The Galveston Daily News. (Galveston, Tex.), Vol. 43, No. 92, Ed. 1 Monday, June 23, 1884 Page: 3 of 8
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THE GALVESTON DAILY NEWS. MONDAY. JUNE 23 1384.
THE ISLAJN1) CITY.
COMMERCIAL AUD TRIIIUTARY INTER-
ESTS OF UALVKfeTON, TEXAS.
The Deep Water Problem !lnplil nnil Substan-
tial Improvement UnlveMon bk n Popular
Resort—The flench—'I he IliiilrnitiU.
fSpecial C< rreBi'OiidotK'' Wt. I-O is Fast-DU.jafch.]
Galveston, Tex., May 7.—Very lew people
lave an adeqnnte Me • of the importance ex-
pressed in the few wordw, 41 the prncipil city
ofTexas," while if we w ere to say the metropo-
lis of England or the largest ci'y iu the Uer-
mun empire, it would seem to be at the out-
set something remarks >1<, Imt when the re ider
studies tbe m»|>. aspertalug the immensity of
area comprising the St ite, the majjiiMcence
and munifif ht ol i's c o lie variety of itj
resources and < be characteristics of its enter
prising people the '• 11 luelpil city " rises to
the dignity of n m -i rnp ills. and a long look
ahead can not fore ell it possibilities, although
in the dim vist« of the futir , when the State
shall be thlilily settled, yielding a revenue
twenty time- is lar^e as ut the present, the
same ptopoitlonaii increase maybe looked for
in population bum business of it- leading cities.
GALVESTON I.IKE NEW VOItK CITY.
In a number of prominent features the city
of Galveston is similar to New Ycrfc. It is
situated upon the eait en I of Galveston island,
tfhicb is mueb larger than Manhattan, being
about twenty-seven miles long, with an av-
erage bredth of two ami one half miles. It lies
northeast and southwest parallel with the
mainland, is separated from it about eighteen
miles by West I ay, a sheet of water two miles
In width, which is shallow almost its entire
area, between the east end of the island and
Bolivar peninsula is a passage abouttwo miles
wide at mean low tide, which constitutes the
inlet from the gulf to the tidal basin formed
by Galveston, East, West and Trinity bays.
There are 451 square miles area in the four
bays, but the harbor proper is con lined to
Galveston and Bolivar channels, with an area
Of three and one-half square miles, and a depth
varying from eighteen to fifty-seven feet.
The harbor could easily accommodate 400
deepdiaft wwels allowing abundant sea
room. At the pre m time the wharf froutage
available is about 7'Ji lo feet in length, but this
could be more than iloublid at a moderate ex-
pense.
Thus Galveston is the principal seaport of
this immense (State, and so admirably situated
in this respect that no change can ever be
effected in that regard The year eudlng
September 1, 1SS3, whs the most prosperous in
her history; while the progress! veuess was
shown by ihe rati I ami pennauenc improve-
ment in bu ldii g n 1 ian oercial facilities.
The volume of irail, in uoil r.tl merchandise
has shown a dei-i< ed Increase over any for
mer year, competent judges averaging it at
per cent advanced The amount or cot-
ton reaching the ocean at Galveston has al
mott doubled during Ihe year, and, from the
fifth position in 18K1 2 lias attained that of
THE SECOND Pi'RT IN TH" UNtrED STATES,
being exceeded only by New Orleans. In di-
rect foreign exports of con on Galveston ranks
third, being exceeded by New Orlea.is and
New York. The total crop of the State of
Texas shows an increase over the previous
year of 684,466 bales, and of this increase Gal-
qeston received nearly two thirds. The total
receipts to September 1, 1884, were 863,104
bales, 420.244 l ales more ttiun the previous
season. The receipts np to April 24, 1884,
were 584,184 bales, against 775,884 bales this
time last season, l ut the 'ailing off is due to a
poor wop, tte receipts be ig materially less-
ened in all parts of the i -lited States. *' For
rabid handling ami careful stowage Galveston
takes rank with the leading pons of the coun-
ty, while the system of inspection and super-
vision exercised by the Cottun exchanne places
her in the fron1 rank of ports so far as the
condition of cotton shipped in concerned and
has teniad to make t h" port a favorite with
manufacturer and cottonmen abroad."
About the <iiiI> other export is cotton seed
oil cake, the toiai footing for the year men-
tioned being 82 car . oe- or parts of cargoes, be-
ing 295,725 tacks, valued at *580,801. There
toassome movement io -fciig .r. molasses, flour,
hides and wool. In t largely by rail ami to sup-
ply the demands of a i rade throughout the
State which has I teen md s constantly in-
creasing and extending. Galveston is the
natural market for all grain grown in the
State, but it is only within the past year that
the subject has r< c ived more than what might
be termed spasmodic attention. Now the en-
tire crop of Nicaragua w heat which is grown
in the State can be bandied and exported froin
here, while arrangeu ents have been made to
handle The corn, oats and other grain. Farm
ers in Texas are 500 miles nearer tide water
than those of Kansas and Nebraska, and when
they come to a competing basis the exports
of grain from this port will be materially in-
creased.
the foreign imports.
A resume of the imports of the year ending
September 1, from The Galveston Nhws
:ial edition, shows a marked increase over
e preceding year. They consisted of bananas
and plantains, 29,200 bunches; empty barrels,
22,346; cement aud plaster, 4770 barrels; coal,
28,508 tons; coffee, Rio, 69,585 bags (an in-
crease of 6500 bags); coffee, Mexican, 1400 pack-
ages; cotton ties. 159,205 bundles; fire brick,
96,934; liquor, 9456 packages; oranges, 30,000
boxes; pig iron, 215 tons; railroad iron rails,
9427; salt, 69,132 sacks, and 8500 packages of
miscellaneous merchanpise.
It is almost impossible to predicate the
growth of the next few years for this city, but
some idea may be obtained by observing the
extent of country tributary to it commercially
and by looking into the intricacies of the re-
markable railway systems radiating from it,
■which serve the double purpose of bringing to
the port the products of the fertile soil for ex-
port, and taking to the interior towns and
cities the large amount of goods consumed by
their resident population.
There is much truth in the observation that
the railways make the country, for by their
construction and operation the ^consumer is
brought into close juxtaposition with the
dealer, and then a rapid interchange of com-
merce is affected. Land which was worthless
ts made valuable, and the productive power of
the country is developed in a remarkable de-
gree.
No State in the Union has shown greater
Improvement during ihu last four years iu
this regard than Texas. At least 50,000,000
acres have been reclaimed aud her population
end wealth have almost doubled. The coming
of these great rail ways indicate the unbound-
ed confidence which is expressed and felt by
capital in the future of the State, and the
constant addition of short lines and feeders
"will continue to increase the already tremen-
dous traffic.
the great missouri-pacific system.
Of the 6139 miles of railway in operation in
Texas, September 1, 1883, 2554 miles are in-
cluded in this one great corporation, which
handled during the year ending July 31, 1883,
lumber, 551 706,4' 2 bet; Imlk grain, 55,-
296,083 pounds; wool, 9 813,503 pounds; cotton,
620,883 bales; live stock. 12.303 cars; hides,
6,128,658 pounds; co lon s 'ed, 34.254 tons. The
Galveston, Houston and Hon iei sou a line fifty
miles long, between tli r vo former cities, is a
part of this sjs'tm nl connects the city by
rail with the entire ountry-north, east and
weft. It enters the <■ y ov r trestle oriilje
two miles long spanning VV st hay. This road
connects at El P so, T x is with the Southern
Pacific system for the p ci i ' coast, and the
relations of this port to its trade is shown by
the fact that Galveston is 981 m les nearer San
Francisco than Nei> Y"rk
The purchase of the Galves ou, Houston and
Henderson railway by the Uoulil system gives
them direct access to the city aud allows the
comniei cial interests to flourish by the added
interest of its being an important factor of
this giant among railr ails besides which Gal-
veston profits by the rich aud productive coun-
try thiough which tho different lines run, the
trade of the thousand and one towns and the
expenditure of this mighty corporation in its
daily working.
From Galveston, reaching up into the State
ond tapping a very large local trade, is the en-
terprising road, the Gulf, Colorado and Santa
Fe, which is made up entirely of Galveston
pital, and which has in operation over 537
les of road. The Mexican-National, the
jlmer Sullivan concession, is under con-
Miction; a line is now in operation from
I IveBton to Garfield (14 miles), and froraCor-
IS Christi, ou the gulf, to Lare.lo (161 miles),
'xrom thence to reach the Citv of Mexico.
how large is texas?
Few people have an adequate idea. Its
boundaries inclose an area of 269,694 square
miles, or 172,604,180 acrrs. An Idea of its ex-
tent may be formed perhaps by comparing if
with other countries. For instance, it has 34,-
000 square miles of area more than the Aus-
trian empire, 62,0(10 miles more than the
German empire, about 70,000 miles more than
France, and is certainly as large as Sweden
and Norway together, and double the size of
Great Britain and Ireland.
Coming to this side of the Atlantic, the
con parison is no less startling. The aroa of
all the Eastern and Middle States combined,
including Maryland and iielaware, is 1,000,000
tquare miles less than Texas. It is six times
aslaigeas New York State, seven times as
large as Ohio, four times as large as New
England. The area of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
Wisconsin and Michigan taken together is 40,-
000 square miles less than Texas. On the
other side of the Mississippi, Kansas, Nebras-
ka, Iowa and Minnesota must be consolidated
to equal Ihe area of Texas.
It is nearly as far from Texarkana to El
Paso, in the same State, as from Chicago to
New York city, and it is further from Galves-
ton to Dallam county than from there to the
Atlantic seacoast.
With such a State it is not at all surprising
that we find portii ns adapted to sugar and
cotton, portions where corn is king, and parts
particularly adapted to wheat. Then, again,
the immense ranges of the western half and a
diversity which would represent a half dozen
Eastern States
Everything is large in Texas. The people
are large-hearted and hospitable. Big enter-
prises are undertaken and carried through.
Every improvement is on the same extensive
scale. The inhabitants are proud of their
State, and we never met a Texan who would
waver in his fealty to bis home. Now per-
haps you, who have never been to Galveston,
may better appreciate the pride wi<;h which
the citizen of this beautiful place affirms that
"we have
the principal city of texas."
It is a delightful place. Situated on the east
end of the island, it has a wharf frontage upon
the bay of three miles, and where the waters
of the Gulf of Mexico roll upon the other side
of the island, miles and miles of as beautiful a
beach as can be found in the world
Originally the site was a treeless plain, but
the labor of many hands have carpeted the
lawns with green, planted in their midst mil-
lions of flowers from the tropics to the North.
Its wide streets are embowered in foilage of
evi rgreen, cedar and deciduous trees, while
the oleander, with its blossoming foliage, is
found everywhere, making the air re lolent
with sweet perfumes, and even taking the
place of fencing in many instances.
Private grounds have orange groves, lemon
and fig trees, while roses gro v in such profu-
fusion and of such remarkable beauty as to
entrance and bewilder the beholder. The en-
tire year roses bloom in the open air, and
when from the icy North the traveler reaches
this sea-girt city, he thinks it a veritable gar-
den of Eden.
The architectural development of the citv
has been as lemarkable as it has been rapid.
Mammoth business blocks have risen on all
sides. Handsome schools and churches add to
the beauty of the place, and while the mag-
nificent Cotton exchange building, the new
building of the enterprising Galveston News,
the Beach hotel, a palatial tourists1 retreat,
situated upon the beach, with a view of the
gulf for many miles in either direction, and
the imposing Trem nt house, are especially
conspicuous.
When we say that Galveston is supplied
with all the accessories of a modern city in
education, religion, business and pleasure, we
do not affirm what is doubtful, and, in many
of these the city is far ahead of others for the
spirit of pi ogress, the desire to lead, and the
innate pride of its people are united in this
case with the ability to succeed.
Galveston's commerce.
We have already referred to the fact of the
rrmarkable increase in the trade aud commerce
of the city, and find it due to a great extent to
the push and enterprise evinced bv the men of
means to bring their mart into active compe-
tition, and establish an inter-ha nge of com-
merce with all portions of her tribut iry terri-
tory. While cotton is the leading and most
important product of the State, also of this
the metropolis, it is by no means the only
source of wealth. This year in cotton has not
been as prosperous as the last, but the falling
off is noticeable in the entire export of the
United States and the visible supply of the
world, hence it can not be considered other
than a temporary drawback on account of
short crop. It will be interesting to give a
tabulated statement of the gross sales of mer-
chandise in Galveston for the year ending
September 1, 1883, for which we are indebted
to a careful compilation published in The
Galveston News of September 1, 1883. It
is as follows:
Groceries $18,105,000
Dry goods, notions, boots, shoes and liata 13,919,000
Clothing 1.975,000
Hardware 2.000,000
Crockery 200,000
Drugs 75H.OOO
■Wines and Liquors 1,350,000
Lumber, shingles and laths 1,170,000
Other building material 296,000
Paints and oils 293,000
Iron ties and baling stuff 1,020,000
Coal 620,000
Grain and hay 1,000,000
Furniture 408,000
Live stock 420,000
Sundries 618,000
Coffee, Bio 975,000
Coffee, Mexican, etc 150,000
Total $45,268,000
With such an enormous trade it will be
readily seen that many wealthy firms are en-
gaged in business. The remarkable increase
of import duties will amply show the rapid
development in this regard. The increase of
1880 over 1S79, 487 per rent, of 1881 over 1880,
460 per cent.; of 1882 over 1879, 2000 per cent.
The exports for 1883 were not less in value
than $40,000,000, while the impoits approxi-
mated $5,000,000.
the deep water problem.
The necesiity for deep water to permit the
ingress and egress of ocean vessels is of the
greatest importance. The entrance to the
harbor was originally obstructed both by an
inner and an outer bar, the natural channel
only being from eleven to twelve feet iu depth.
The work of deepening this channel by the
jetty system was begun by the
United States government in 1874,
and vessels drawing fourteen feet six
inches can now make the harbor.
By following this course and running a parallel
jetty, experiments w hich have been made in-
dicate that a permanent depth of twenty feel;
of water from the gulf to the harbor may be
obtained, and when tbis is done it will give
Galveston the impetus of as good a port as
may be found in the States, aud open a for-
eign trade extensive and remunerative. The
Eads proposition to secure deep water is now
being considered, and is receiving considerable
support. A committee of the most prominent
men has been selected, and there are certain
indications that the Galvestoniaus mean busi-
ness. The main question agitating the people
is the expense, and while the great majority
are quite willing to pay their share for the
actual outlay they do not relish the idea of a
large contract steal. One thing is certain;
deep water will be secured for Galveston at an
early day, and many sections of the country
will be benefited by making this city the chan-
nel through which their products will find a
foreign market.
The Mallory line of steamships now ply be-
tween this port and New York city. There
are seven first-class steamer, in tho line, leiv-
ing New York every Saturday aud Galveston
every Wedui sday. 'I he Morgan liue connect
and run between Galveston and Vera Cruz,
Indianola, Corpus Christi and Brownsville.
Thus in every way is Galveston connected
commercially with the trade of its radius, and
with the increase of our commerce with New
Mexico Galveston holds a position to command
a large trade.
Ihe enterprise evinced by the Missouri
Pacific railway, in the way of ample cars for
movement of produce, good storage, low rates,
prompt attention, nent passenger facilities and
lunning t me is calculated to attract special
attention to Galveston, and since the opening
of the beautiful Beach hotel, the city has be-
come justly famous as a winter resort, with its
warm tropical sun, and a summer resort where
the heated brows are fanned by the strengt
ing and cooling breezes, scented with the
bounding sea, freighted with health from the
rolling waters of the gulf of Mexico.
H. AND S.
"What does Good Friday mean?" asked
one Halstead street urchin of his companion.
" You'd better go home and read your Robin-
son Crusoe," was the withering reply.
LioiEB ai prove of your smoking " Little Joker "
THE SICILIAN MAFFIA.
AM ORGANIZATION THAT FOB CENTU-
RIES HAS RULED SICILY.
Imprliionment of Three Hundred Members of
the Society and Their Approach-
ing Trial.
rSt. Louis Globe-Democrat.]
The imprisonment in Catania, Sicily, of the
three hundred members of the Moflia society,
whose trial is postponed to June, as an-
nounced in the cable dispatches the other day,
shows the growing strength of the Italian
government in that most unruly part of the
now united kingdom, and the spread of mod-
ern ideas in ancient Trinacria. It looks, in-
deed, like the beginning of the end of that
wonderful organization which has for centu-
ries defied every succeeding government of
the island, and, supported by public feeling,
virtually ruled Sicily.
Of late years it has been rather the custom
to mix up all Italian secret societies with the
Italia Irredenta movement. So far as that of
the Maffori is concerned, nothing can be more
mistaken. The Irredentist agitation is in
favor of recovering portions of Italy, or, more
correctly, provinces where the Italian lan-
guage is spoken, but which belong to other
States. Such is, for example, Trieste and its
neighborhood, now belonging to Austria, and
that portion of the Riviera ceded to France
some five and twenty years ago. The average
Sicilian cares as little for the acquisition of
the unredeemed parts of Italy as he does
about the Irish English land question.
He calls the men from the mainland,
and especially from the northern parts of the
peninsula, forestiere, or foreigners, in exactly
the same manner that be would so coll an
American or an Englishman One evening in
the spring of 18461 went, after the opera, in
Messina, to sup with a young cavalry officer.
The next night, meeting him by chance, I pro
pose-d to go again to tho same place. The land-
lord coming up remarked that he was glad to
see the fore gners, and that their coming to
his restaurant was a compliment. I looked
up, smiling at the officer, who was in full
Italian uniform, but he gravely assured me
that, although he had been stationed in Sicily
for more than two years, he had yet to meet
the first Sicilian who looked upon hiin as in
any way being a fellow countryman.
a gentleman's escort.
During this same visit I went from Palermo
for a short foot tour into the interior. Every-
thing was done to dissuade me from making
the attempt, which was represented as one of
extreme hazard. I had, however, been ac-
customed to this manner of seeing countries
and learning the ways of the people; had,
twenty years before, heard about the same
stories of danger from brigands when I first
went through Italy, and, leaving all n>y valu-
ables behind, dressed in plain gray, and armed
only with stout stick, I si arted. At the first
stopping place beyond Morreale one of the
w omen in the little wayside inn begged me, in
a frightened whisper, to go no further, but to
wait for the convoy of a train of orange carts
and return with tbem to the city. On my way
I had met a gentleman on horseback
preceded by four and followed by two mounted
servants, all with holsters at their saddles and
all armed with carbines. As they rode up I
happened to be admiring a lovely view, hut
noticed that as I came in sight, although I was
a'one, and that except a bio of straggling
rectus hedges there was no cover, that ail had
untlung their guns as if making ready for a
combat. I asked the girl of the inn who the
gentleman was. She supposed probably Sig.
So-and-So or Suchaone? O Dio; did I think
the poor gentleman would go out on a visit
alone and be carried off, to the ruin of his
family? I had only time for a week's tramp
and ret urned to Palermo in perfect safety, but I
returned with a belief that the Sicilian Maffori
was real, and not like the Italian brigands,
creatures of the mind, only to be met with
upon the opera comique stage.
a very mysterious society.
My first occupation in the city was to try,
from intelligent foreigners resident there and
the few natives who would talk, and discover
w hat was the dreaded Maflia, what its history
ond its membership Of its existence and
I ower there was no doubt whatever. Ite his-
tory was bazy, and its members seemed to dif-
fer in one important particular. The great
mass was unknown; its secrets were as those
of the grave. Yet there were a few members
of the order, leading blameless lives, who
were yet known to belong to its dreadful ranks.
So far as I could gather, the Maffia was formed
by disbanded soldiers after some war, and
while Sicily was a possession of the kings
of Spain. The organization soon grew
in power, and was looked upon by the people
as a patriotic league. It was still, at the time
of my visit, a most powerful political machine,
I ut had degenerated into a n ational terror.
There were men in it of all social ranks. There
were curled darlings of society, members of
the noble club, men of the highest birth, for-
tune and station. The Maffori knew every
focial event, every move upon the political
chess-board. There were city shopkeepers and
artisans, peasants and laborers. It is said that
Ihe initiation was a dreadful one, and, to reach
the higher grades, demanded a courage far
above the common. One of the first ordeals
was to be given a sword, and to withstand the
attack of one of the roost skillful fencers
of the order. The candidate was almost
always wounded, sometimes seriously, and,
while bleeding from his wound, the sword was
again thrust into his flesh to see how the would-
be member bore the punishment. The sligutest
sign of fear or shrinking disqualified him. He
never knew by whom he had been Burrounded
nor where the deed had been done, hut many,
in fear and trembling, had told of the first
dreadful ordeals. Brutal deeds had been done
by the order, but a singular feeling, which
was universal in Sicily, had kept the victims
and their friends dumb. It was thought di»-
honorable, infamous, to bring the police or au-
thorities into the matter. A man might be
robbed, beaten, wounded; he would deny to
the police, if they came, that anything had
happened, or would say that he had wounded
himself by accident. He or their friends must
themselves avenge the insult.
an amedicak's experience.
This strange feeline existed in all classes.
The Maffia itself was governed by rules of
iron. In the lowest grade they knew none but
a certain designated sub-leader. These sub-
leaders knew one from whom they xeceived
their orders, but knew not each other, unless
chance brought them in contact while execut-
ing their duties. Each province had a head,
and received through certain channels com -
mands from some invisible and unknown
chiefs or supreme tribunal of the order, which
chose, when a vacancy occurred, some mem-
ber to make good their number. These leacers
a re obeyed to the letter, and the organization
is as perfect as the best disciplined army. Be-
sides these persons hidden in mystery,
said my most reliable informant, a gentleman
wbo bad resided for some years on the island,
there is a class of members who but thinly veil
their connection with the well-known and
dreaded Maffia, but who, certainly, never take
I art in any of the crimes, robberies, abduc
ioi:s and murders which stain tho society.
For < xnmple, the late American consul, whom
I ki cw well, took a summer residence justout
side the city walls. Tho house had a large,
deep garden, one side of which touched the
v all I spetik of. He found the house unpro-
tected, the windows impossible to fasten, or
the doors to lock, and made some inquiries as
to the proper persons to make the repairs.
One evening immediately after a quiet, re-
spectable looking man called, mentioned he
bad heard of the intended altertions, and then
suddenly asked:
"Are you connected with the government?"
" No; except as consul from a foreign country."
" Well, there may people pass through your
garden at night; it is sometimes convenient
lor us to send them. Do you object?" "No,
if they do me no harm and keep well away
from the house." " Very well, then, it is un-
necessary to make the repairs. I will see that
no one troubles you." " But, sir, it is common
thievesldread;can you prevent their coming?"
" Certainly; I should like to see any man in
Sicily dare to annoy you, either in your house-
hold, or front without. So long as you keep
the spirit of our agreement, never mention
that men pass through your garden, nor seek
to know why they are there, you are absolute-
ly Bate." It was only just before he left Sicily
that the consul told me the story.
punishing a servant.
Another instance. The Marquis of X., who
keeps a large retinue of servant®, one day dis-
charged a jcung footman. The next morning
a Bt ranger, accompanied by the servant, came
to the house, or rather palace, went into the
courtyard, and asked, as a favor, that the
marquis would, for a moment, come down
Ho soon as the former master made bis appear
ance the stranger ordered the ex footman to
len ove his coat and waistcoat; then, pro-
ducing a rawhide whip, he gave the man a
most terrible whipping. Turning to the
master he said; "Sir, you were doubt-
less right to discharge this man, but we
knew his fnther and so take an interest in the
mother whose only support he now Is. We
therefore heg your lordship to give him an
other trial. I think he will do much better."
Needless to say, the marquis was in hasta to
comply. But how, I asked, do people know
how these are agents of the dreaded MafHi? It
is in some way intimated, and no Sicilian Hare
to play so haeardous a game as to jest about
or pretend to represent that power whioh
every one wholiveB here feels and knows ia all
around him,
I consulted many, and the information re-
ceived from all agreed as to the main points.
PerhapB the most striking thing about this
coming trial is not the arrest of the 300 mem-
bers of the order which has so long kept the
most beautiful and fertile island in the world
in awe and prevented her development; it is
that 1500 people have been found among those
who had suffered from the cruelty of the
Maffia, who have so lost the dread that name
has for centuries inspired, and so forgotten the
traditions of their people, as to be willing to
testify to the crimes. It looks as if fair Sicilia
was about to cast off tho chains of the past
and take her place In the march of modern
progress.
WAS IT THE SEA-SERPENT 1
The Moniter a Maine Man Canght aad the For-
tune He Threw Away.
[New York Sun.]
" There's a man," said the skipper of a smack
at the Fulton market dock, pointing to a figure
swung aloft, engaged in mast scraping,
" what saw a regular sea-sarpint."
" Can't he be lowered down?" suggested the
reporter.
"Sartin," replied the skipper. "It's dry
work, sir, Bcrapin' masts after a long cruise."
The hint being taken, a few moments later
the sea-serpent observer and the skipper filed
into a neighboring snug harbor.
"So ye want to hear about that sea sar-
Eint f said the late scraper. " Perhaps ye never
eard the yarn of the Mary Bell brig ? Wall,
the skipper of the Mary Bell brig was a close
connection of mine. We was one of the
pi'neers o' Bootbbay, Maine, and sailed the
first Bootbbay fruiter to foreign parts. The
old man's name was Muggridge, and there's
millions of 'em twixt New York and Booth-
bat, all descendants of the old man.
"Wall, as I was a sayin' he was the skipper
o' the Mary Bell, and during one of the old
wars he was down in the channel runnin' fur
Nassau fur a load of pineapples, when all at
once be sights a privateer under jury masts.
She runs alongside the skipper and says:
" 'Wbat'll ye charge to tow us into Nas-
sau?'
" 'Five thousand dollars,' Baid the squire.
" 'Five thousand be d ,' says the priva-
teer. ' Heave to or I'll blow ye out of the
water.'
" 'Blow and be banged,' says the squire, and
with that he puts about quick and fell in
under her stern, she havin' no stern guns, aud
l ben they had it hot and heavy, and at last
the captain of the privateer offered the
squire $1000 for his masts. The squire took
him up, and, the weather being good, in three
days the privateer had the Mary Bell's spars,
and the latter was a-floating along under jury
masts.
"Ye see,"said the story-teller, " she was
insured, and he only hired her. He bore up
for the gulf stream, and in a week it had lifted
him up along the Georgia coast, and, seeing a
vessel, he put out signals and got a tow to
Charleston. The next day the yarns that
kem out of them papers would have made a
horse laugh. The old man jist let himself
out. The yarn was that he was a-saillin' along
one day, when the first thing he knew a critter
about 200 feet long reared up alongside,
wound around the masts, and threw the brig
on her beam ends. The hatches happened to
lie covered, so she did not fill, and after the
critter had made off after tearin' up the rig-
gin', they had crept out and cut away the
masts, righted ship, rigged jury masts, aud
got into the stream, so as to be picked up.
"Wall," continued the scraper, " that was
the old man's yarn. So, ye see, I'm from sea-
sarpint stock. But this ere sarpint I see wasn't
nigh onter so big as the old man's, and there
hint no doubt about it, as I know the mau
wbo haulued it in.
" It was a chap named Hannah, from Perna
quid, about ten miles north o' Boothbay. He
was out fisbin', and in takin' in his deep net
felt it kinder heavy, and sings out to me and
my boy:
" ' Dan, I reckon I've got a dead whale.'
" Up he hauls, and all of a sudden there
shows up the head of a fish that looked like a
shark, but it wasn't. It tore the net, and
Hanna got it out the best he could and hev it
over. We reckoned it was thirty foot long,
and a big eel. Ye know Bea-goin' folks don't
think nothin' of odd fish, so we merely took a
look at it from where we was aud thinks no
more about it. But when we got in shore and
tells the yern, the hull place was upsot. Half
a dozen of these 'ere summer visitors was half
crazy.
" One says: 'Why, man, ye had the sea sar-
pint.' Another says: 'Ye let a fortune slip
through yer fingers along o' yer ignorance.'
Another says: ' Ye might hev took that fish
to New" York and Boston and made $100 a day
for six months.'
" Wait," said the fisherman. " I'd seen the
sea sarpint, and I reckon Hanna felt sick. A
feller offered me $10 to take him to the spot
^ f;/ I if T M 1. ^ i. I
and $50 if I would drag it up again,but it kem
on to blow, and that's the last we see of it.
But," he concluded, " ye kin bet your life.
friend, the next time I see a sea sarpint I'll
cling to it."
The strangest part of the sailor's account is
that it is true, and the reporter found on in-
quiry that the fish had been duly investigated
by Professor Baird, of the Smithsonian,,and
Mr. J. M. Allen, the Hartford naturalist. As
soon as the facts came to Mr. Allen he sent a
number of questions to Hanna, who replied:
From the head to the tail (exclusive of the
head) it looked very much like an eel. The
body was round, or very near thac form.
From the head (exclusive of the same) toward
the tail Was about twelve or fifteen feet. Its
total length was about twenty-five feet. The
tail was that of a common eel. The color of
his back was slate or fish color; belly, grayish
white. There were two fins, one on either
side, a little abaft of the head. They were
not stiff-pointed fins like tho shark's or sword-
fish's, but more like the side fins of the cod or
sunfisb, only they were in size to correspond
with the fish. The top or dorsal fin was like the
corresponding fin on the cod. I do not know
whether it was stationary or closed, like the
top fin of the mackerel and other fish of the
same species.
The skin was like that of the dogfish, but
very much finer. The head resembled that of
the shark, only it did not lengthen out like
the shark's. It looked more like the head of
the sucker. The mouth was very small, not
any larger than the mouth of a goid-sized
dogfish, with fine, briery teeth, and located at
tbe extreme end of the head or nose. Tue
fish was dead when caught, its mouth was
open, and the smallness and location of the
same attracted my attention more than any
other part of the fish. Inclosed you will find
a drawing, as near as I can recollect, of the
fish.
Upon receiving this letter with the drawing,
Professor Baird wrote to Mr. Hanna, asking
further questions, and saying that from the
description, the fish was apparently something
new. Mr. Hanna replied, in part:
The inference that I draw from your letter
is that I caught what the fishermen know as
the swingle-tail shark, but such was not the
case. I am a fisherman of twenty-five years'
experience, and acquainted with about every
species of fish from the Capes of Virginia to
St. Pierre, off Newfoundland, aud
I never saw a fish that resembled that
one entirely. The shark family is very
numerous iu the waters of Maiue. The
swingle-tail is not very plenty here, but I have
caught one and seen a half dozen in my day.
The nurse fish or liver shark is another kind.
It is a bottom fish, and rarely if ever comes
to the surface. The tail of the strange fish
corresponds in the drawing with my recollec-
tion. Being dead I examined it some ten or
fifteen minutes, hesitating whether to land or
let it go.
In fact, the unknown has been almost
caught, but slipped away.
Balloon. In War.
Ballooning is being made a distinct feature
of the School of Military Engineering at
Chatham, England, and extensive prepara
tions are already in progress for bollooning
experiments, to be carried on during the sum
mer months Offlcersand sappers will be in
stiucted in the manufacture of coal and hv
drogen gas, telegraph communication, takimc
of photographs, the use of the electric light,
from balloons, transport packing, inflation.
and the construction of screens for tho protn.
tion of balloons. Spocial practice will also O-
devoted to the most effectual means of coil
vejing gas from one position to another. At
last it seems as if the practicability of bill
loons for reconnoitering and signaling his
been fully realized.
GREAT
REI
PORu JPAIN.
Rheumatism,CWeuralgla, Sciatica,
Lumbago, Backacht, Headache, Toothache,
•ore Tli roHt,aw«llli>(>,ftprnliia, Bralaea,
Barm, ttcmlda, trust Intel,
1ID ILL OTIIIH HOU1LY PAINS AND ACHES.
Sold by Drugflata and Dealers ever? wher«. Fifty Otota ft bottle.
Dlraotloua In 11 Lftoguagea.
THE OIIARLES A. VOOELEH CO.
i to A. VoiitUB k 00.) Baltimore, lid., Ga 8* Aa
BPBOXAX. NOTICES
r\S\S^fK/\S\S
The recent marked tendency of the
popular taste for gin results as much from tli.
fact that It Is susceptible of being an admirable
adjunct of mixed or fancy beverages, as that It i»
an almost infallible Bpeclnc for all kidney a (fee
tlon , the Increase of which is as remarkable aa it
is alarming.
WOLFE'S SCHIEDAM AROMATIC SCHNAPPS
Is the best form in which to take it, as it is diuretic,
tonic, a palatable stimulant and an agreeable ex
hilarant.
Persona should look for the W. A 8. label
Texas Land[and Loan Cn.
Subscriptions to the Capital Stock of the above
Company are now received at the office of the Sec-
retary. Shares 8300 each, payable in momhlv in-
•bailments of $S.
I. LOVENBERO. Secretary.
NOTICE.
All orders or complaints, to receive prompt at-
tention, should be left at the office of the Com-
•pany, in the brick building, on
M arket Street, bet. 24th and 25th Stg„
Between the hours of 8 and 12 o'clock a. m,
AUG. BUTTLAR, Secretly.
BUMMER RESORTS.
llot Springs, Arkansas.
s.H.sTrrr&co.
The proxtmity of the Arlington to
the head sources of the Hot Springs, together
with the convenient and ample bathlne accommo-
dations, gives Its patrons greater facilities in
bathing and drinking the waters than can be found
elsewhere. An annex of sixty (.60) rooms has lately
been added. Also one of the
Otis Improved Passenger Elevators,
which enables Invalid guests to be wheeled directly
from their rooms to the baths. Letters of inquiry
promptly answered. Descriptive pamphlets fur
nishpd when desired.
MOUNTAIN HOUSE
CORNWALL HEIGHTS, N. Y.
First-class family Hotel. Pure mountan air; free
from malaria. House supplied with artesian well;
65 miles from New fork by West Shore road.
Address J. W. MEAGHER
Evkrv Smoker should try Little Joker
SOUTHERNERS wishing to spend a few weeks
in New York City may find delightful accom-
Stodations at 237 East Seventeenth street, opposite
muyvesant. Park. References.
OHOOERIES—X.XQXrOR8.
A^i/WVWW*/-
wy\/N/\/\/-v
J. F. MAG-ALE,
direct importer of
BRAXVDXES AND WXNSS,
And Wholesale Dealer la
FINE BOURBON, RYE AND RECTIFIED WHISKIES
of ALL GRADES,
Magale's Building, 63 and 6fi Strand, Galveston, Tex.
All cash orders promptly filled same as If parties
were here In person.
WM. PARR. D. FREEMAN.
WM. PARR & CO.
DIRECT IMPORTERS OF
LIVERPOOL SALT,
Portland and German Cemeut,
English Fire-Bricks
AND ENGLISH TILES.
Dealers in Rosen&ale Hydraulic Oe»
meat and all kinds of Build-
ing Materials.
GALVESTON - - TEXAS.
Only standard brands kept. Full stocks always
on hang.
Our Novelties! Our Novelties!
We offer the following novelties at prices that
can not fail to please, viz:
Sweet Wash Navy Tobacco, in 80-pound boxes; 33
knives given with each box—a fine grade or Navy.
Silver Coin Navy—One Dollar in Silver in eacli
box, and a Hammered Brass Clock given with
each 28 pound package.
Silver Spoon least Powder—A handsome Plated
Spoon given with each ^-pound can. Quality the
best.
Nickel Yeast Powder—Quality guaranteed. Be
ire packed like soda, it sells at half the price of
other powders.
One-fourth Pound Ground Black Pepper—put up
in ornamental blue {feass bottles, with plated stop-
pers—a handsome ornament for the the table.
We are sole agents for above goods, and would
kindly ask a trial order.
G. SEEIIGSOX & CO.
To Shippers of Grain.
Will deal largely in OATS and
WHEA T during the coming season, and
think it mould be well for parties in the
interior to quote me before placing else-
where.
All orders for HAGS and TWINE
will be filled at lowest prices.
I. HEIDENHEIMER
laii aid Hoi Mm
DON'T LEA vb
TEXAS
V illiout Investigating llie Advanta es
ol and llie Inducements Offered in
ihe Northwest i>art of the State.
Voij are cordially invited to come to WICHITA
FALLS, the terminus of the For- Worth and Den-
ver City railway, only 114 miles northwest of Fort
W orth, the county seat of Wichita county, and the
« ATE CITY to the PANHANDLE.
Kit fit a falls
TIiIh growing young
dly, not yet two years
old, linn ii population of
nearly 200(1 people.
and commands the trade
of Archer, Soy nour, Ver-
non, Doan's, Clarendon
Mobeetle (Fort Elliott,>
and ail the country
known as the Panhandle,
as well as Fort Sill ail 1
the southwest portion of
Indian Territory.
KorthwestTexas
contain* the finest lands
In tlie Mate.
Thousands of acres are
yet unoccupied, and can
be had at very reason-
able prices and on lib-
eral terms.
The Elevation
or Wichita Falls Is
about 1100 feet.
which Insures pure air
and an unusually healthy
climate, being entirely
free from malaria.
THE SOIL
(>r this section Is ex-
irenieniely fertile ami
easy of cultivation; will
yield fine crops of all
kiuds of grain, grass,
fruits and vegetables, as
well as cotton, and is un-
excelled for Btock-rais-
ing.
Water ii
AHam
Red, the Big and Lit-
tle Wichita nnd Pease
rivers and numerous
smaller streams flow
through this portion of
country.
WATER is more easily
obtained by digging or
boring than in most any
other part of the State.
Wells average only
20 to 30 feet
in depth, and the water
obtained is clear, pure,
healthy and pleasant to
the taste. Fine Springs
of excellent water are
also found in • many
places.
10 THOSE WHO MEAN
BUSINESS!
A liearty welcome is
extended by th- pe »ple
of Northwest Texas, who
want you to come and in-
vestigate. see for your-
selves and b*» convinced.
IT WILL PAY
To see this country be-
fore locating or investing
elsewhere.
For full and reliable information please call on
or address
C. F. COLLINS & CO..
N'thwest Texas Land.Town Lot and Live Stock Co.,
J. BLANCHARP, Manager.
WICHITA FALLS,TEX._
Reference—Texas Investment Co. (Limited).
First National ank, of Fort Worth, Tex.: Pan-
handle National Bank, of Wichita Falls, Tex., or
the Wichita county officials.
FALLINGER, M0TT & TERRY,
126 Postoffice Street,
GALVESTON TEX
hEfiVLUS!
DEBILITY _
!► . Consultation free.
Street, New York.
And PREMATURE DECAY rad
icallv cured Without Stomach
Medication by the Mew Rectal
Treatment. Effective, easy, pleas-
ant, cheap. Send for sealed treat-
DR. CHAOS, 40 West 14th
COTTON F40T0&S.
'/W\AA/W\A/'/WVVWVWVW,/WVW
h a. hbcwn. geo. walbhk. a. 1l phrson,
R. A. Brown & Co.,
COTTON FACTORS
Aim
commission merchants
1MJ.1 », )J.l I, l-KSTH V.
F. Lamiiehb. E. S. B lint, late of H. A. Brown & Co
Lammers & Flint,
COTTON FACTORS
AND
COmiffilSSXON 1VTER CHANTS,
8TRAXD. i \LVE ^'ON
SAMUEL P. BEALL,
AGENT FOR J 0. PEET 4 CO., NEW ORLEANS.
C'OTTON FUTURES: Qaiveston, New Orleans,
Nf w vork and Liverpool.
GRAIN AND PROVISION CONTRACTS: Chi-
cago, bt. Louis and New York.
COFFEE CONTRACTS: New York.
GALVESTON, Texas.
WOISTON, WELLS S VIOOR,'
Cotton Factors.
Advances made on Cotton, Wool, Hides and all
kinds of Produce.
GALVESTON, Texas.
Memoer New York Cotton Exchange. Member
Galveston Cotton Exchange.
ED. DREIER,
FUTURE BROKER.
COTTON FUTURES: Galveston, New Orleans,
New York, Liverpool and Havre.
GRAIN AND PROVISION CONTRACTS: Chicago
COFFEE FUTURES: New York.
GALVESTON, TEXA8.
HOUSTON ADVEHTISBMBNTii.
T.W. HOUSE,
Cotton & Wool Factor
and
Commission Merchant.
I call special attention to my A P. CO LA CLARI-
FIED SUGAR, crop of 1883, winch I guarantee per-
fectly pure, viz.:
AKCOLA WHITE A,
A BCOX.A WHITE B,
/ CCCLA CHOICE CXjABIFIBD.
ASCOLA C.
TRY ME AND PROVE ME.
LIBERAL ADVANCES MADE ON COTTON.
yUiCK SALES AND PROMPT RETURNS
GUARANTEED.
T. W. HOUSE.
HOITSTOjST TEXAS,
UK. M. PERL,
General Practitioner,
HOUSTON, TEXAS
E. P. TUKNJF
ATTORNEY X COUNSE'
No. 30 CongreM bt.. H<
Practices In the Stiate Cou
preme. Appelate and District
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The Galveston Daily News. (Galveston, Tex.), Vol. 43, No. 92, Ed. 1 Monday, June 23, 1884, newspaper, June 23, 1884; Galveston, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth465089/m1/3/?q=coaster: accessed June 11, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Abilene Library Consortium.