The Republican journal., 1913-12-18
Annals of Belfast for Half
a Century.
BY AN OLD SETTLER
Hon. VIM. G. Crosby.)
CHAPTER XIV. tlS4S. J

The California typhoon, which had been
gradually drawing nearer and nearer to
US, reached this latitude with the open
ing of this year. The new bark Suiote,
to sail for San Francisco with passengers
and merchandise The first invoice was
a company of about twenty-five, the
largest portion being young men, who
arrived here from Bangor in the after
noon of the 25th of January. They
were met at the bridge by delegation
of their co-adventurers from this and
other places, and the Brass Band, and
escorted to the hotel, where they were
received with three times three cheers
from the large concourse of people as
sembled lii front of it.
AS token of respect and an express
sion Of interest in the enterprise, a COLA
ton was rendered to the adventures by
our citizens at Washington Hall on the
evening of the twenty-seventh. Tables
were spread on each side of the hall, eX-
tending its whole length, under the
supervision of Mr. benj. Sargent. At
the close of the repast eloquent adj
dresses Were made by Rev. Messrs.
Palfrey, Cutter, Kicker, EX-Gov. An
derson and Mr.. William O. Poor, all of
this place, to which responses were made
by William H. Weeks. Esq. of Unity,
Mr.. A. H. johnson of Saltwater, Benz.
Griffin, Esq.,. then late editor of The
Journal and Captain Simpson. At the
conclusion of the entertainment the COM
pany dispersed with three cheers for the
captain, crew and passengers of the
Suliote, and three il response for the
citizens of Belfast. 1t was season of
great excitement in our ordinarily quiet
village
The Suiote sailed about two o'clock,
p. m. of the Goth. a salute was fired
and cheers was exchanged as she left
the wharf She carried with her, in adj
dition to her offices arc crew, fifty pas
sengers. Some idea of the miscellaneous
character of her cargo may be formed
from the fact that her manifest was
over nine feet in length. The occupa-
tions of her passengers were equally
iscelaneols; fifteen # them were me-
chanics, eleven lumber or millmen. five
merchants, four farmers, three survey
ors, two mariners, enc chemist, one
artist, one printer, one dentist, one
apothecary, one halter, one lawyer and
three who having 10 stated occupation
designated themselves gentlemen. Only
five Of the passengers were residents of
this place. One of them, Mr.. William
L. Torrey. the Artist CT the expedition,
is still residing in California; the other
four returned one after another; the
only one Of them now living is Mr.. Curtis
B. Merrill, who resides in Standish in
this State.
Two days after she sailed it was dis
covered that there We're but two casks
full of water on board that were fit for
use, owing to the fact that all the casks,
WiLA tiC OANCP(lOH VI liUSc IWO, were
not properly cleansed before being filled.
She was compelled to-put into Port
Prayar, Cape de Verd Islapds, for sup
ply, where she arrived on the 22d of
February. She arrived at Rio Janeiro
on the Goth of March. On her passage
round Cape Horn in the night of the 10th
of April in a very severe gale Edwin
Paul Simpson, son Of the captain, was
washed overheard and lost. He was
about eighteen years old, worthy, in
telligent youth, of frank and generous
disposition, and the favorite of all who
knew him. 1t was dark, tempestuous
night-the sea running so high that no
ships boat could live in it. CAPTAIN
Simpson returned home by the way of
the Isthmus; although from boyhood his
life had been passed on the ocean he
never went to sea again. The Suliote
arrived at San Francisco about the 18th
of July without farther loss or accident.
She is still afoat, changed in rig to a
schooner, and is now coal-carrier
After Capt. Simpson returned from
California he engaged in mercantile
pursuits. In 1852 he built the wharf still
known as Simpsons Wharf. He was
the owner of the house on Church street
now occupied by his son, the editor of
the Journal. While employed in making
some improvements about the premises
he took severe cold the effect of which
was fatal; he died September %, 1860,
aged sixty-two. He was regarded one
of our worthiest and most enterprising
townsmen; his hand and voice were ever
in favor of public enterprises, and his
loss was loss not merely to his family