Atlantic City and County, New Jersey, biographically illustrated : a short biography : illustrated by protraits, of prominent residents of Atlantic County and the famous summer and winter resort, celebrated throughout America - Atlantic City., Part 1

Author:
Publication date: 1899
Publisher: Philadelphia : Slocum
Number of Pages: 398


USA > New Jersey > Atlantic County > Atlantic City > Atlantic City and County, New Jersey, biographically illustrated : a short biography : illustrated by protraits, of prominent residents of Atlantic County and the famous summer and winter resort, celebrated throughout America - Atlantic City. > Part 1


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ATLANTIC CITY


IND COUNTY


NEW JERSEY . --


Biographically Marinated


The City by The Sea and her People


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--


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RUTGERS UNIVERSITY LIBRARIES


GIFT OF MARIE A. RICHARDS


Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2010 with funding from Lyrasis Members and Sloan Foundation


http://www.archive.org/details/atlanticcitycoun00phil


Atlantic .:.


and


City county


. New Jersey


& Biographically Illustrated


A short biography, illustrated by portraits, of prominent resi- dents of Atlantic County and the famous summer and winter resort, celebrated throughout America- Atlantic City. > >


Alfred M. Slocum Co. ... Printers and Publishers ... 718-724 Arch St. Philadelphia .. [1899


OPYRIGHT- ED : 1899 by Alfred M. Stocum Co., ¿ Printers and Publishers, 718-724 Arch St., ¿ Philadu.


Price $5.00 per volume.


Publishers' Preface


IN OFFERING this volume to the public the publishers feel they present an unusually attractive field to the many admi- rers of the famous seaside resort, Atlantic City. The object throughout has been to introduce, by means of short biographies, accompanied with portraits, a number of prominent residents of Atlantic City and County, making a permanent Souvenir, which we feel will add value to the pleasant past associations which this delightful locality has given so many. As a matter of history and local interest this book has unusual value, pre- serving in complete form memories of many prominent people who have stamped their individuality upon the past events of their town.


The publishers have aimed to secure accurate information and to arrange their data in such attractive form as may increase its usefulness in every sense.


ALFRED M. SLOCUM CO. PUBLISHERS


Philadelphia, Pa. 1899


iii


Introductory.


" ATLANTIC CITY AND COUNTY," biographically illustrated, is a combination of history and biography. The life of the local- ity and the story of the individual are inseparably connected, for local history and biography are the perfect analysis of kindred topics, and in a general sense most valuable as an intelligent study of events, conditions and people which constitute a most comprehensive view of the national existence of yesterday and to-day.


This history particularly pertains to a wonderful and original city and embodies the outside influences which have contributed largely to its success, and attempts a summary of the many de- tails of unknown or forgotten events, which in the broad light of the present assume their proper importance as factors in the fulfilment of the Atlantic City of 1899, and lead with unerring judgment the progressive movement for future success and greatness.


The history of the past is the record of the few, unfortu- nately forgotten by the residents of the present generation, who, in their earnest struggle of to-day, are progressively pushing forward against tremendous competition for that substantial ben- efit which, in the opinion of philosophers, if successful, creates a like advantage to the community as well as the individual ;


1


Introductory


wherefore the history of the present is the record of the many, to whom the future holds out its infinite promise of success, and in no locality does that future seem fraught with happier con- ditions than Atlantic City and surroundings.


This seaside city is, without doubt, the most famous resort in the fair state of New Jersey, and has established itself upon a permanent basis entirely different from other like resorts ; in fact the historian must approach conditions here without the ad- vantage or use of former time-honored methods, for this is a city created by unusual opportunities, readily seized upon and wrought out by "brainy men, who have builded better than they knew," and to-day, from all over the country, deep in the hearts of its countless sojourners, there exists a warm and tender regard for the City by the Sea. Romance and reality have both been im- portant factors in this respect, as the child, maiden, lover, invalid, physician, and many a business man will testify in their unstinted praise for the special relief they represent.


A careful study has been given to the medical, political, judicial, financial, educational, religious and social matters, principally compiled from articles furnished by eminent local authorities.


Produced by a vast amount of careful and diligent labor this work supplies a general and permanent need, and its information will not become obsolete through future change and progress, as it preserves the value of the past and present for the advantage of the future.


The compilation of this work has been entrusted to Mr. Frank H. Taylor, whose reputation as artist and author requires no introduction from us-and the publishers are confident that the following pages will constitute not only an attractive souvenir


of descriptive art, but also an invaluable record of lasting useful- ness. We beg, also, to express our appreciation of the valuable assistance of Mr. A. M. Heston, City Controller of Atlantic City and publisher of Heston's Hand Book : for the aid rendered by Mr. A. H. Mueller, of Philadelphia, publisher of the very accurate atlas of Atlantic City recently completed ; and our thanks are also due to the many officials and citizens who have bestowed upon our undertaking their aid and patronage.


Introductory


ALFRED M. SLOCUM CO. PUBLISHERS


Philadelphia, Pa. 1899


vii


Contents


CHAPTER 1.


HISTORICAL SKETCH Page 17 In Olden Days-The Harbor of Eggs -- A Highway of the Revolution-The Story of Commander Somers- Our Early Navy-A Naval Exploit of Note-A Sad but Heroic Ending - The Gallant Hobson -St. George's, Bermuda-People of the Coast-A Legend-The Drinks of our Forefathers-A Shore County-First Hotels.


1 .-


CHAPTER 11.


THE OLD SHORE ROAD Page 29 An Early Type-Natives Inland-Quiet Highways- Jersey Arcadia-Along the Road.


CHAPTER IN.


THE BIRTH OF A CITY . Page 33 The Camden & Atlantic Railroad-A Gloomy Prospect -When Speech was Golden-The Opening Wedge- The First Through Train-Through by Rail-Success Assured-The Survey and Naming of Atlantic City-An Early Impression-In 1879-Nature's Great Physician.


CHAPTER IV.


FIRST ADMINISTRATION . Page 45 Early Hotels of Atlantic City-Railroad Progress-The Present Era-A Noted Comfort-Atlantic City Twenty- five Years Ago-Happy Days-The Higbee Club-The Border of the Deep.


CHAPTER V.


THE RESTLESS SEA Page 54 Rivers of the Sea-Facts from Heston's Hand-Book.


ix


CHAPTER VI.


THE BOARDWALK


. Page 59 The Pleasure Piers-Boardwalk Glimpses-The Sum- mer Multitudes.


CHAPTER VII.


ATLANTIC AVENUE . Page 67


A Great Business Thoroughfare-Pacific Avenue-In the Suburbs-A Pleasant Round Trip-Room to Spread- A Friendly Call-About Advertising-Bygone Discom- forts-A Forecast-Cycling to the Sea-A Port of Entry -An Aquarium-A Port of the Manx-An English Resort-Make People Talk.


CHAPTER VIII.


THE PLEASURE FLEET AT THE INLET . Page 82 Upon a Summer Morn-Old Favorites-The Fleet of '98.


CHAPTER IX.


A REFUGE FROM ILLNESS AND CARE . Page 86 A Health Record-Winter Hospitality.


CHAPTER X.


IN PRIVATE COTTAGES .


Page 88


Ideal Existence-Palatial Homes.


CHAPTER XI.


THE COUNTRY CLUB


Page 90 A Social Centre-Many Comforts-The Stables-The Pines-Varied Sports.


CHAPTER XII.


THE LENTEN SEASON


. Page 94 The Awakening-The Joyous Sea-Cycle Road to At- lantic City.


CHAPTER XIII.


SOME CITY MATTERS Page 97 Values and Finances from Report of 1898-The Fire Fighters - Light and Water - Sewerage - Military -- At the Nation's Call.


Contents


CHAPTER XIV.


CHILDREN'S SEASHORE HOUSE . Page 100


A Splendid Charity-For Young and Old-The Story of an Old Man-Return to Simplicity-In Business by the Sea. Contents


CHAPTER AV.


ALONG THE BOARDWALK Page 104 A Healthy Spot-The Unprofitable Sign-On Rollers- The Gamins of the Beach-Evening Scenes-Love by the Sea.


CHAPTER XVI.


OFF DAYS AT THE SHORE Page III In the Drifts-The Flow of Enjoyments-Sunny Corners -Rainy Day Philosophy-The Stormy Sea.


CHAPTER XVII.


THE BOROUGH OF LONGPORT Page 115 A Great Drive-Advantages-Beautiful Homes-A Re- view-Natural Science-Hotels and Clubs-The Ferry -Borough Officials-Seashore Joys-In Spring-Au- tumn-Winter-Joys of Longport-The Thoroughfare- The Lower Inlet-In Late Autumn.


CHAPTER XVIII.


LIGHT-HOUSES . Page 135 Antiquity of Beacons-A Noble Beacon-View from the Tower-Little Egg Harbor Inlet-Channel Leading into Great Harbor Inlet and Bay above Somers' Point.


CHAPTER XIX.


THE LIFE-SAVING SERVICE AND WRECKS . Page 141 The Atlantic City Station-Statistics-Ship Ashore- Famous Wrecks -The Love Letter-The Message in a Bottle-List of Casualities to Vessels-List of Life- Saving Stations-Absecon Inlet and Bay above Anchor- age to Brigantine Wharf.


CHAPTER XX.


ABORIGINAL FOOTPRINTS . Page 156 An Indian Home-Reading the Past-What Did They Eat ?- A Lotus Land-A List of Game.


CHAPTER XXI.


A PLATE OF ABSECONS . . Page 162 The Struggle of Life-Ancient Oyster Beds-Some Cal- culations.


CHAPTER XXII.


A PEN PICTURE OF THE BEACH Page 167 The Tides of Life-A Word on the East Wind-A Bois- terous Friend-The Floor of the Sea.


CHAPTER XXIII.


THE FASTEST TRAIN . Page 173 A Run to the Shore-The Big Engine-The Start-In the Cab-Over Seventy Miles an Hour.


CHAPTER XXIV.


ATLANTIC CITY AS A WINTER AND SPRING RESORT . . Page 178 The Gulf Stream - The Music of the Surf - A Pen Picture-A Round of Pleasure-For Invalids-Schools, Churches and Charities.


CHAPTER XXV.


PENNA. R. R. ROUTES TO THE COAST . Page 184


CHAPTER XXVI.


ATLANTIC CITY HORSE SHOW ASSOCIATION . Page 187


CHAPTER XXVII.


THE CLIMATE OF ATLANTIC CITY AND ITS USEFULNESS IN DISEASE Page 189 Distinguished Testimony - A Mistaken Idea - Com- parison of Temperature-Days Bright and Sunny-Pro- fessor Bache's Conclusions-Formation of the Gulf Stream-Evaporation and Precipitation-Tonic and Al- terative Climate-Immunity from Hay Fever.


xii


Contents


Index Biographical Sketches


PAGE


ADAMS, I. G. .


cli


ADAMS, LEWIS R. .


CXXix


ALBERTSON, DANIEL I .. . 1xxiii


ALBERTSON, LEVI C. . xix


BANEY, H. C. clxiii


BARTON, SAMUEL


clix


BELL, WILLIAM A.


clxxiii


BRYANT, MAJOR LEWIS T.


IxV


CONROW, ROLAND .


xcix


CRANDALL, DR. J. F. Ivii


CURRIE, GEORGE F. . xvii


DALEY, JAMES . CXXXV


DARNALL, WILLIAM EDGAR, A. B., M. D. li


DEVINE, MICHAEL A.


DICKINSON, THOMAS J. cxlvii


DONNELLY, JOHN C.xix


DOWN, LORENZO A. .


EDGE, WALTER E. Ixi


EDWARDS, DEVOUX B.


xCV


ELDRIDGE, HENRY C. .


cxiii


ENDICOTT, HON. ALLEN B. xiii


EVANS, HON. CHARLES XV


EVANS, HON. LEWIS


xinL


PAGE


FEDIGAN, REV. J. J., O. S. A. c.x.x.xvii


FELKER, GEORGE C. . cxliii GALE, SAMUEL P. cxxvii


GARRABRANT, C., M. D. . clxvii


GENEROTZKY, WILLIAM G. CXXXi


GODFREY, BURROWS C.


GODFREY, CARLTON, ESQ.


xxix


GORMAN, JOHN L. clxxiv


GOULDEY, JOHN 1xxi


GROSS, THEO. clxv


GUTTRIDGE, OLIVER H. .


cvii


HARRIS, HOWARD G., C. E. .


ciii


HESTON, ALFRED M. .


xxvii


INGERSOLL, JUDGE ROBERT H.


XXXix


IRELAN, EMERY D. cxlix


JOHNSON, C. G. .


cx


JOHNSON, WILLIAM N.


xliii


JONES, WILLIAM P. .


1xxix


JORDAN, ALBERT M. .


cix


KELLEY, SAMUEL HASTINGS


LEE, EDWARD S. .


LEEDS, CHALKLEY S. V


LEEDS, ROBERT L. .


1xxV


LONG, GEORGE H.


clxi


MCCANN, HERBERT


clxxii


MCLAUGHLAN, WILLIAM lxiii


MEHRER, JOHN E. .


Ixxxi


MERCHANT, OLIVER


CXXV.


MIDDLETON, FRANK CV


MOORE, 1. WILDEN . xcvii


MOORE, SAMUEL W.


Cxxi


MORRIS, DANIEL .


vii


MUELLER, JACOB


cxxiii


xiv


Index Biographical Sketches


PAGE


MYERS, CHARLES R. .


xlix


MYERS, DANIEL W. Ixxxix


MYERS, JACOB C. xci MYERS, JOHN 1xxxvii


NORTH, JAMES, M. D., D. D. S. .


1v


PERKINS, COL. GEORGE H.


REED, THOMAS K. cxlv


ROCHFORD, J. J.


clv


ROSE, S. B.


cliii


SCHWEISFORT, S. A. 1xxxV


SCOTT, LEWIS PENNINGTON xli


SEEDS, DR. W.M. FRANCIS lix


SHERRICK, HARRY W.


xciii


SHREVE, JOHN G. Ixix


SMITH, EDWIN .


ci


SMITH, FRANK A.


lxvii


SMITH, J. C.


clxxi


SOUDER, FRANK A. clXXV


SOUTHWICK, JAMES D.


SPEIDEL, CHARLES M. . c.xvii


STEWART, W.M. BLAIR, M. D. liii


STIMSON, GILBERT S. . 1xxvii


STOY, HON. F. P.


cxli


TAYLOR, S. C. .


clxix


THOMPSON, HON. JOSEPH


VOELKER, CARI.


WAHL, WILLIAM F. cxxxiii


WALTON, M. clxxVi


WILLIAMSON, BENJAMIN CXV


WILSON, THOMAS K. clvii


WOOTON, HARRY


Ixxxiii


WRIGHT, ELIAS


ix


YOUNG, JOHN L. xlvii


Index


Biographical Sketches


Atlantic City.


Chapter 11.


The story of Atlantic


City is a part of the annals of our own


generation ; it historical chronicles an Sketch achievement, typical


in its magnitude and character, of the resistless


second half of the greatest of all the centuries.


Summer resorts have existed from the beginning of


civilization. Beside the purple bays of the Orient, for thousands of years, tired humanity has been lulled to rest to the music of splashing waters. Babies have disported, while youths and maidens have loved, and men and women have forgotten the vexations of life in the sensuous allurements of the passing hour. But there has never before, in all the ages, existed an Atlantic City.


As an effective background to the picture of our great "City by the Sea," it is proper to sketch, in the briefest way, the outline of the develop- ment of a Commonwealth from the crude materials of a region which remained essentially a wilderness for more than a century after the Colonies of the Cavaliers were well advanced along the James River, and the Puritans of Massachusetts Bay had established there the foundations of a Province of enduring influence.


New Jersey has a history peculiar to itself. All of this domain having been, in the first instance, held by right of discovery by the English, was wrested from them by the energetic mariners of the ships from the


17


Holland States, who dominated the territory from the settlement of Nieu Amstel, or New Amsterdam, the Dutch immigrants spreading forth from this citadel, as they came in frequent shiploads, into the present counties of Bergen, Essex, Monmouth, Somerset and Middlesex, a portion of the State which carries the impress of their influence to the present day.


In 1664 the English came in force and expelled the government of the Dutch, and Governor Stuyvesant's "New Netherlands" was blotted from the map of Holland's Colonial possessions. Closely following, was written, by the hand of Charles II, the all important Royal Patent, granting


In olden Days


this broad territory to his brother James, then Duke of York, and afterwards the successor of Charles. All titles to lands have, in this trans- action, their foundation stone.


In turn the Duke of York conveyed this far-away wilderness to Lord Berkeley and Sir George Carteret, in payment of the political debt due their loyalty in the course of the Civil War. Carteret, who had been Governor of the Isle of Jersey, proposed the name of New Jersey for their joint domain.


In 1675, John Fenwick and Edward Byllinge, who had settled at Salem, had succeeded to the rights of Lord Berkeley, and upon July Ist of the next year, at a conference in the City of London between Sir George Carteret upon one hand, and William Penn, Gawden Lawrie, Nicholas Lucas and Edward Byllinge upon the other, as Trustees, a line was agreed upon defining the boundary between the Jerseys. Said line running from a point upon the upper Delaware River, below the site of Port Jervis, " to the most southernly point of the east side of Little Egg Harbor Bay." Sixty-seven years later this line was corrected and reaffirmed by John Law- rence, Surveyor, its location being upon the longitude of 41° and 40 min. These sections were denominated respectively East and West New Jersey. The Executors of Sir George Carteret eventually disposed of this property to twelve persons, who, in turn, sold a half interest to twelve others, all of whom were known as its proprietors.


18


An interesting old map of the Jerseys gives a fair idea of the extent to which European civilization had leavened the lump of New Jersey's wilder- ness in the year 1769, when it was prepared by Lieutenant Bernard Ratzer, of the 60th Regiment, English. A vast tract to the west of the division line drawn between East and West New Jersey was an untrodden wilderness. Within the present confines of the County of Atlantic, a single pathway, the Old Shore Road extended, having its beginning near Little Egg Harbor, where it joined a cross country road from Burlington, and extending down the coast to Cape May. The only settlement was Leeds. It was here, per- haps, that the early settlers lived who attracted the first official notice of the Provisional Assembly, the record of which appears in the proceedings of the session of 1694, in the following words: "Forasmuch as there are some families settled upon Egg Harbor, and of right ought to be under some juris- diction, be it enacted, that by the authority aforesaid, the inhabitants.of said Egg Harbor, shall and do belong to the jurisdiction of Gloucester, to all intents and purposes, till such time as they shall be capable by competent number of inhabitants to be erected into a county, any former act to the contrary notwithstanding."


Egg Harbor had gained its name from the vast numbers of eggs of wild fowl noted there by the Dutch explorers, who called it " Eyer Haven." By the early English settlers it was also known as New Weymouth, but time has perpetuated its quaint, and doubtless earlier cognomen. This ancient " Egg Harbor," set upon the winding channel back from its bay some miles to the north of the modern station of the name, may be counted, therefore, as the first seat of white settlement within the present county. A few years after the issue of the foregoing edict, tithing officers were sent to the Egg Harbor settlement by the Gloucester County authorities, although the legal right to do so has been since brought into question, as the coast district was not regularly engrafted upon that county until 1710, and for a long period all of what is now Atlantic County was


The harbor of Eggs


known generally as the " Egg Harbor region." The townships of Galloway, Gloucestertown and Woolwich were created therefrom, the name of Galloway first appearing upon the county records in March, 1775. This name is believed to have been derived from that of a tongue of land at Solloway Firth, Scotland, called Galloway Mull.


One Gabriel Thomas, an early traveler through this strip of coast, wrote that ships of two or three hundred tons might navigate the great Egg Harbor River, and that the country round about was famous for plenty of corn, as well as horses, cows, sheep, hogs and other evidences of prosperity, but preacher John Fothergill, who labored in this wildwood vineyard in 1722, called his experience a " journey through a desart," having had a particularly rough time by field and flood.


Over upon great Egg Harbor, a group of settlers was huddled around Somers' Point, and a considerable business was doubtless done in the cutting and shipping upon small vessels of timber and firewood, for George May built a store at the landing still bearing his name, in the year 1710, for the accommodation of the skippers and crew. May's house was still standing as late as 1830, upon the bank of the winding little stream, a few rods above Babcock's Creek.


THE MARSHES.


During the period of the Revolution, Egg Harbor seems to have fully maintained its reputation as a lively spot. Richard Westcott and Elijah Clark built a fort upon Chestnut Neck, dominating the stream, and manned it with cannon at their own expense. It was called " the Foxburrows Fort." The New Jersey authorities bought it from them in 1777, for £430 IS. 3d. sterling. A British force landed here in 1778 and effected considerable destruction. Privateers sailed in and out of these harbors, and there was much coming and going of both royalists and whigs. British


A bigbway of the Revolution


20


prisoners escaped from the cantonment in Virginia, later in the war, were harbored here and helped on their way to New York. There was much thrifty traffic with the British masters of Philadelphia in supplies carried in stealthy expeditions through the woods to the Delaware River. The majority of the people were, however, sound rebels, and the rolls of the Revolutionary forces contain many names of the men of Absecon who played the patriot's part. For some time a company of Continentals was stationed here to close this gateway of traffic and travel to the enemy, and some skirmishing occurred.


In the war with Great Britain, beginning in 1812, the Somers' Point people distinguished themselves. In 1813 the sloop New Jersey from that port was captured by an armed British schooner off Cape May, and a prize crew put on board. Captain Barton and his two men overcame the captors and brought them into Somers' Point, doubtless with great eclat.


The summer loiterer at old Somers' Point may wander from the huddle of hotels and club-houses at the wharf back among the pines, along a winding and sandy by-way, until he comes into view of the old Somers' homestead.


This was the birthplace of a hero. It is generally said to be the oldest house in Atlantic County. It is a quaint and rambling trio of struc- tures, still occupied upon rental. The "new part " was built about a century since, and the oldest section, with its huge chimney, was doubtless reared by John Somers soon after his purchase of this plantation of 3000 acres from Thomas Budd in 1795, and it was here that Richard, his son, brought his beautiful young bride, Judith, the daughter of Sir James Letart, of Acadia, whose adopted father, Peter White, had moved to Absecon.


Che Story of Commander


Somers


The Somers family always held an active part in the affairs of the central New Jersey coast, and the French strain in their blood impelled them constantly to that abundant field of adventure, the convenient sea.


21


THE OLD SOMERS HOMESTEAD


whose breakers were ever within sight of their windows. Colonel Richard Somers, the second, was active upon the side of the patriots in the period of the Revolution, and it was during this fateful era, September 15, 1778, that the third Richard Somers, the lost hero of Tripoli, was born. Like all of the amphibious youth of the coast, this member of the fourth Somers gen- eration took to the water almost in his babyhood, and, as a handy boy, he sailed upon coasters to and from the ports of New York and Philadelphia, Then he took to the navy, and at the age of twenty had won his warrant as midshipman upon the grand old frigate United States, of forty-four guns, the flagship of Commodore John Barry.


Our Early Havy In that year, the Ganges, twenty-four guns; the Constellation, twenty-eight guns, and the Delaware, twenty guns, had hastened away ahead of the flagship in hot chase of the French privateers, which ravaged our coasts. The United States, built and equipped in Philadelphia, sailed in July. A messmate of Somers was the midshipman, Stephen Decatur. In the following year, after many adventures, Somers was made third Lieuten- ant, and in 1800, second Lieutenant. The " Old Wagoner," as the United States was called, cruised far and wide. Many of our early naval heroes were graduates of her decks. In the year 1801 this famous ship was laid up until a dozen years later she was called into service by the exigencies of the War of 1812-14. Upon her retirement, young Somers became first Lieuten-


22


ant of the frigate Boston, a twenty-eighter, celebrated at the time as the captor of the heavy French corvette Bercean. The Boston was sent to the Mediterranean with orders to join the squadron operating there. In the fol- lowing year the Boston came home, and, under the reduction law then applied to the navy, through the workings of the economies of the time, she was laid up to rot in her berth. But one vessel below the rate of frigate, the Enterprise, of twelve guns, was kept in service, but of four new ships of war ordered by Congress, Somers was given command of the Nautilus. She was a beautiful schooner, mounting twelve carronades and a couple of sixes, with a crew of from eighty to ninety all told.


It was Preble's squadron that sailed away to chastise the pirates of the Algerine coast, and the Nautilus led the expedition, followed at brief intervals by the Constitution, the flagship ; the Philadelphia, the Argus, the Siren, the Vixen, and the Enterprise. All met at Gibraltar, then over they sailed to Morocco, and the Philadelphia, with the Vixen, was sent on to blockade Tripoli.


Presently the whole fleet were sailing up and down in front of the capital of the troublesome Bashaw, all but the Philadelphia, which of Hote


A Maval Exploit


had been bagged by the old pirate, and her crew sent into bondage. The reefs of the difficult harbor gleamed through the breakers like the teeth of a tiger in a cave, and many were the projects born in the cabins of the American ships to get at the batteries and gunboats of the corsairs. In the course of a hot fight one August day, the frigate John Adams came sailing into view, bearing certain promotions, one of which constituted Lieutenant Somers as full Commander.


Four attacks were made upon Tripoli, and then Commander Somers persuaded the Commodore to authorize an experiment. A certain ketch, which had been employed in bringing supplies from Malta, was a tender to the fleet. Built originally by the French as a gunboat, in an expedition against Egypt, she had passed into the hands of the Bashaw, and was now a capture of the Americans, who called the little craft the Intrepid.




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