Evening journal., 1921-05-27
old CAPTAIN
comes BACK
s. N. Denny Builds New
Boat After Retiring
at 20
is VETERAN AS
RIVER NAVIGATOR

PENN's GROVE. \. j.. May At
Cap'n Sam Denny. veteran navigator
OF the lower Delaware river and bay.
Is az Il again.
A trim new freight boat Is being
built by this weather-wrinkied mas
ter OF river craft. who has followed
the water for more than seventy
years. starting almost as soon as ne
was able 10 toddie down to the ship
yard OF his father, James Denny
along the river shore here. He is
now nearly so years old. and has
personally owned and operated more
boats on the Delaware than any
other man now living.
Captain Denny's latest craft is
having the finishing touches put on
Il at Lodges shipyard At Paulsboro.
IL Is a small river freighter 100 feet
long and with a capacity OF ESQ
tons. The new boat II expected TO
take to the water early In June. Il
will be named the Samuel M. Denny.
This new vessel viii have an oil-
burning engine. the hrst craft Of
such modern construction among tho
score OF boats. from tugs to large
| freiEhters. that the old captain has
run on the river since he became
master OF his first vessel IN 1855.
This oil engine Is responsible for
Cap'n Dennys return from reur-
ment Three years ago he sold out
his line OF boats and "Denny's
wharf" al Penn's Grove and retired
20 new home which ne built on
Delaware avenue. overlooking the
broad expanse OF the river al this
point Sitting upon his porch he
could see the ships passing up and
down the river He noted the
change In types and within the last
two years discovered the large in
crease in the number OF vessels
with oil engines.
Then few months ago he ran
across an oil engine. 10 was offered
to him at a bargain and he bought
Il. He has constructed his new boal
around this engine, the vessel beinl
mostly designed and constructed
during the open weather OF ths
winter.
. ne NAA AANfA kANAAAN NAN NhH't
a boylike delight In being bach
among the shipways again and see
ing his new boat take shape. He b
eager to put his hands to the whee
Of the new oil-burner and see whs
I kind Of speed IL can make compare,
to the score Of steamboats, that h'
d has stsered up and down the Della
ware river in his long career.
: Most Of his boats were used d
. Transporting shad from the bay /
I. | the Philadelphia markets. In th
- more than Atty seasons that ne "a
z the shad boats. he had a record ,
IA never once being late for the iis
II market. in spite Of storms. fogs ,
contrary tides. He never had riv,
=. collision or other accident
e Captain Denny is one Of the fe
surviving sailors who served in q
n Civil War. He originally enliste
- with the Thirty regimen
n New Jersey volunteers. but when n
10 time was up. he Se-enlisted in th
p navy. He was asslgked to the frigat
!. Minnesota. carrying forty-four gum
Il and was in some exciting engage
ments during the bombardment q
. rebel forts along the James river.
e No steamboat captain on the Della
s ware is better known than Captai
Denny For many years he was
familiar figure along the rive
wharves at Philadelphia when he "a
his shad and freight boats. Some q
the boats which he has owned an
navigated include the tug Annie n
Wood, his first craft after his retur
from the war; Atlas. j. p. White
James McFadden, stella, Cynthia, a
tug boats. and the freighters Green
wich. Bridgeton, Sara j. Flemminl
Elizabeth Vansolver, Endeavore
Poconoket, Admiral, william Nun
. sen. Denny Brothers, Harry Dav
and Greensboro.