The San Francisco call., 1907-01-13
By Hanna Astrup Larsen

by Hanna Astrup Larsen
r HE making Of a ship has been
described. in poetry and prose
until every detail from the lay
ing Of the keel to the hosting
Of the pennant ought TO 'loe--and usu-
ally. is not-clcar to the ordspary
landsman. Kipling has gone even far
ther than this aud described how the
finished ship found itfelf how the life
thrill passed through her from, stem 70
stern, and every. one 3of her parts iifled
itself TO every other part Sali together
making that individuality which an
swers to the ships name. Tire subject
Of the unmal1ing of the ship has yet to
hnd its Longfellow or its Kipling. And
yet the story of how an old ships indi-
viduaIity is plucked from her bit by biz
should not be unworthy Of a poets at
tention, since IL is one Of the most
striking variations Of the old, old and
ever new theme: How are the mighty
faIlen!p A battieship made irAo scrap
iron, palatial liner on the Junk heap.
wouldn't it make you sit UP and think?
It seems strange TO speak OF. the de-
struction of ships as a profitable in
dustry, but il has been a distinct in
dustry and a very profitable one. IT is
not so any longer, owing TO the fact
that. cast iron has replaced the copper
which formed a large part Of the make
ND of the old vessels, and which made
II worth while TO go to a great deal OF
trouble for the sake Of getting II out.
Then, too, copper was more valuable in
those days than il is now.
Mr.. c. T. BoudrOw, who, with Cap
tain Charles Boudrow and his two
partners, Gibson and Clancy, was for
many years engaged in the business ~
breaking up old ships, has in his Berlke-
lev home a collection OF relics from
many oi the most famous ships thai
have been on the Pacific Coast, aH ef
which have been broken up ana burned
for Junk There are canes made from
the timbers OF condemned warslfps, ar
ficles manufactured from the brass
bearings OF the machinery, silver and
furniture from elegant passenger
steamers.
The company began business in Bos-
ton by buying old steamers Of the. Pa
cffic Mail line running between New
York and Aspinwall. These were usU-
ally towed from New York to Boston
and broken up in Boston harbor. Some
times the breaking up took place in
New York.
In 1877 the company moved TO the
Pacific Coast and began operations by
buving two OF the Pacific Mall steam
ers on this side. the Arizona and the
Montana. The Orifamme and the John
. y. Stephens OF the Ben Holiday line
hcane soon after. The Constitution and
the Colorado were bought at great
cost and their remains were added 10
the rubbish heap after extracting all
that was valuable from them. Seven
1varships left their ashes with the rest
Mr.. Boudrow has in his house canes
made from the timbers Of the follow
ing sbips, all OF which were broken up
Al Tiburon: The Alaska the Tusca-
rora. the Benicis, the Nyack, the Saco
and the Narragansett. He has also a
finv anvil cast Of brass from the ma
chinery Of the Narragansett which he
uses as a paper weight, and a small
brass cannon from the machinery OF
the Monadnock-the original Monad-
mock OF Civil War fame. Another me-
Inento from the Monadnoctx is in the
possession OF Captain Boudrow. IL is
n small round brass table resting on
three eagles claws and bearing an i'm