The sun., 1902-09-07
WIEN GREENWICH MAZDA RACER.
TIE Old Romcr of Boss TN eed's Time Made
u Lively for Other sound Cran.


the arrival of Capt, Charlie Holiness new
steamboat the Gen, Putnam, in these
waters, few weeks ago. the old Green
wich boatwcu aui residents of forty years
or more have been t2lking about her speed
ing qualities aud comparing them with
those Of he famous fast boat, the John
Romer hat ran on the route between
Greenwich aui EcN York in the '60s Boss
Tweed was Instrumental in having the
Rumer brOugn, - Greenwich He saw
the boat being built al Wilmington, Del,
and bought her for s35,ODo, though the
asking price was S50,OO0. He ~aw she was
a fine boat and wanted her 10 run between
Greenwich and New York when ho and his
COMPANIONS Of the Ampricus Club made
merry at their clubhouse here. He kept
his purchase secret, however, until he had
organized the Greenwich and Rye Steam
boat Company, when the ROmer was turned
over 10 that organization and Immediately
jumped into nOtoricty A. Sound flyer.
Capt Holmes expects the Putnam TO
rival her predecessor. but the old boatmen
say she must be- an unCummonly smart boat
TO do H. The first evidence Of he Putnam's
prowes- was shown one morning recently,
when the captain of the Oneida T.. {. Bene-
dict = steam yacht, had 10 order the engn-
Ger TO crowd all the steam possible 10 keep
the Putnam from running away from him
as the two boats were leaving Greenwich
harbor, headed for New YORK. Commo-
dore Benedict was on board and those who
saw him say he wore worried look as he
saw the Putnam pushing ahead though
Capt Holmes asserts that he was not at
tempting to give the Oneida brush.
As the Putnam showed her stern To the
steam Yacht an old Greenwich captain
who was seated in the after cabin near
a wealthy New York business man, turned
to him and sighed
This here's a good boat, bat she can't
touch the Romer," said he. Il 'spose
you hern tell Of her? II was a great day
for Greenwich an the Americu- Club when
she beat the SsaNa nhaka
You see the Seawauhaka was a new
boa, built for the rich men Of Roslyn aud
about there She was bout twice the si2e
Of the Romer. and the moucy-men back
on her done q lot q Dragging bout how
she could travel and thar was no boat
on he Sound that could touch her Afore
that time the Romer had always been able
10 take the lead OF oil the steam craft ssilin'
on the Sound from her berth to Execution
Light and her owners were proud that
they had a steamboat that hadn't been beat
since she started a-ruunin
They was leetlc skcered on the Sen
wanhaka. Steve White. capin, and Bill
Withcrwax, pilit, Of the ROmer, kept her
beat If they knowed It, But The second #
June 1867, "a the RoWer was on the trip
10 the city the Sea vanhaka came out of
Glen Cove a. the Romer was passing Steve
and Bill see they'd gpt 20 DO su'thin' or the
name of their boa. was gone.
"Th" island boat was a-gainin' on the
Romer AT Throg's Neck Steve, he stood
on the stern deck waIchin' her. Eli was
In the pilit house Every few minutes
Bill, he yelled for more steam, till John
Darrah. the engineer. shouted through the
speakin' lube that IA" was a dOin' his best
and twas no use 70 keep ringin' the bell, as
he had the throttle wide open and there was
no NOR" steam.
Then make more hollered Bill
Pill wanted Ia keep the lead un'il the
narrer Chl mel bet ween Rikcr's Island and
Barrow's Pint was passed. for beyond he
was sartn he could hold the lead for the
rest Of the trip.
Things was settn' exciting on the
Romer. There was a lot o. NaricGs Club
boys aboard and they put big money on her.
thougi they knowed the SNawanhaka was
a bigger boat and was fast The 'Nprcus
Club boys got 80 hilarious that Secretary
Mead Of the steamboat compary who
was aboard, instructed H"n r. zgcrald.
who had charge Of the liqud rtfreshu ents.
% sarvc Sarsaparia when hey called for
whiskev or brandy 'Ftz' smiled at the
idea Of fColin' Mcricus Club man with a
drink like that, but he obcyed orders
AT North Brother Island the two boats
was abreast and the passenger, on 'em
wrs wild Women shook their parasplS
and squealcd like a foca o. geese Bill
rang for more steam.
There were lot Of cases Of lard ahDar q
AMI Darrah told the fireman TO put them in
[ he furnace In few minutes heavy black
smoke belched from the stack like from
tarkin. The Romer leaped ahead like
ilboat in squal She gliCled right by
the Seawanhaka, and held on ahead all the
wav TO her dock, al Thirty-first street She
never had another race with the Seawan-
haka"
What became Of the Romer?- the narra-
tor was asked
wall, you see some members OF the
old church were 81 oCkhOdnrs in the COM
pany, " II II Murray was the minister
and he welcomed the now boat first off :.
bu, when he heard tha, liquor was sold
aboard her, he made n big time. He
preached "A sermon on il, and then there
was trouble. Il resulted in his lenvin' the
church and goin TO Boston, and cur ious as il
NAV Seom. II WASH I but few months after
he began preachin' in the Park Street
Church that the Romcr was a runnin' reg 'lar
between Long Wharf. Hull. bingham and
Nantasket. | heard that afterward she
went TO Florida
MS NEIEN-CENT CIGARS.
N