davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1945-07-22
BY John Clagett Proctor

BY John Clagett Proctor
Speedboating and speedboat racing
have been eliminated for the duration
ahd motor cruising by motor craft has
been restricted to conserve gasoline.
But the people of Washington and else
where in days gone by did not have
motor boats to arouse their enthusiasm,
and instead gained everlasting renown
for themselves in the line of sports as
sturdy oarsmen, and often drew tre-
mendous crowds along the river front
when they put on their spectacular races.
Naturally, during the city's pioneer
days the inhabitants were too busy
working to exc out living to devote
much time to sports of any kind. Indeed,
1t has not always been that people
worked eight hours day with half
day on Saturday. for many can still re-
call when from sunup to sundown con-
stituted a days labor, and, for many
years, 10 hours day was required of
all tradesmen here and elsewhere, and
the common laborer was given even a
greater task.
Gradually, however, as the population
increased, and money became more
plentiful and people had more time to
devote to pleasure, an increasing inter-
est In all kinds of sports was taken, and
today a larger percentage of the people
give several hours out of each "a to
recreation and enjoyment, and much of
this time is devoted to aquatic sports,
including rowing one of the most manly
and strenuous of all the pastimes,
Evening star., 1945-07-22

though in the District this sport does
not seem as much INDUCED in now as it
was half century and more ago.
Old Rowing Clubs
Naturally, to those who follow this
sport, the names of the present organi-
cations are quite familiar, but there is
no one who has personal recollection
of the old Falcon Club, the pioneer boat
club of Washington, of which the writer
referred to briefly quite recently. 1t
was organized September 2, 1874, little
over century ago, with Joseph B.
Tate, later the founder of The Star, as
president; Matthew Henry Stevens was
its first treasurer and John F. Coyle,
for a decade or more one of the pro-
prietors of the National Intelligencer,
the secretary. The other original men,
bers included w H. Topping, George
Med Burke, Curtis B. Graham, George
Patten, Charles King, John Waters,
James Charles, Charles T. Smith, Will
liam E. Marcoe A. S. Newton, James F.
Halliday, Josiah R. Bayley, Thaddeus
A. Provost, William G. Bestor, Rufus
Elliott. william Kendall, Walter Lenox
and William M. Laughlin. Malcom
Seaton, Orson Bestor and Hudson Taylor
were younger members of the club.
Their boat was purchased from a
club in Philadelphia and, according to
an early account, was an eight-oared
lapstreak barge and was considered a
model craft. 1t would bear very fa-
vorable comparison, even after the lapse
of years, with many of the boats of
today, although it was entirely and
unnecessarily too heavy. However, its
owners-like child with a new toy
handled it very delicately and got in
and out of it with the utmost care,
always wearing slippers or pumps
It's arrival in Washington was a
great day for this early boat club and
its launching took place at Sixth street
and Constitution avenue, near where
the Baltimore g. Potomac Railroad
depot stood for many years and where
President Garfield was shot on July Q,
1881. However. this was before the
days of the railroad station and at
time when the old canal sluggishly
flowed through downtown Washington.
"A rough shed was built for the boat
near where it was launched, and for
awhile this served as its boathouse.
Later" it is said, "the boathouse was
at the present entrance to the Smith
sonian grounds, adjoining the Tenth
Street Bridge, over the canal.
At High Tide
In the evenings, the Falconers would
lower their boat into the canal and run
out upon the river. In the earlier years
OF the clubs existence no trouble was
experienced in reaching the river cham
mel, but the fats began to fill very
rapidly, and later the oarsmen were
compelled to take advantage of high
tide to get out successfully"
Evening star., 1945-07-22

The Labor Relations Board. the War
Labor Board and the National Media
ton Board, which handles railroad labor
disputes. are independent agencies.
The Labor Department has not yet
recovered from the impact of Mr..
Schwellenbech's descent. He arrived,
not alone, but with six "fact finders"
The six were soon referred to as the
"Gestapo" throughout the department.
His Order No. l." issued from the
White House stating that the laws were
to be carried out as Congress intended
and not be ignored or circtmvented, :"
among the Labor Department lawyers
AS a Matter of Tact
He proved less than tactfm at his first
stan meeting. There was Katherine
Lenroot, head of the Children's Bureau,
whose efforts to prevent industrial ex-
ploitation of juveniIes have created "a
cult in her behalf, and others who felt
that their work was of national note
II am glad to meet you" said the new
Secretary. II haven't heard anything
bad about you; but, on the other hand,
haven't heard anything good"
But the big blowup came when, a
newspaperman reported him as confid-
ing to his associates that he considered
the statistics of the Bureau of Labor
Statistics as too academic" and lousy
The six "fact finders" spent that day
telephoning to every one in the BIS
even every stenographer-tellin them
that the Secretary had never said any
thing like that.
The Centralia incident referred to
occurred on Armistice Day, 1919. A pa
rade of the American Legion in Gen.
tralia, Wash, came opposite second
story office, local headquarters Of the
IWW Industrial Workers of the
World. Reports conflict as to what
happened then. Some had 1t that the
parade was fired upon; others that the
Evening star., 1945-07-22

drews, william B. Dayton, Tom Jones,
Lucien Jones, william P. Young, R.
Bland Washington, Stephen Duncan,
Henry Warrenton and B. F. Sterger.
A boat was secured in Philadelphia
for S750. St was a six-oared lapstreak
gig and was christened the Undine. A
bridge then spanned Twelfth street, due
to the presence of the city canal, which
ran along at this point, where is now
Constitution avenue, and here, at that
time, was the main entrance to the
Smithsonian Grounds. On one side of
the bridge was the Falcons boathouse
and on the other side were the quarters
of the Undine Club.
Grew of Heavyweights
The Undines proceeded to select a
crew of heavyweights with a view to
entering into contests, but there was
little prospect of this, since the ages
of the men of the older club and the
differences in boats made contest on
even terms out of the question, though
at times they did try to see which crew
could row the farthest during gale of
wind or during a freshet. The crew
finally selected 100 pounds in weight.
and included Col. w. G. More, stroke;
John B. Keasley, 5; A. r. Shepherd, A;
A. C. Richards, 8; C. w. Utermehle, 2,
and Daniel Mcfarland, l, with Gibson
Hunt, coxswain, although 1t seems the
first coxswain was E. H. Cummins.
The Undines were hustling body Of
men, and their boat was always in
great demand, especially on holidays,
when it would be filled with a party
of athletes and rowed to some popular
place, and, Of course, they took along
their quoits. boxing gloves and other
athletic paraphernalia. Little Falls was
frequently visited, and at times they
would row to Alexandria and up the
Eastern Branch to Bladensburg.
The life of this club was not very
long, for when the Civil War came on
some Of the men went North and some
went South-some fought in blue and
some fought in gray. When the con-
flict ceased those who returned to civil
life made an effort to re-establish the
club. A boathouse was built at the foot
of G street. but soon this was lost by
heavy freshet and, becoming dis
heartened, no further efforts were made
to revive it, and the club disappeared
entirely.
The Analostan Club
But boating on the Potomac lay DOR
mant only while, for in 1868 the Ana
lostan club was organized, and for
many years afterward was one of the
leading boat clubs in and around Wash
ington. It was known far and wide for
its skill with the oar and its dogged
determination to win.
John M. Carson. who represented in
this city for many years the Philadel-
phia Public Ledger, originated the idea
Of forming this club. and passed the
thought along to Joseph 7. Brown and
Evening star., 1945-07-22

lends color to the possibility of the
Potomac club, as we recall it having
existed even prior to 1868 or 1859.
The item states:
"a number of our citizens have
formed themselves into a club under
the title of the Potomac Barge Club,
for the purpose of aquatic exercise
and pleasure. They have purchased
beautiful barge of 40 feet in length with
six oars and finished and furnished in
most superb style. She arrived this
morning at Georgetown, from which
place the club will embark in her this
afternoon at o'clock and proceed to
their new boathouse at the Tenth Street
Canal Bridge, under the escort of the
Falcon Boat Club, in their beautiful
barge, which has so long been the
champion and pride of our waters"
In letter received some years ago
from John Hadley Doyle, who was presi-
dent of the Potomacs for 10 years, or
from 1898 to 1908, that gentleman said:
BE it as it may, it is known that
many years ago convivial group of
gentlemen, among whom were Col.
Frank Jones, D. B. Mcleod Charley
Wheatley, George Fox, Pop Traux,
Samuel Wheeler, Edward Derrick, Cation
Gadsby, Col. B. F. Blackjack and others,
met in the drinking parlors Of the old
Morgan House and discussed the ques-
ton of forming boat club.
1.-THE idea took quickly, and soon
nearly all of the scions of old George
town were enrolled on the list of menu
bership, thus starting an organization
known as the Potomacs."
Referring to the many important
crews that carried to victory the colors
of the club, Mr.. Doyle mentions as the
greatest of these prior to 1900 the one
which made up the heavy and light
fours, and which, when thrown into an
eight, formed crew that was the best
the city ever had. The heavy four in
cluded Dyer, Reynolds, Robinson and
Elmore, and the light crew, Fisher,
Kearney, Cornwell and Warden. These
two made the famous light-oared crew,
that, with Doyle in the coxswain seat,
won the $1,000 championship cup given
by the Staten Island Boat Club for a
race on the Kill Won Kulls course be-
tween Staten Island and New Jersey.
The Anacostias later became the
Washington, and probably had short
life, though brilliant while 1t lasted.
The Columbia Club
The beginning of the Columbia Boat
Club is contained in an item in The
Star of April IL, 1880, which reads:
"A New Boat Club--A meeting for
the purpose OF organizing a new boat
club was held Saturday night at the
Riggs House and was well attended by
gentlemen Of Georgetown and WASH
ington, and an organization to be known
as the Columbia Boat Club was formed,
Continued On Page C-5.)
Evening star., 1945-07-22

finally caught up with him he was at
a cocktail party also attended by q
White House secretary. When Mr.. Hop
son finally took the stand, it was Sena-
tor Schwellenbach's work on the vaga-
ries of A. g. & S. financing, work that
had kept him busy from am. until
midnight for days, that contributed so
much to the financier's discontinue.
His voting was all pro labor on major
issues. He voted for the Wagner Act,
for the Wage and Hour Act and against
the resolution condemning sit-down
strikes. truman voted for the last)
One thing about Senator Schwellen.
bach remembered on the Hill was hts
feud with his senior Senator, Homer
Bone of Washington. Observers were
unable to arrive at better reason for
it than jealousy over who was the MOL
Roosevelt man Of the State. At any
rate when Senator Bone was reelected
In 1886, Senator Schwellenbach so far
abandoned senatorial courtesy as to
let him walk down the aisle alone to be
sworn in.
Mr.. Schwellenbach's return to WASH
ington was no lame-duck appointment.
Washington State Is so Democratic to-
day that he probably could have con-
tinued to represent 1t in the Senate
for years to come. A month after he
was overwhelmingly reelected in 1870
he surprised every one by accepting .
Federal judgeship.
He was born in Superior, Wis, and
went to grade and high school there.
The family moved to Seattle. His
father died when he was boy. He had
to work to help put himself through the
State university. He clerked for araif-
road and filled other white collar jobs.
He does not pretend ever to have been
In the ranks Of labor.
Detroit evening times., 1945-04-01

II April I, 1915
The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1945-05-18

S9f. James Ofha MerrlWethfr
Details of the death of Sgt.
James Otha Merriwether on Ana
than Island near Saipan, Jan. 3,
l945, have just been received by
his mother, Mrs. Alice Merriweth-
er at her home in Grand Bay,
Ala.
Sgt. Merriwether, who was
brother of Mrs. Terril Heidelburg
of Pascagoula, was reported as
missing in action Jan. 8, but until
about April 10, hopes were enter
tanned that the crew had success
fully ditched its aircraft and was
safe.
The hope died when a recon-
naissanee plane spotted a wreck
ed airplane on Anathan Island
The first search party sent out
out was unable to reach the plane
resting high near the top of the
volcano that forms the island,
but the second party fighting its
way through dense jungle grass
IL feet high, loose rocks and
sheer cliffs reached the spot
March 5.
Although the craft had been
demolished by impact with the
volcano and subsequent fire,
enough of the tail piece was left
to make identification positive
The bodies of eight of the crew
were found and two of them
identified. However, Sgt. Merri-
wether was not one of these lat
ter From the evidence at hand
it would seem that death was in
Simultaneous. All bodies found
were buried near the scene of the
crash and registered with the
United States Army Graves Reg
istration service.
Before entering the Air Force.
March 4, 1943, Sgt. Marriwether
had worked at ingalls, for about
a year.
The commanding officer, Major
Gerald G.. Robinson said of Sgt.
Merriwether, Il knew James
when | was Flight Commander.
He was a competent gunner; per-
formed his duties in a consistent
ly superior manner. He was pop
ular in this organization and his
CHEEKY good humor and superior
workmanship will be missed not
only by us but by the Army Air
Force for James typified the fin
est qualities of a non-commis-
stoned officer in this branch of
the service. He unstintedly gave
of his time and efforts to mate
rally contribute to a better world
of tomorrow"
Sgt. Merriwether would have
been % years old Jan. 81, l945.
The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1945-05-18

and has returned to Washington,
ID. c., for reassignment. While in
that city he will take an examin-
alton for the rating of chief petty
officer. Since his enlistment in
the Navy in 1910, Oswald has
spent three years in the Pacific
Theatre of War where he has
served with hospital units on
board ships.
On arriving home he was great
iy pleased 10 learn that his
brother Bobby who is just finish
ing high school has already en-
listed in the Navy.
John J. Barker Veteran Of Many
Battles
John J. Baker, B 2/c, is a vet
eran of battles in New Guinea,
Admiralty, Caroline, Marshall
and Two Jima islands besides see
ing combat in other places in the
Pacific Theatre of Operations. He
entered the Navy 16 months ago
and received his basic training at
the Naval training center at Great
Lakes and since that time has
been attached to a destroyer for
the past year. A native of Biloxi
he worked on the government
dredge, "Wahalah" for several
years. His wife, Mrs. Barbara
Baker, lives in Pascagoula.
Pvt. Harold F. Vincent Returns
To Hospital
Pvt. Harold F. Vincent depart
ed Wednesday for Kennedy Gen
eral Hospital at Memphis, Tenn,
after enjoying a 30-day furlough
with his wife and friends.
The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1945-05-18
MY VISION


The stars were shining brightly
And the moon was a beautiful
sight
AS | lay on my cot, looking up
ward
Talking to you last night.
saw your face in the starlight,
You were looking down at me,
1t was a beautiful vision
That only | could see.
| raised my hand to touch you,
But | found you too far away
And with my eyes still in heaven
| knelt down to pray.
Dear Lord know it sounds
funny
For you to hear this from me
But please take care of my
family,
This / ask of Thee"
you know how much love
them.
I'm sure you know it's real,
Speak to them this evening.
Lord.
And tell them how | feel"
After my prayer was over
| watched YOU there in the sky,
| lay for more than an hour
The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1945-05-18
& az NEWS o. OUR
E) - g MEN, sxa WOMEN
AXX ~ UNIFORM

nesday and Thursday at home
with her grandmother, Mrs. Lulu
d. Breland, and other members
OF the family in Moss Point. She
returned to duty at New Or
leans Thursday night.
Yeoman Genevieve SeaY
From the Eighth Naval Dis
trict at New Orleans comes the
announcement that Genevieve
Seay of the Woman's Reserve of
the Navy has been advanced in
rank from third to second class
yeoman.
Yeoman Seay, who is the
daughter of Mr.. and Mrs. II. f.
Seay, COL Gen. Lee place, Pas
cagoula, is stationed in New Or
leans.
Cpl. Harry E. Kiger Arrives
In States
From the Army Ground and
Service Forces office at Miami
Beach, Fla, comes the news that
Cpl. Harry E. Kiger of Pascagou-
la has arrived there. after "a
months as a tank destroyer gun
ner in the Southwest Pacific.
Cpl. Kiger, who has been
awarded the Asiatic-Paeific cam
paign ribbon, is being processed
through the Miami station to de-
termine his next assignment. Be-
fore entering the service Dec.
5, 1871, Cpl. Kiger was employed
at the Moss Point Paper Mill.
His wife, Mrs. Lucille Kiger, re-
sides in Pascagoula.
Jackson County Boys Had
Ringside Seats
Harold f.. Yawn aviation ra-
dioman who made his home with
Mr.. and Mrs. George Sexton, Rt.
2, Pascagoula. and Richard e.
Roberts, son of Mrs. K. N. Rob-
erts of Orange Grove, had grand
stand seats during the invasion
.of Okinawa.
They were aboard a hard-hit-
ting battIeship that, under threat
of air attack, moved up to with
in 5000 yards of the shore and
cruised slowly back and forth,
pulverizing the beach targets at
pointblank range. The crew could
clearly see the explosions of the
ships shells as her guns smashed
pill boxes, gun emplacements,
warehouses and Trench fortifiea-
tions.
During this time the ships anti
aircraft gunners fought off dead
" air assaults and on one occasion
only skillful maneuvering by the
commanding officer saved her
from being tofpedoed. At anoth-
er time a Jap "Zeke' bomber
that came within range of the
ship was shot down by pursuing
U. S. Navy planes.
C. A. Oswald Plans To Make
Medicine Life Work
So enthusiastic has c. A. Os-
wald, III, pharmacists mate first
class, become over his work on
hospital ships during the past
three years that he plans to make
the study and practice of medi-
cine his life work.
He has just concluded a three
weeks leave with his parents,
Mr.. and Mrs. c. A. Oswald, Jr..
The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1945-05-18
Purple Heart Is
Sent Parents Of
David Shuttles

The Purple Heart medal has
been posthumously awarded to
David f. Shattles. seaman first
class, USNR, who was killed in
action off the coast of Italy. Dec.
2, l943, and has been received
by his parents, Mr.. and Mrs. D.
S. Shattles.
Seaman Shattles enlisted in
the u. S Navy Reserve August.
194l, was assigned to sea duty
Immediately after receiving his
basic training and saw much ae-
lion in both the Atlantic and
Pacific and in foreign waters.
Watching the clouds go by
And then the clouds grew thicker
And all was dark up above.
As they slowly rolled over my
tent top,
And covered the ones I love.
All that long night waited
There in the wind and rain.
I looked for you in the darkness
But you never returned again.
I wait each night for the vision.
For l know some night you viii
be there,
When all the storm clouds pass
over.
And all IS peaceful and fair
J. T. Miles. Pie. USMC
The Chronicle-star combined with the Moss Point advertiser., 1945-05-18
Ii. c. H. Stanley To Go Overseas

1t. Charles Henry Stanley, bet
ter known in PascagouIa as
Cowboy" Stanley, in long dis
tance call from Jackson recently
told Mrs. v. p. DeJean that he
was to leave almost Immediately
for overseas.
1t. Stanley resided at the
residence of Mr.. and Mrs. 'DeJean
while stationed in Paseagoula for
a number of months before being
assigned to duty at Evansville, Ill
Mrs. DeJean also had the hap
piness of hearing from her son,
Valsin DeJean who is on a ship
somewhere in the Pacific area,
and from whom no word had
been received for some time.
DeJean, who is veteran of the
Quincy sinking and who has
had exciting encounters with the
enemy, writes that he is "all
right"
Benjamin r. JoYner Back In
States
From the Eighth Naval Dis
trict headquarters at New Orleans
comes the news that Benjamin F.
Joyner, seaman first class, USNR,
has reported for duty at the Ma
val Ammunition depot at Brem-
erton, Wash, following a ten
month tour of duty aboard a
transport in the Pacific.
Mrs. Joyner resides at 83l S.
Pascagoula street, Pascagoula.
Marie Danizler Spends Few
Days At Home
Marie Dantzler, telegrapher
second class, WAVES. spent Wed
The Mississippi enterprise. (Jackson, Miss.) 1938-current, 1945-10-06

tober 6. The public is cordially in
vited to hear these singers.
Sgt. O. D. Wilson is home on a
short leave from the Army. He re-
turns to camp next Tuesday.
GOSSIP
Weke up chicks and let's get
hepped. Durham says that
the certain chick who was picking
at Miss Wilson the other Sunday,
had better watch her step.-We
heard Morlee say that sh is going
to take A. Bradley away from
Willie Earle. Do it if you can, is
all that Willie Earl has to say
Mary McLaurin, say don't get mad
with her about Herbert, just like
her if you can.-Charlestine Giles
should learn that short skirts and
being two-faced don't mix-Jean
Wyn and Fay Thomas should pipe
down because their hep chicks are
going to town.
The Mississippi enterprise. (Jackson, Miss.) 1938-current, 1945-10-06
Madam F
Palllliist

Gifted Reader and Advisor l will ask
no questions but will tell you the truth,
good or bad, on all affairs of life such as
love, marriage, inheritance and business
transactions of all kinds. Will give you
dates and facts. You will find me superior
to any other Reader you have ever con-