USA > Maryland > Anne Arundel County > Annapolis > The Ancient City.: A History of Annapolis, in Maryland, 1649-1887 > Part 39
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So through that direful night, the terrible hours wore on, and at daylight the two survivors found they were a half mile from shore, and, on trying the depth, found they could touch bottom, a thing, many believe with every reason, they could have done at any time dur- ing the accident, since the boat would not likely drift from its first position after the anchor fell from the boat.
On gaining the shore Father Enright and Kenny went to the house of Aunt Charity Brashears who gave them restoratives, and offered to convey them to Annapolis, but being chilled the two preferred to walk, and made their way to Barber's farm on the opposite side of Spa Creek, and made their melancholy signal to their associates in the Redemptorist College." Here their signal was seen, and the sur- vivors were brought to the Institution to tell their sorrowful story. It was 9.30 a. m., when they arrived greatly exhausted, and fears were entertained for their recovery.
Father Classeans was pastor of St. Mary's Church in this city, and Professor of Moral Theology in the College. He was only 38 years. old. He came from Holland to America in 1851. Father Gerde- mann was from Cumberland, Md., was Professor of Rhetoric, Eng- lish, and German Literature. He was conductor of the colored Catholic School here, and pastor of the Catholic Church of West River. He was 27 years old. Father Bradley was here recuperating.
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He was 37 years old. Mr. Kenny was studying Moral Theology, and would have been ordained the following Easter. Mr. Runge was just finishing his course of Philosophy.
Search was actively and instantly instituted for the recovery of the bodies, which were eventually recovered ; and carried amidst a sorrow- ing city to the College, St. Mary's bell ringing a dirge as each suc- cessive corpse was recovered.
This was the first accident of any kind that had ever occurred to the members of the Society of Redemptorist. This order was founded in Italy, November 9, 1792 ..
CHAPTER LXIV. ANNAPOLIS OF THE PRESENT.
In 1870, Annapolis had a population, exclusive of the Naval Academy, whose average is 500 inhabitants, of 5,744 ; in 1880, 6,642.
The city has doubled its population since 1845, the date of the lo- cation of the Naval Academy at Annapolis. The pressing want of the city has been the establishment of manufactories. They have never flourished and the fine harbor of the city has been comparatively of little use. In 1885, the Annapolis Glass Works, situated at Horn Point, were finished, and are, at present, in successful operation.
The opening of the summer resort, Bay Ridge, some five years since, attracted attention to Annapolis, and the building of the railroad from Annapolis to the resort, consummated in July, 1886, was the di- rect result of the inauguration of this popular excursion place.
By the Annapolis and Baltimore Short Line Railroad, between the capital and the metropolis of the State, railroad communi- cation has been shortened one-third in one case, and in the other nearly one-half. This road gives promise of large advantage to Annapolis, in its traveling facilities, and in bringing to the attention of capitalists the magnificent harbor of Annapolis and its almost en- tire exemption from obstruction from ice in winter. The slow growth of Annapolis has been the constant gibe of the unthinking. The city, however, in late years has shown a spirit of improvement. In 1877, the lots in the rear of Market street to South street were placed on the market. They were sold with great rapidity and in the course of a year, over three hundred houses were built. This was largely due to the liberal spirit of the Workingmen's Building and Loan Associa- tion which, proving an exception to most associations of that charac- ter, made it possible for many to build homes for themselves who had no means otherwise. In 1879 and 1880, the houses on Prince George street, between Maryland and College Avenues were built, and also the fine residences of Mrs. Commodore Thornton and John II. Thomas, Esq., on Maryland Avenue.
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The bridge over the Spa, connecting the village of Horn Point with Annapolis, was built in 1868, and the one over College creek about the same period. In 1887, the citizens of Horn Point resolved to call their village Severn City.
Annapolis has telegraphic and telephonic facilities, gas, and fine water-works, and is noted as an excellent place of residence. Its chief disadvantage is a lack of opportunity to advance the financial interests of its residents.
St. John's College affords unusual educational facilities, and the presence of the Naval Academy, the Court of Appeals of the State, and the Legislative Body induces an acquaintance with public affairs that is at once entertaining, improving, and valuable.
Many of the inhabitants count their progenitors, generation after generation, back to the earliest settlers of Providence. They yet emulate the manly qualities and heroic spirit of their sturdy ances- tors, untarnished by their bigotry and austerity.
In December 10, 1872, the Taney Statue, located on the State House hill, was unveiled. The work was done by William Rinehart, a na- tive of Maryland. The presentation was made to the State, from the committee in charge, by S. T. Wallis. The oration, on the occasion in the Senate Chamber, was one of the most brilliant efforts of that golden-tongued,orator.
August 16, 1886, the DeKalb Statue was unveiled with imposing Masonic and Military ceremonies. The Statue was the work of Ephraim Keyser, a young Baltimore sculptor, and has met the best anticipations of the public. Mr. Keyser presented the statue to the United States, and Secretary of State, Thomas F. Bayard, received it in an eloquent address. Col. J. Thomas Scharf was orator and re- viewed the historic phase of DeKalb's career.
The State Museum, daily growing in importance, owes its concep- tion to a resident of Annapolis, Mr. Frank B. Mayer, who on Feb- ruary 19, 1885, in the Anne Arundel Advertiser, suggested its estab- lishment. Col. J. Thomas Scharf, Commissioner of Maryland at New Orleans, and Commissioner of the Land Office of Maryland, acted upon the suggestion, and when he returned from New Orleans, he placed the Maryland exhibits, that belonged to the State, in one of the rooms of the Land Office. To this nucleus an interested and patriotic people are constantly adding woods, minerals, and curiosi- ties.
THE NEWSPAPERS OF ANNAPOLIS.
The Maryland Republican is now the oldest. It was established in 1809. Jehu Chandler was its first editor, followed by Jeremiah Hughes. He was succeeded in 1842 by Elihu S. Riley and Samuel Davis, Mr. Davis about 1856 sold his share to Absalom Ridgely, who died in 1858, and whose part was purchased by Elihu S. Riley, In 1867, the Republican was purchased by George Colton and Elihu S. Riley, Jr. In 1867, the share of the junior partner was purchased by Mr. Colton, who yielded the publicatication about 1878, to his son, Luther F. Colton. After the latter's death, in 1885, the Republican was sold to William S. Ridgely and George T. Melvin. In 1886, the new proprietors started a daily afternoon edition.
The Evening Capital, published by William M. Abbott, commenced in 1883 as a daily afternoon paper.
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The Maryland Gazette, established as the Annapolis Gazette, some years after the death of the original Gazette, is a weekly paper, pub- lished by J. Guest King.
The Anne Arundel Advertiser is a weekly, now in its 18th volume, and is published by the estate of William T. Iglehart.
The Record, a weekly, is printed by Elihu S. Riley. It was estab- lished in 1875.
In December, 1882, the question of prohibition of the sale of liquor was submitted to the votors of Anne Arundel county. Annapolis gave 550 of the 650 majority in favor of prohibition. At first some of the liquor dealers proceeded in a surreptitious manner to violate the law. The Court was severe in its sentences upon convicted violators of the law. The city, for eighteen months, became noted for its peace, good order, and sobriety. Then came the invention of the system of incorporated clubs, by which, each member pleading his right to protection from criminating himself, the State was deprived of witnesses of the violations of law. The clubs increased and, ac- cording to the testimony of those who spoke, as of knowledge, there was great debauchery in private. In public there were good order and peace ; on the criminal docket of the city there were few cases. In the three years of prohibition not one murder from drink had been committed in the county. But the liquor men were on the alert and persuaded the people that the second evil of clubs was greater than the first, and promised an era of temperance and good order if the liquor saloons were allowed to be opened again. With their argu- ments of speech and silver, in April, 1886, Annapolis was induced to reverse, by over five hundred majority, the verdict of 1883. The business of the city has not improved as was prophesied would be done under a return to license.
In 1884, the Local Improvement Association of Annapolis was formed, F. B. Mayer, President ; L. G. Gassaway, M. Oliver, and C. E. Munroe, Vice-Presidents ; J. Wirt Randall, Secretary ; and Julian Brewer, Treasurer. In the face of many discouragements, but with final success, the society aroused an interest in public improvement and directly, or indirectly, advanced and effected, such works as the "City Circle," the planting of avenues of trees at St. John's College and marking the graves of the French Revolutionary dead, and the placing of shade trees in our streets, the formation of a continuous drive around our city by obtaining the building of the Back creek bridge, and project- ing the shore road to Bay Ridge. It has endeavored to obtain from Con- gress the making of an avenue to connect the Government Naval Cemetery with the Soldiers' Cemetery and the City, the establishment of a signal station, and a public building for Federal uses ; the adop- tion of a plan for future streets and avenues, and has suggested numerous other projects incidental to the objects of the association.
Annapolis has been loath to give up its ancient ways. Up to 1854, it had but two watchmen to patrol its streets at night, one of whom remains to tell, that like the beadles of old, he used to cry the hours of the night. There are hundreds who recollect the ringing of the curfew bell of St. Anne's at nine o'clock when well-regulated youths hastily left their plays and scampered off to the parental roof.
The town is not dead. It has only slept. Thirty years ago there was but one house on the north side of Prince George street from Col-
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lege avenue to East street, and from Prince George street to Hanover, on Maryland avenue, there were but three houses. The intervening lots afforded fine and convenient hunting grounds.
The earthquake of the 31st of August, 1886, so disastrous to Char- leston, S. C., was experienced in Annapolis and vicinity. The feel- ings excited were those of surprise rather than of alarm. Chairs rock- ed and houses trembled, but no damage was done.
In closing the annals of the Ancient City, the review of the labors incident to the work is a pleasant retrospection. Removing the mouldy dust from crumbling records, touching the inner webs of outer woofs, lifting up that which had fallen from its place in the chronicles of a city, have brought the writer so close to the men who made the history of a capital, guided the destinies of a State, and helped to build a nation, that he has seen them act again the drama of their day, heard the intonations of their voice, well-nigh fathomed the secret springs of their thought and action.
In breathing upon these dry bones of fact, the writer has found his chief recompense in seeing that "the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceeding great army."
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APPENDIX
-: 0: ABRIDGEMENT OF FATHER ANDREW WHITE'S JOURNAL .*
-(:o:)
-4' A Report of the Colony of Lord Baron of Baltimore, in Maryland, near Virginia, in which the quality. nature, ant condition of the country and its many advantages and riches are described.
"There is a province near the English colony in Virginia, which, in honour of Maria his queen, his majesty the king of England wished to be called Maryland, or the land of Mary.
"This province his majesty, in his munificence, presented to the lord Baron of Baltimore, in the month of June, 1632. This distin- guished nobleman immediately resolved to settle a colony, with the particular intention of establishing the religion of the gospel and truth in that and in the neighbouring country, where, as yet, the knowledge of the true God had never existed. He was encouraged in his enterprize by the favourable account of the country left by his worthy father, whose testimony, founded upon actual observation, was worthy of the utmost confidence, and was corroborated by the reports of others who had visited the same region, as well as by the published narrative of captain Smith, who first described it." After - alluding to the liberal conditions of settlement proposed by Lord Baltimore, Father White continues :
"The interests of religion constituted one of the first objects of Lord Baltimore, an object worthy indeed of Christians, of angels, of Englishmen ; than which, in all her ancient victories, Britian never achieved any thing more honourable.
"Behold those regions waiting for the harvest. They are prepared to receive the fruitful seed of the gospel. Messengers have been sent to procure suitable persons to preach the life-giving doctrine, and regenerate the natives in the sacred waters of baptism. They are those now living in this city, (St. Mary's) who saw ambassadors from the Indian nations to Jamestown in Virginia, sent there for the pur- pose of effecting these objects. May we not suppose that many thousands were brought into the fold of Christ in so glorious a work.'
After a glowing and minute description of the country, with its trees, fruits, and other productions, its rivers and the various kinds of fish, he proceeds to give the
"NARRATIVE OF THE VOYAGE TO MARYLAND.
"On the 22d of November, baing St. Cecilia's day, under the gentle influence of an eastern wind, we dropped down from the Isle of Wight.
"Having placed our ship under the protection of God, the Blessed Virgin Mother, St. Ignatius, and all the guardian angels of Mars + Ridgely's Annals of Annapolis, p. 18 to 32.
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land, we had progressed but a short distance, when we were obliged. for the want of wind, to cast anchor off the fortress of Yarmouth, where we were welcomed by a salute. While lying here we were not without some apprehensions from our sailors, who began to murmur among themselves, alleging that they expected a messenger from land with letters : and because none arrived, they seem disposed to- create delays. A kind providence put an end to our fears : for dur- ing the night a strong but favourable wind sprang up, and our pin- nace, " which apprehended an attack from a French brig, that kept within a short distance of her, took advantage of the wind and put to- sea. We, not willing to lose sight of her, followed her with all speed, and thus frustrated the evil designs of our sailors; this wason the night of St. Clement's day, 23d of November. On the next morning, about 10 o'clock, after receiving a second salute from the fort at Hurst, we were carried beyond the breakers at the extremity of the Isle of Wight, and narrowly escaped being driven on shore. Taking advantage of a strong fair wind on that day and the next night, we left the western point of England, slacking sail, lest running ahead of the pinnace, she might fall into the hands of the pirates and Turks- who then infested these seas. On the 24th of November, we made great headway until evening, when a violent storm arose, and our sloop being diffident of its strength, being only of 40 tons burden,. hove to, and informed us that in case of danger, she would carry lights at her mast-head. We were in a well built ship + of 400 tons, as strong as iron and wood could make her, and our captain was one of great experience. The storm was so violent that we gave him the choice of returning to England or pursuing the voyage. His in- trepidity and confidence in the untried powers of his ship, induced. him to choose the latter. But in the middle of the night, in a boiling sea, we saw our sloop at a short distance from us, showing two lights at her mast-head. Then, indeed, did we fear for her, and on losing sight of her we all supposed she had been swallowed up in the stormy sea. Six weeks elapsed before we again heard from her. But God had preserved her. Fearing that she could not survive the storm, she changed her course, and took refuge in the Scilly Isles. She aftewards sailed in pursuit of us, and we met at the Antilles. On the - 27th and 28th, we made but little progress. On Friday 29th, a most dreadful storm arose, that made the most fearless men tremble for the result. Among the Catholics, however, it made prayer more frequent, vows were offered in honour of the B. V. Mother, and her immaculate conception, of St. Ignatius, the patron Saint of Mary- land, St. Michael and all the guardian angels. Each one prayed earnestly to expiate his sins through the sacrament of penance. For, having unshipped her rudder, our vessel was tossed about at the mercy of the winds and waves. At first, I feared that the loss of our ship and death awaited me, but, after spending some time in prayer and having declared to the Lord Jesus, and to his Holy Mother, St. Ignatius, and the protecting Angels of Maryland, that the purpose of this voyage was to pay honour to the blood of our Redeemer, by the conversion of barbarians, I arose with a firm confidence that through the mercy and goodness of God, we should escape the dan -. . The pinnace appears to have been a sloop of forty tons, and was called "The Dove." 'The Ark.'
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gers that seemed to threaten our destruction. I had bowed myself down in prayer, during the greatest rage of the tempest, and, let the true God be glorified ! Scarcely had I finished, before the storm was ceasing.
"I felt myself imbued with a new spirit, and overspread with a flood of joy and admiration at the benevolence of God to the people- of Maryland, to whom we were sent. Blessed forever be the merci- ful charities of our dear Redeemer. The remainder of the voyage, which lasted three months, was prosperous; our captain affirmed that he never witnessed a more pleasant and happy one. The period of three months included the time we spent at the islands of the Antilles, but we were in fact only seven weeks and two days at sea.
"In sailing along the Spanish coast we were apprehensive of falling into the hands of the Turks, but we never met them. Having passed the pillars of Hercules and the Madeira islands, we were able to scud before the wind with full sail. The winds are not variable in those regions, but always blow in a southwest direction, which was our exact course. At the distance of about three leagues from us we described three sail of vessels, the smallest of which appeared to be larger than ours. Fearing they were Turkish pirates we were careful to avoid them, though we prepared our vessel for action. But as- they showed no disposition to engage us, we concluded they were merchantmen, bound for the fortunate islands, and as much afraid of us as we were of them."
Father White, after some philosophical reasoning to account for the trade winds, some interesting descriptions of the tropical birds, and the flying fish, &c., &c., seen on their passage, remarks that, "during the entire voyage no person was attacked with any disease except that at Christmas, wine having been freely distributed in honour of that festival, several drank of it immoderately ; thirty per- sons were seized with a fever the next morning, of whom about twelve died shortly after ; of these two were Catholics, namely, Nicholas Fairfax and James Barefoot."
The route taken by the pilgrims is described to have been by the Azores, and to Barbadoes, at which latter island they landed on the 5th of January, 1634, new style. Instead of the hospitable reception which they expected from the governor and inhabitans, who were English, Father White says, "the governor and inhabitants plotted together to exact unreasonable prices for provisions and other neces- sary supplies." From the great abundance of potatoes in the island they received a wagon load gratis. At the time of the arrival of our pilgrims the slaves had rebelled, and determined to seize the first vessel that should arrive, but being discovered, the ringleaders were executed ; and, says the narrator, "our vessel being the first that touched the shore, was the destined prize, and the very day we landed we found eighty men under arms, to check the startling danger."
After describing the island of Barbadoes and its productions, the writer says, "on the 24th of January we weighed anchor, and passing the islands of St. Lucia at noon on the following day, we arrived in the evening at an island inhabited by savages only. A rumour had been caught by our sailors, from some Frenchmen who had been shipwrecked, that this island contained an animal in whose forehead was a stone of uncommon brilliancy, called a carbuncle." Father
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White dryly remarks, "its author must answer for the truth of this report." At dawn on the following day they reached Guadaloupe, and at noon arrived at Montserrat, inhabited by Irishmen driven from Virginia, on account of their profession of the Catholic faith.
Thence they sailed to another island, where they spent one day ; thence to St. Christophers, where they remained ten days, by the friendly invitation of the English government and two captains, "who were Catholics." The governor of a French colony in the same island also welcomed them warmly. Father White continues: "having at length weighed anchor hence, we pursued our voyage until we reached a point on the coast of Virginia, called 'Comfort,' on the 27th of February. We were under a good deal of dread from the unfriendliness of the English inhabitants of Virginia, to whom our colony had been an unwelcome theme. We brought, however, letters from the king and the high constable of England to the governor of the province, which contributed very much to appease their feelings, and to procure us future advantages. After receiving kind treat- ment for nine or ten days we set sail, and on the 3d of March, having arrived in the Chesapeake bay, we tacked to the north to reach the Potomac river, to which we gave the name of St. Gregory. We called the point which stands on the south St. Gregory, # that on the north of St. Michael, t in honour of the choir of angels. A larger and more beautiful stream I never have seen. The Thames compared with it is but a rivulet. Bounding on the sides by no marshes, it runs between solid and rising banks. On either side are splendid forests, not overgrown by weeds or briars ; you might drive a four-horse carriage, with the reins loose in your hands, through them. We found the natives armed at the very mouth of the river. That night fires were blazing throughout the country, and as they had never seen so large a ship as ours, messengers were sent around to announce the arrival of a canoe as large as an island, and number- ing as many men as the trees in a forest. We passed on to the Heron Islands, so called from immense flocks of those birds. We touched at the first of them, which we called St. Clements, on which owing to its sloping banks, we could only land by fording. Here the maids who had landed to wash the clothes, were almost drowned by the upsetting of the boat. I lost a large portion of my linen-no small loss in this part of the world. This island abounds in cedar trees, sassafras, and all those herbs and flowers entering into the class of salads, and the walnut tree with a heavy shell, and a small but very delicious kernel. A scope of four hundred acres did not appear sufficient for our new plantation. We desired a place which might preclude the commerce of the river to strangers, and also the possi- bility of their infringing on our boundaries. This was the most nar- row crossing of the river.
"On the day of the annunciation of the B. V. Mary, (25th of March,) we first offered the sacrifice of the mass, never before in this region of the world. After which, having raised on our shoulders an immense cross, which we had fashioned from a tree, and going in pro- cession to the designated spot, assisted by the governor, " commis- -sary, and other Catholics, we erected the trophy of Christ the Saviour, and humbly bent the knee in reverence during the devout recitation * Smith's Point. : Point Lookout.
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