The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-04-18
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.


has been the cause Of sIne discussion.
As the subject IL of interest to many
persons n no are familiar with the his
tory of early steamboating on the liud-
son. the writer IL DESTROYS Of placing on
record the real facts concerning the
knickerhocker that are omitted or In
correctly stated in the letters OF your
correspondents
Ny father, Justus Edward Earle OF
New York city. purchased this steamboat
of the Long Island route stated In Mr.,
Morrlsons letter. in the middle SOS ana
placed her In the Hudson River service
as night boat to Albany. running her
IN connection with the steamboat Man
haitian (which he also owned) under
the name Of the Merchants Line
These boats formed an Independent
ard competine lire to Daniel Drew's
Peoples Line and not. as Mr. Hollen-
beck states In his letter. a second class
and auxiliary one to that line.
As Mr.. Christopher SAYS. NJ. Morey
was first pilot OF the linickerbocker al
the time she met with her disaster In the
Highlands OF the Hudson near West
Point and at a part of he river called
the Race on the night OF August ~ or
the morning OF September |, 1855. She
was sunk by striking the mast OF
sunken sloop that was laden with brick
and herself sunk the previous day.
The mast ran clear through the
knlckerbocker's hull. She was beached
slid Off az she filed. turned turtle and
spilled overheard her cargo and her two
large boilers She was later righted and
towed to New York, where she was re-
built and replaced in service In the Mer-
chants Line
The dates and all essential facts Of
this disaster are to be found in the case
OF Merritt VS.. Earle. on page Us OF Vol
ume 80 OF the Reports OF the Appellate
Court OF the State OF New York SO
\ W Earle has not far to lock for an
accurate account OF this disaster and to
settle the question az to whether 1t was
caused by fire tas he thlnks) or other
wise.
suit was brought against my father
", number OF the owners OF the cargo
aboard and he set up the defence that
| the disaster was caused by the act OF
God and consequently that he was not
liable. The court. however. held that
the Almighty had no hand In tho imme-
| diate' cause OF the wreck. and my father
was compelled to pay upward OF hun
| dred thousand dollars IN damages for
| the lost cargo.
The Knickerbocker continued to run
| in the Merchants Line until the ear'v
| days OF the civil war, when she was pur.
chased by Daniel Drew. who chartered
her to the Government as transport.
The last I knew OF the Knickerbocker
| was that she lay. a wreck. on the beach
OF the lower James River along SOM
| time during the days when Gen Butler
was bottled up and Gen. Mcclellan was
! fighting his seven days battle on the
Peninsula. JrsTus EDWARD EARLE.
In reply to w A. H. I enclose here
! with the song OF THE American Boy"
which I clip from a song book Of 1854:
Father. look UP and se that nag,
How gracefully II flies.
Those pretty stripes--they seem to be
| A rainbow in the skies"
| 1t Is your countrys nag, my son.
And proudly drinks the light,
Ger oceans waves. in foreign climes,
| A symbol OF our might"
Father, what fearful noise 10 that.
| Like laundering OF the clouds
, Why do the people wave their hats
And rush along in crowds"
| 1T IL the noiss OF cannon. child.
| The glad shouts Of tho free:
| This IL the day to memory dear
IT'S Freedoms Jubilee"
! II wish that we're now . man.
I'd IRE my cannon too.
And cheer as loudly as the rest
| But, father. why don't your"
I'm getting old and vsak-but still
My heart 10 big with Joy;
Tvs witnessed many n day like this
Shout you aloud. my boy
''Hurrah. for Freedoms Jubilee!
| God bless our native land;
And may live to hold the sword
or freedom In my hand"
We'll done. my boy-grow up and love
The land that gave you birth
A homo where frecdum loves TO dwell,
A paradise on earth
| When did the Loew Bridge stand on
Broadway and Fulton street. and when
and why was Il removed? II my
memory serves me II was removed ~ tho
instance OF Knox the halter. who claimed
that Il darkened his shop. I always
understood that his real rea son for sug-
costing that II should be taken away
was the opportunity II gave 20 advertise
| Mr. Knox's business.
HENRY HArroN,
broadway and Fulton street. = highly
dangerous crossing for pedestrians OF
that day. in May. 1897. Its est!mat ed
cost had been 5000. but II really cost
almost $4,000 Pedestrians didn't make
much use Of II. preferrinE TO risk lie
and limb in the street. II was taken
down the next year and tho auer,st's
memory Ia correct in TINT It's removal
was due 20 Mr.. Knox, VINO asserted that
IL darkened his windowu
Are German army officers captured by
IN. English and held in England as
prisoners OF war paid regular salaries
/ $50 month"; by the English? And
are all English army Officers held in Ger
| many az prisoners paid a Ike salary by
| the Germans HOMER A. GuCK.
II Is customary - pay such prisoners
at least enough TO permit them to have
spending money Tho English are
paying the German prisoners salary
equivalent to that OF the English OH
GERS, according 10 recent statement
| Whether or not the Germans are doing
the same with tho English army officers
who are prisoners has not been an
| nounced
VIII you please favor me with the
rhyme which was alluded to IN th'
criticism OF the book I'm the oregon
| Country" printed In last sunday :