Kentucky Irish American. (Louisville, Ky.) 1898-1968, 1911-04-01
Former Louisville Couple Spent
six Years in Golden
West.
Will Soon Sail For Lengthy Tour
of Ireland and the
Continent.
WHY He COULD NOT DROWN

William Lynch, formerly one of
Louisville's most enterprising mer-
chants and dry goods dealers, is
back in the city after an absence of
six years. He arrived in company
with his wife, who was formerly Miss
Mollie Mohaney, on Sunday evening,
March 10. Mr.. and Mrs. Lynch ex-
pect to remain in Louisville until
April 15, when they will make a
months tour of the East and then
sail for Europe. Both are enjoying
excellent health, and Mr.. Lynch has
the same CHEEKY word and the same
style of blarney that he used with
good effect when engaged in COM
mercial lines in Louisville.
Mr.. Lynch talks Interestingly OF
his life in the West. 1t is a real
treat to hear him. He was sojourn-
ing with his wife at Los Angeles
when San Francisco had her great
earthquake and fire six years ago.
His description of the ruins and the
scene of devastation after that
catastrophe is graphic, pathetic at
times, humorous at other times, but
always full of interest. Mr.. Lynch
told something about his life in the
West to a coterie of friends in the
Kentucky Irish American office one
day this week While in Los Angeles
he became acquainted with several
earthquakes. Some of them had the
east to west vibration, while others
vibrated from north to south and
then swung corners. Although he
is more or less familiar with seismic
disturbances one can see that Mr..
Lynch does not like them and he
does not care to have any radical
earthquake get familiar with him.
He tells of the marvellous specu-
lative spirit of the Golden West
Commercial enterprise is in the air,
he says, but the majority of the
SPECTATORS are Eastern men. 1t is
worth while to hear him tell of the
rejuvenated city of San Francisco, of
it's new buildings of concrete and
twisted steel, ten, twelve and six
teen stories tall. He can tell you
all about Gen. Otis and the labor
troubles at Los Angeles or how he
spent six weeks of last summer at
Cataline Island, twenty-seven miles
from the coast of California. He
tells of fish that weigh 100 to 200
pounds that are caught with light
tackle and how exhiliating is the
sport of catching them.
While on the Cataline Island Mr..
Lyncn went swimming. "See that
man diving in there" said an Irish
wag to one of the beach guards.
"He will drown. He has cork legs. .
Mr. Lynch did not know of this re-
mark. and after his swim came out
and sat upon bench on the beach.
The guard proceeded to look him
over and then ventured to remark: !:
You can swim anyhow, can't your"
"Of course can. Why shouldn't
H."
"That man over there said you
had cork legs replied the. guard.
"He did, Ell! Well, l have Cork
legs and Cork arms and I'm Cork
man." Still the guard was mysti-
fled until Mr.. Lynch gave him a few
lessons in Irish geography.
At present Mr.. and Mrs. Lynch
are stopping at the Fifth Avenue
Hotel. They plan to leave Louisville
on April Is and will go direct to
Washington After a week in the
National capital they will go to
New York for two weeks and two
more in Boston. A unique feature
OF the coming Eastern trip is that
four schoolmates are to hold a re-
union In New York. Forty-three
years ago Mr.. Lynch finished his
schooling at Kilredan national
school, County Cork. Three COM
panions who left school at the same
time are living in the United States
and all are in comfortab circum-
stances. One is In the United
States Secret Service In Washington.
Another is a railroad official in
Buffalo. The third is prominent In
financial circles in New York City.
Mr.. Lynch is the fourth. There will
be some popping of Cork wit when
that quartette assemblies in New
York early in May.
Mr.. and Mrs. Lynch have booked
their passage for Queenstown on
May IT. After spending some time
in Ireland they will cross to England
and from there to Belgium. The
next journey win be TO Copenhagen
Denmark. After that they will see
Sweden and Norway, all by easy
stages. There will be no hurry. Next
winter they plan TO spend In Italy
Later they will visit France and Ger
many and then back to Ireland and
the Cove OF Cork.
In the West Mr.. Lynch frequently
met John Bacon and Jeremiah Bacon,
former Louisville merchants. now
expert globe trotters. He says the
Messrs. Bacon enjoy excellent health
and still have warm spot foI