The Republican journal., 1905-08-24
THE GUNNER CLUB EXCURSION.
They Catch No Fish But Have a Good
Time,

Time.
The Gunner Club started last Saturday
ON their annual excursion in the steamer
| fremont, chartered for the occasion. Their
objective point was Port Clyde, known to
our old-time seafarers as Herring Gut, and
| they were lured in that direction by the
promise of good deep sea fishing, an abund-
ance of Holsters and other good cheer, by
Mr.. George A. Gilchrest, formerly known
as the Mayor Of Port Clyde. We may say
here that some of these promises were kept
to the letter, but as to the rest we will not
anticipate. At LOS p. m. the lines were cast
off, with a party numbering Sc, and well
stocked commSsary, fish lines and fishing
gear on board, and the fremont was head
ed down the bay. 1t was an ideal day. with
bright sunshine, southerly breeze and a
smooth sea, and the faces of the Cunners
and their friends were wreathed in smiles.
A little way out the Edna was passed, but
was scarcely recognizable in her cruising
rig as the saucy craft of former years. Far
ther down the bay the Jennette was seen,
also under reduced rig, but looking spick
| fishing boat to her original use as pleasure
| craft. A stop was made at the Camp Ground
for an addition of one to the party, and then
! we were off again. Farther down the bay
! we met the big four-masted schooner Inde-
pendent, flying light, bound to Belfast to
| load ice. The Folwells summer home on
Isola Bella, their famous log cabin on War
| TS1n
which numbers among its cottagers Miss
| Rose E. Cleveland and Charles Dana Glib
| son, and other things of interest were point
| ed out to those unfamiliar with our bay and
| its attractions. When off the lower end of
Acre island the Dark Harbor yacht fleet
| was seen working out in a light breeze on
their regular Saturday afternoon race. These
races are sailed every Saturday during the
season and at its close the records are made
up and prizes awarded to the winning
yachts.
| With the Camden hills resplendent in the
| light and shade of the afternoon sun, on our
right the big Samoset loomed up ahead
against background of smoke from the
Rockland lime kilns. Then picturesque
OWl 11tdu was ucfti GU lIp houhuONs esnN
we steamed along past shore dotted with
summer cottages. Crescent Beach with its
long and shaky pier and big dining halls
, came into view, Ash Island was passed, and
then seaward was seen High Island, where
extensive Quarrying is going on and three
masted schooner was loading. Adjoining
is Dix Island, once a scene of activity but
now deserted. The fremont was making
better time than expected and before 5
O'Clock she had passed the light on Mar
shall's Point and tied up to the wharf of
the Port Clyde Development Co. after a
run of four hours from Belfast. The plant
here includes a marine railway, saw mill,
| ice house. store and dwelling, and was for
mefly the property of George A. Gilchrest.
| He sold to ". A. Moody, who organized the
present company,of which he is the manager.
Mr.. Moody measures somewhere between six
! and seven feet and when "Peavy" stood up
| beside him many were reminded OF the con-
trast between the former drum major of the
| Belfast Band, W. II. Sanborn, and their
mascot, Don Robbins.
When all had been landed the party took
up the line of march for the Ocean House,
James Brannan proprietor, who had been
warned by telephone of their coming and
had stocked his larder accordingly. During
the hour before dinner or supper-it is i'm
material which you call it-many visited
the factory of the Port Clyde Fish Co., un
| deferred by the words 'No Admittance"
over every door, and witnessed the process
of Transforming herring into sardines. The
! fish are first sated, then washed and partly
| cooked, then cooled and dried and put into
boxes with a mustard paste. When the
boxes are filed the covers are placed on and
then they 60 to men who operate machines
that fasten them ON tightly. No soldering
| is required. The boxes are then immersed
in cauldron of boiling water in which the
cooking process is completed The cans are
then ready for the labels and for packing in
cases for shipment. The manager Of the
factory said that they had good season
last year but this season the supply of fish
had been light. The day of our visit was
the best of the season and a night crew was
put on to work up the fish received. This
| is the principal industry of the place, which
! Is, however,, tne ceutIo VI d large lOUSLcIlIlS
business, and near the canning factory was
a saw mill run by a gasolene engine.
| A little after O'Clock hungry crowd in
vaded the dining room of the Ocean House.
The tables were attractively laid and the
menu was an abundant and satisfying one.
A clam soup had precedence, and was fol-
lowed by haddock fried to turn, potatoes,
lobster ad libtum, good bread and good
butter, tea and coffee There were some
epicures in the party and they were enthu-
sastic in praise of the fried haddock, de-
claring that it could not have been better
cooked at Young's or Parker's in Boston or
Delmonico's in New York. The Mayor
of Port Clyde graced one of the tables and
blushed at the many complimentary COM
ments ON the fare set forth in this his
native town and many who had partaken
literally of ham sandwiches, hard tack and
stripped fish on the trip down apologized
for the size of their appetites
After supper walks were in order, some
climbing the hill in rear of the settlement
to be rewarded by fine view of the water
beyond. Later graphophone concert was
given in front of the Ocean House by a
''lantern dimly burning" several got