The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-08-24


boat took par in many of the nava
Captain Childs was also in comma nj
of the Memphis. Junietta, Idaho and
Pawnee.
After the war Captain Childs sailed
naval captain. He also cruised up the
Amazon and La Plata rivers
| Was Retired i'm 1869.
This tropical life impaired mis- eye
| sight on account of the terrific glare OF
the sun. On this account he was re-
tired in 1869. However before this, his
chaplain on the Pawnee, who owned d
| farm in Kansas, had often told him OF
the advantages here. Through his in
fuence Captain Childs. as soon as he
retired, came directly from New York
to Topeka.
From here he went to Burlingame on
the first train which ran over the Santa
F'e to that place, then the terminus of
the road. He bought the second ticket
sold to that town.
Upon arriving he went two miles
east and bought a farm after fifteen
minutes negotiation. 1t proved later to
be underlaid with coal.
Here he is enjoying the fruits of a
worthy life. His postal cards and let
tiers from the naval officers mentioned
are among his most treasured posses
sions. He receives word from them
and replies even at the present time.
When Admiral Evans was here last
spring the old gentleman enjoyed
pleasant visit with him.
Captain ChiIds is an interesting talk
er.
Miss the sea? why of course I miss
it," he said to visitor. Il was on the
ocean for thirty years continuously and
naturally feel it to be my home.
ION the ship on which made my
first voyage a COW was kept and three
of us boys MIXED her for our own use.
We would take turns at milking while
the other held his mouth so that he
could catch the milk. Then the rest of
the crew wondered why the COW was
dry when they went to milk her.
Another amusing experience hap
pened when I was at Manila for the
first time. 1 traded my shirt for a
monkey. However, the monkey scared
me so 1 was not sorry when it escaped,
although 1 was minus both garman t
and pet.
However. anything but funny were
our experiences with Chinese pirates
who infested these seas in those days.
When the ship was becalmed a long
junk filed with about 200 naked,
heather Chinese would often silently
sneak along side of us and the yellow
bodies would swarm up the side ard on
to the decks. Then we would retire to
the rigging. From there we would drop
glass bottles. There would be a crash
and yells of pains as the Chinese with
bleeding bare feet left our vessel for
ting rid of them, as it was often twenty
of our men against hundreds of Chi |
nese fully armed.
THE worst suffering I experienced |
was from the cold. In those days ex-
cept in the cooks galley there was no
fire. In cold weather our clothes would |
freeze on us and we would go that way
for days, sleeping in them at night.
IT was often in water to my neck as
the waves broke over the ship in |
storms. That tempest near Porto Rico
be pitched to the sky yet We never lost
men to do the work. The rest of the
crew had died with yellow fever on the
voyage.
However. I always did the best |
could and tried to treat the men right.
In all of my trips near Africa and ex-i
oerience with the natives / had no
.rouble with the negroes
Father a British Officer.
Captain Childs' father was Captain
Thomas Bowlus Childs, an officer in the
British army. However he was a SYM
oathizer with the sChartists." These
people were not willing to pay tithes to
he church of England although they
we're willing to be taxed otherwise On
his account, they came to America in
815 with Captain Cchilds' father. lie
bought lands for them near German
own, Pa From this colony have come
hree millionaires. Among them is
Thomas Phelps of Chicago, a Million
lire hardware man.
Thomas Childs returned to Wales and
lied there. However three generations
# this family have lived in America