Hide Article Text (OCR)
For Summer Tourists WhoAre Economical.Something About Queen Victoria's Designs on Fort George. 1A Poetical Slander—All FromCasco Bay.Yarmouth, Me., August l.—We live in apractical age, at a time when tangible re- !suits are more generally appreciated thantheoretical, when the average man is more jthan willing to unite pleasure with protit, iand when the majority of summer boarders, jwhile ostensibly giving themselves up toenjoyment, keep an exceedingly bright eyefor greenbacks. iI believe that I am the first eulogist ofpleasure resorts who has become acquainted ; with this fact, aud being a natural-born j patriot I propose to give my native place the benefit of this discovery. Ever since those days when reports were circulated that Canaan was a land llowing with milk and honey, up to the present date, every w riter of this class has labored under the lt;delusion that it is only necessary to inform ! the world t]iat his favorite place contains all the luxuries of our known life to till that place with guests. Calm reflection has shown me that such is not the case.Experience has convinced most men that ; wrestling with a tight bathing suit or kill- i ing mosquitoes is insufficient exercise for j keening the muscles in good trim, and as walking, rowing and other common recre- j ations can generally be enjoyed at homo, the demand for some time has been an amusement not only beneficial but novel. \ Casco bay is now able to meet this de- j maud with several varieties of exercise alike invigorating to the body and purse. As there are thousands who w ould summer at the seaside if they could discover some w ay to pay their bills, I am confident that the information 1 am about to impart w ill prove a great boon to humanity.Come to Lane’s Island. This beautiful strip of land is situated at the mouth of Koval’s river, and although the Hats makeit difficult for a boat to approach except at high water, no inconvenience results, as the mud is not deep, and it is only a few* minutes' w'alk to the Freeport shore.Indeed, it is in these very Hats that the peculiar attraction of this island lies. Here a man may profitablyVary the Monotony of Hotel Lifeby digging clams for bait. There is a readysale for this article, aud as it is worth, at anaverage, $2 per barrel on the shore, it is a simple matter to calculate the gain.Perhaps I should say here that thirteen bushels ol clams will make one barrel of bait. If. however, there are any who would prefer to try this amusement at intervals ; only, they could probably dispose of their stock at the boarding-houses or among less practical neighbors. This idea is positively ray own, and, as 1 wish to avoid all future discussion, such as that w hich has been raised regarding the telephone i men tor or the man who first built a cut-under hay-rack, 1 shall apply for a patent at once and have my manuscript put on file. I am aware that there art* many who do not love the soil and fail to find pleasure in working it, just as there are some who do not enjoy riding the bicycle, yet for these, too, Casco offers remunerative sport. On tlie Yarmouth shore, and onlV ten miles from Portland, is a granite quarry. Bank cashiers w ho expect at some time to hold positions rs stone breakers under the government, and business men in general, may hero learn the rudiments of that art, and make six dollars per week. Unlike government operatives there is no prescribed uniform for quarry men here, but custom seems to prohibit dress suitsand French kids.Digging mussel-mud has also become quite popular during late years, and, although the disciples of this art lire inclined to be somew hat exclusive, openings may be found for a iewr select meu. But as fame is j a thing more generally sought after than work, especially fame that comes cheap, I will pass over many other novel amusements to mention the fact that less than two years ago a new mineral was discovered on Casco’s shores.Here is a fine chance for young men of high aspiratious but small brain power., There is plenty of room for other new’ min-I erals here, and as no great genius is re-quired to stroll among rocks with pensiveface and a hammer, anyone who desires can gain the reputation of being a mineralogist by exhibiting a few pieces of quartz, and explaining that he is discovering a new mineral.There are, however, several interesting relics in Casco bay which will draw crow ds of tourists as soon as their existence becomes known. I mean the defences of Portland harbor. No one should leave this part of Maine without visiting these military works, especially Fort Georges.This is an octagonal structure of granite, and seen from a distance reminds one of a collar-box floating in a puddle. It was upon the low* ledge which forms the foundation of this fort that the English steamer Brookline struck some two years ago. Her pilot declared thatHuuligrlit Caused the Mischief.Subsequent events have so far confirmedmy first suspicions that I now feel it myduty to give the public what I am certain is the true explanation of that accident. Doubtless the Brookline was sent over by Victoria to carry off this fort secretly, that she might give it to Gladstone for a spittoon.llud not her plans been frustrated by those sunken rocks, I believe that Fort Georges would now be ornamenting the smoking-room of England’s great states-| man. It is but natural to believe that the attempt will be repeated, and I would urge the secretary of war to at once take measures for the security of Portland's chief defence. Burglar alarms and watchdogs have been suggested, but I would not trust to these. The safest way is to secretly re-move the real fort, and place a cheap imitation on its site. The old one could be stowed away in City Hall, and whenever war threatened it could be put back again. Under this management we could lie down to sleep at night with the consciousness that our dear old fort was safe. I cannot close this article without attempting to refute a vile calumny which has for years darkened the fair fame of our bay. Though evidently originated by some envious rival, it has been countenanced by many celebrated men, notably Mr. Whittier. I cannot think that this great poet would knowingly lend his pen for the furtherance of anv unjust scheme, and yet. knowingly or unknowingly, he has given world-wide celebrity to this slander, in his poem entitled “The Dead Ship of Harts well.’* 1 want to say right here that the story is wholly and unqualifiedly false. There is no ghost of a ship at Harpswell or anywhere else in our hay. and J defy Mr. Whittier or any other man to gainsay it. I’ve sailed Casco bay for years aud never saw' any such spectre, and 1 can’t find any one who ever did. 1 want every man, woman and child to distinctly understand that these waters are not haunted, and they needn't be one bit afraid to summer here. As some people may think that I am trying to hide some of the defects of my native place, 1 w ill make the following offer: For the small sum of seventy cents 1 will issue a $1000 policy payable to the relatives of everyone carried off by this ghost Ample proof will be required that the dead ship is the guilty party. Stamps and silver taken. Please
Newspaper Details
Boston Weekly Globe
Boston, Massachusetts, US
Tue, Aug 04, 1885
Page 8
Full Page
Clipped by
Judith R.
USA 18 May 2018
Other Publications Near Boston, Massachusetts
Massachusetts Centinel
Boston Globe
Boston Daily Globe
UMB News
Mass Media
