The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933, 1921-03-24
MASONS PAY HONOR
TO CAPT. SCHETkY

A large delegation of members of
the local Masonic Lodge motored to
the West Side home of Scott +. Aitken
Tuesday afternoon TO convey their
greetings to Capt. c. A. Schetky, Mr..
Athens father-in-law, in celebration
of his oath birthday. Capt. Schetky
served in the United States Navy and
the Merchant Marine for AZ years. He
was stationed during the Civil war
with Farargut's feet on the lower
M Mississipi. He retired from active
naval life 81 years ago.
| Capt. Schekty, who has been a Mason
for &c years, was initiated at Philadel-
phia. Having sailed the Seven Seas,
he has visited Masonic lodges at var
ious ports of the world. Capt. Schetky
carries his age well. He frequently
visits the local lodge. always enter
tanning his brethren before the evening
is over with stories of his seafaring
| life. His voice remains strong and he
can be heard in the furtherest parts of
the room.
Capt. Schetky ran away to sea at
the age of Is. shipping on the Venice,
bound to Sidney, China and Oriental
ports. The youngest of eight boys
out for II months with a captain mo-
torious along the Atlantic coast as a
| hard taskmaster. In spite of the
hardships and brutal treatment, he
went on another voyage. For 2l years
| he was in the merchant service, going
through many strange and exciting eX-
periences with storms, shipwrecks,
mutinies and piracy. Some of the
| -. -,
required 50 days. The ships carried no
doctors, and Capt. Schetky, following
natuarl gift, was medical man for
the crews of all ships on which he
sailed. He accomplished some re-
maTkable surgical operations and med
ical cures. He was also a keen and
skillful navigator and saved his vessel
from disaster many times.
In 1863 Capt. Schetky volunteered
/ for service in the United States Navy.
Until the end Of the Civil war he was
on gunboat duty on the Mississippi,
serving on the New Era, a converted
merchantman. He took part in the
engagement at the massacre Of Fort
Pillow, when the New Era, at the end
of the fight, had only eight rounds left
to serve its four guns.
In 1875 Captain Schetky went down
with the United States man o war,
the Tuscarora, commanded by Captain
Erben. to seat King Matietoa on the
throne of Samoa. The Germans, who
had a colony there, desiring to run
things had created some dissent as 10
his regency. They had made heavy
/ financial demands on the country and
the Ssmoans had appealed for relief
from this oppression TO the United
States. Following a tri-treaty between
the United States. Great Britain and
Germany the United States secured
the only harbor Of any importance in
Samoa.
Captain Schetky has noted with in
terest a recent discussion Of the recon
sideration Of the Nicaragua canal. In
1872 be was sent as executive officer TO
survey Nicaragua with a view Of con-
structing a canal there instead Of az
Pzuama. The proposed canal had sew
eral points Of superiority. he says. a.
the topography Of the locality made IL
less liable 10 slides. Il took in higher
ground. and though longer Il had the
advantage Of including the San Juan
river and Lake Nicaragua.
In 1873 Captain Schetky was ordered.
"a navigator. to survey the east cos~t
Of Mexico, which had not been charted