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Newfoundlanders Abroader. There he worked hard forBy Justin WrightNOTE:-Anyone wishing to send in a short story relating incidents leading to the success of their Newfoundland relatives or friends now living abroad, are invited to do so.JAMES J. PITTMAN, bom at Merasheen, Placentia Bay, began his seafearing, career like many Newfoundlanders— fishing around the nearby coast. When James was on the road to physical maturity he went to sea as a member of the crew of a schooner com-maiided by his father, the late Martin Pittman. -In 1924, James in company with his brother, Michael, left Newfoundland to seek his fortune on a new sea in a new land. But he loved Newfoundland—he was part of it. No matter where he went, the vision of his homeland stood before him, the smell of the brine awakened in him a nawing nostalgia. His brother and he went fishing on George's Banks in the schooner Corinthian, They were happy, and why not? Were not their dreams becoming a reality? Were they not sailors?Then it happened! In the fall of 1929 the slight schooner met a raging storm which tore it to splinters. Michael was swept overboard and, struggling in pitiful agony, drowned before the very eyes of brother Jim who was hanging to a mast floating above the sinking ship.A year passed. James was aow a captain—Captain of the schooner Francis C. Den bey, wned by the Fauci Oil Company, Boston. He was the first to bring the now famous Red-fish to the Boston fish markets. The schooner, in command of Captain Pittman, was the first of the Boston fishing leet to have the new Direction Finder and Fathometer installed. For this work in connection with the U. S. Navy, he received a certificate f honour from the U.S. Government.Captain Pittman now resides at New Bedford, Mass., and is in command of his own ship whicn is planned by all-Newfoundland crew. Added to his numerous experiences, the Captain was engaged in pangy and bass fishing for many winters in the South Atlantic.A. D. Pittman, employee of the Corner Brook Garage Company, Comer Brook, is another brother of this Newfoundlander who made good.JOHN THOMASIt all happened one spring evening just at dusk. John and his father, having hauled their small fishing boat upon the sands, sat down and wearily mopped their brows.All of a sudden Johnny sprangto his feet and exclaimed, “Father, I'm through; I won't live this way; I'm going to do better.John was only twenty years old when he packed his trunk and kissed his parents goodbye; a young man, when he sailed from his birthplace, Harbour La Cou and waved farewell to his many friends at nearby .Rose Blanche on the South Coast. But he wasn't too old to start from the ^beginning—and learn.Johnny was now in Canada — in the extreme west — in British Columbia, with the great rolling deep on one hand and a night school on the othyears. Day saw him fishing off the coast in a small vessel and night found his manly form bent over his desk in a local night school.The years passed, but the years of continuous plotting and planning presented him a “Master’s” ticket. John was now a Captain.Not long after this, in 1914, war broke out and Johnny, realizing his duty, enlisted. When he came out of training the young man served on various ships of war until, to his joy and amazement, he was made Captain of the Empress of Scotland. This spurred his ambitious heart until, not long afterwards, he became captain of such ships as the Empress of Britain and the Empress of Japan. What really puzzles Johnny today is the fact that, even though he made many voyages through submarine-infested waters, he was not once torpedoed nor did he suffer any casualties whatsoever.After the war was over the fame of Captain John Thomas was recognized by H. M. the King, who acknowledged his thanks in a letter to him. Captain Thomas, then popular amongst old and young, in and out of Newfoundland, is today recognized as one of the greatest of Newfoundlanders. He retired at the age of 65 as Ship’s Commodore and still resides at British Columbia.On his visits to Newfoundland Johnny goes straight to Rose Blanche, gets into a suit of oil skins and calls on his friends. They celebrate his homecoming with a little party and then board a little vessel and sail around the coast so familiar within the heart of “our” Newfoundlander.Armada Searches Atlantic For Missing PlaneHAMILTON, Bermuda, Jan. 19 (CP) — Eighty planes and a score of U. S. warships led the great search for the British-South American Airways airliner which is down somewhere in the Atlantic. The giant resuce operation expanded today after scanning 17,000 square miles of sea yesterday for a trace of the B. S. A. A. four-engined Tudor Ariel which disappeared with twenty persons on Monday while on a 1,000-mile. flight from Bermuda to Kingston, Jamaica.The U. S. Coast Guard at Miami, Florida, estimated that more than 13,000 men, including 5,000 reserve officers, were aboard the search armada which included four cruisers, six destroyers, four destroyer-minesweepers and other craft. The search was being concentrated about midway between Bermuda and Jamaica in the Atlantic north of the West Indies.The plane, with thirteen passengers and a crew of seven, left London Saturday and was last heard from Monday morning, about an hour after leaving Bermuda.For better pictures in nun or shade — ask for ANSCOFILM.
Newspaper Details
Corner Brook Western Star
Corner Brook, Newfoundland, CA
Fri, Jan 21, 1949
Page 18
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USA 14 Apr 2020
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