessel was handsomely fitted up. It had two private cabins abaft, con taining several bed-places for ladies. In the midship was al arge general room, upwards of sixty feet long, and twenty feet wide, containing double tier of bed-places on each for gentlemen, white printed cotton curtains drawn before them At the head of this cabin or room, there was bar, like that of coffee house, where the company, were supplied with wine, bottled porter, ale, cigars, and such articles as were not ir- cluded in the passage money. Between the bar and the forecastle was very complete kitchen fitted up with good fireplace, copper boilers and every con- yenience for cooking. The forecastle was appropriated to the use of the sail ors The passage money was $5, for which the passengers were provided during the voyage, with three meals a day including spirits; all other liquors were to be separately paid for.
 About 9 o'clock in the morning, we left the wharf, which was crowded with people to see the vessel depart; for it was the largest and best of the kind except the steamboat, that sailed on the river as a packet. It had not been es- tablished above six months. The main mast, boom and mainsail were of im- mense size for a sloop, but we had ten or dozen fine young fellows to work i the vessel, and having a smart breeze, | we soon left the town of Hudson far be- hind us.
 MT Elihu Bunker, who commanded the vessel, was part owner as well as i captain, and seemed to be plain, re- ligious sort of man. He had more the . look of parson than a sailor and had f posted up along list of regulations at ! the cabin door, which, if properly en- forced, were we'll calculated to keep his in good order. In truth, of the kind was necessary; for we had upward of fifty persons on board, nearly all men. Among the for odden articles were playing at cards and smoking in the cabin.'
 For years after the steamboats had the passenger trade, the Jity of Hudson continued to be largely : in the freight carrying rade by its aloops. Half a century ago, tome of the fastest and best sloops on he river hailed from the port. The Argus. Captain Phil Hazeton, was call d the fastest sloop of her time The oldest Hudson shippers still in !, he land of the living are Captain Alex tarter who is now an inmate of the ( fremen's Home at Hudson, and who is ( bout 80 years of age, and Captain ,, Peter Race. who for years sailed the chooner Minerva, and who, in addition l o the infirn1ities of advanced age, has ! ecently become blind. His vessel some \ ears ago was sold to parties in New } ersey who dismantled her and trans \ ormed her into coal barge. X .rgus.