The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1904-11-23
AQUAINTC CHARA TIER
CAPTAIN PRESERVED FISH, WHO HAD
A WILL or HIS OWN.

Trnita Of a sturdy New Enntnnuer.
sniiov n-J Lnndamnn Who iirs ~
u-st tn Preserved Eish's Fnmiiy
vault in New York city.
In the Marble cemetery In New York
city, among tonbstoncs of men more
or less intimately associated with the
early history of the gctropolls stands
one bearing the inscription, "rrcscrvcl
Fish's Family Vault" The inscription
has queer ring TO II, suggestive of
the odd character whose name II pcr-
pctuntes. According 10 all the tales
told or him, Preserved Fish was nm cc-
centric sort of man, and that definite,
almost defiant declaration Of owner
ship ON his tombstone II In keeping
with the rugged, self reliant character
Of the man In life
There * some doubt about the man
ncr In which Preserved Fish came 10y
his given name. According To one slo-
ry, when small boy he was picked mp
I'm midoccnn hanging to.n bit of broken
spar with that determination which he
cvinccd In after life In such n marked
degree. His rcscucrs declared then
and there that "prcscrvcd' was the
name for the youth, and Preserved he
was called.
But. according to Edmund Norman
Leslie. relative, Preserved WIS n
common name among the llugucnots
prior TO the American Revolution, nnd
his ancestors came by his name In the
same prosaic manner as many of thc
period, being born the son of II Ports
mouth (R ~ blacksmith in 1866, who
had been christcncd Preserved
Like many other boys of the time lie
ran away TO sea, shipping MS cabin boy
on whnler. lie rose rapidly, aud at
twcnty-Onc was n captain. Evidently
Captain Fish appreciated the odd name
he bore, for n story Is told of him that
while captain of n New Bedford whnl-
or he was held up 10y n revenue cut
ter.
"What ship is that?" demanded the
captain of the cutter.
"1hc Flying Fish," answered the
youthful commander.
whats her cargoT" was the next
question.
"piclilcd fish," was the prompt AN
swcr
"And who is captanr
preserved Fish"
These answers had flshy sound To
the revenue officer. lie ordered the brig
TO heave to and boarded her, only to
find that the answers were true in ev-
cry detail.
Captain Fish turned landsman In
1910, quitting the sea and going into
business I'm New Bedford. He entered
politics, and after most troublesome
time suddenly decided TO leave New
Bedford.
81 want you TO sell my house" he de-
clared TO an auctioneer whom he
chanced TO meet In the street.
"i}ut we will not get anything like
its value here" protested the auction
Ger.
did say anything about getting its
value? Sell it-value be hangcdr' was the
fierce rcioindcr Of Captain Fish So,
sacrificing his property, the captain
left New Bedford and settled I'm Flush
ing, ~ V, as n farmer. IL was while
living there that a disagreement arose
between him and a neighbor who had
been his closest friend. The two be-
came bitter enemies, and. indeed, so
deep was the hatred on Captain Fish's
part that on one occasion when the
neighbor saved his life after his cat
boat had been wrecked in He'll Gate
he did not even thank his enemy for
the act.
Soon after this incident Captain
Fish moved to New York city. Turn
ing his back upon political Office, he
formed, with Joseph Grinncll, the
shipping house partnership Of Fish Il
Grinnell, ana the first regular line of
Liverpool packets was started.
Captain Fish got along finely in the
shipping business until in 1926 he
went to Liverpool with about 100000
of capital and an unlimited amount
Of ambition. Two years later he
came back minus the ambition and
two-thirds of his fortune.
1t was after that venture that, hav-
''S A'iihNh ~ WIN
uel Allay of New York city. the grouty
old captain entered the office late one
morning
81 hope you are well this morning,
captain" remarked his partner.
"This, sir" growled Captain Fish,
sis place for business, not compli-
ments." Mr.. Allay was himself
man of some spirit. In less time than
1t takes TO tell it the firm of Fish 4
Allay became thing of the past, and
the sign was being converted into
klndling wood.
Captain Fish could never forgive
any one for failing to be punctual. To
him the man who failed to keep an
appointment was wholly unworthy of
trust in the future. Once in the early
days of the shipping business the pilot
who was to take vessel to sea at