The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1906-11-13
Velox Post Cards of your home on short
CT

Velox Post Cards of your home on shor
, notice. L. s Boyce, stationer.
A fire of mysterious origin occurred oil
the Biddle Joyce farm near Vincentown
8 yesterday afternoon, about o'clock, de
stroying all the outbuildings except th'
hen house. The dwelling was saved will
great difficulty. All the crops in thu
building were consumed, together will
some farm implements. Eighteen calves
and one horse persisted. The loss will
amount to several thousand dollars will
partial insurance.
Burglars entered the post Office at Med
ford on Saturday night by forcing open {
rear door. They blew open the safe witt
some powerful explosive, which sem
pieces of iron through the plate glass win
men got about 800 worth of stamps and
$45 in cash, which belonged to the govern
ment. The sum of $40 was taken from q
bag, the personal property of Postmaster
Harry L. Knight. There were several
certificates Of stock in the safe which were
not taken. The loose stamps and registered
letters were not disturbed. The burglars
who are supposed to belong to the gang
of "yagg men," left behind them a mon.
key wrench, chisel and two picks, which
were stolen from the neighborhood. They
LETT fuse at the safe containing metal
end. An inspector went to Medfo-d, yes
lterday, to investigate matters During
the week three strange men were seen
lettering about the post office 1t will be
difficult to unravel the mystery, as there
is no one who can identify the cracksmen
An Overdue Vessel.
Anxiety is intense for the safety of Cap
tain Frank Patten, his wife and little
daughter. Nellie May Patten, all of whom
are well known in Mount Holly, Mrs.
Charlotte Patten being a niece of DR.. W.
P. Melcher
Captain Patten is the commander of the
Kineo, named after the largest mountain
at Moosehead Lake, in Maine. She is of
schooner type, 1900 tons, has FIVE masts
and is the largest all steel vessel afioat
The boat carries water ballast, has water
ASAAo NOAAP 10 nlC PAOOA hdHQ I'LL
sinkable. The vessel was built as an ex-
pertinent and cost about $3.50, 900. She
has been out 1876 days, and is now seventy
days overdue. The Kineo is now away on
her first trip, having been gone nearly two
years, and if she succeeds in reaching
Philadelphia, she win have circled the
globe. The vessel is loaded with a cargo
of 1000 tons of sugar, valued at about
$780, 900.
Captain Patten sailed from Baltimore,
Md, in January, 1905, for Manila, with
cargo of coal. While going from there to
Australia in ballast, beri beri, tropical
disease, was contracted, and the Kineo
was quarantined at Brisbain, a port near
Sidney. After the sick had recovered a
cargo of coal was taken to Hawaii, and at
the latter place the vessel was loaded with
the sugar for Philadelphia. Captain
Patten is skilled and experienced navi
gator, having run away from school when
boy to foil ow the sea. which has great
enchantment for him. He is 46 years of
age. has sailed around Cape Horn twenty
eight times, and has been on every body
of water on the globe. He has suffered
many harhships and escaped from
many dangerous situations. Practically
living on the ocean, Captain Patten al
ways has his family with him as we'll as
all his possessions
An incident in the life of this sea-faring
family came near having fatal termina-
ton. A few years ago Captain Patten
commanded the full rugged ship, George
Stetson. He left Portland, Oregon, for
Naccasake. Japan. One night while sail
ing on the Pacific ocean, and within ten
days of port, French sailor who was crazy
set the vessel on fire and she was
burned to the waters edge. The crew
made their escape in three boats, but
Captain Patten did not leave bis doomed
ship in the small boat which contained his
wife and child At that time Nellie May
Patten was fed from bottle. The boats
kept pretty well together and foundered
about helplessly for two days and three
nights, when they drifted on an island in
the sea of Japan which was occupied by
cannibals. The survivors. having lost
everything and being scantily clothed,
had nothing to give to the savages, and their
helpless position sent a nervous chill
through the crowd, fearing that they
mi ght be killed and eaten at any moment.
The cannibals sized their captives up
as dainty morsel, but for some I'M
accountable reason they we're not molested
Their plight was the subject of message
which reached the nearest American con-
sui, who sent immediate relief
While on their lonely drift over the
ocean, Mrs. Patten noticed that one of the |
sailors had made several attempts to steal
a jug of water which her husband had
placed under her seat. Realizing what
the loss of this water meant, Mrs. Patten
took commanding position in the stern
of the boat, and with her baby lying on
her lap and rifle across her arm, she sat
for many hours guarding that jug of
water, threatening death to any one who
might touch it without her permission.
T~aL