USA > Rhode Island > Newport County > Newport > A hand-book of Newport, and Rhode Island > Part 8
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" The island lies nine leagues away. Along its solitary shore Of craggy rock and sandy bay No sound but ocean's roar, Save where the bold wild sea-bird makes her home, Her shrill cry coming through the sparkling foam !"
And on this Block Island the admirers of Matthew Lee may indulge themselves in buccaneering rambles to their heart's content.
Very beautiful are all these islands-gems of the Bay of Narragansett-and pleasantly, too, are they named !- we might, perhaps, say appropriately. When, remembering the struggles, sorrows, efforts,
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and aspirations of those who first were familiar with them, we fancy we hear the echoes of their key- notes of experience. Canonicut retains its old name -and Canonicus, the Sachem of Narragansett, yet haunts, in our memory, his own old Indian ground. But the other islands have lost their sonorous appel- lations. They still, however, retain what we may consider to be expressive epithets. Let us, in a fit of fancy, wander among them, and wonder why that crooked territory should be christened " Prudence," and why its little sister along side it should be de- signated " Patience." Excellent virtues are these ; and perchance some ladies (the virtues are all femi- nine), beloved by the first voyagers hereabouts, were gifted above measure with caution and forbearance. Not far west of Prudence lies Hope Island, with Despair Island close to it ; but, happily, Despair is only a speck on the waters, whilst Hope presents a broad and bright surface. Dyer's Island may have been a place where the changers of colors resided. [Fact, however, banishes fancy, and assures us that the island was named after Dyre, one of the early settlers. ] And Gould Island, an imaginary California to some enthusiast. Then how odoriferous are the breezes which " flow soft from Rose's Isle;" and how picturesque the crags might have been on the shore of Goat Island when the kids used to leap there. Haply some great apple-gourmand christened the " Dumplings ;" and it may be that a phlegmatic son of the Scheldt first smoked his pipe on Dutch Island,
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which even until now keeps a glowing pipe, in the shape of a light-house ! Hog Island was, possibly, a porcine paradise ; and Coaster's Harbor Island an asylum from the sea storms of yore, as it now is an asylum from the long storm of unsuccessful life ; and the Solitary Cormorant Rock, off Sachuest Point, might have been the retreat of some rapacious old man of the sea, who, perched on his crag, might have looked hungrily on approaching vessels, in the hope of a wreck and spoil.
Having adverted to the Islands, let us now glance at the Forts.
Happily, they are silent now. Some have long ago gone to dust and ruin, and only one frowns along the steep. The chief of these national defences in the neighborhood of Newport is
FORT ADAMS.
This structure stands on a point of land opposite the wharves of Newport. A sail of ten minutes duration from Bannister's pier conveys the visitor to the opposite shore. There he may walk round the ramparts, see the beautiful view which it commands of town and bay and bold sea shore, without any intervening obstacles. An order from the proper authorities will admit to the various offices. The appointments are, in all respects, perfect, and must gratify all visitors. In summer, there is a review in the great square of the fort on Tuesdays and Fridays.
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When the artillery exercise, the manœuvres are executed without the walls.
FORT GREENE
Lies north of the town, nearly opposite the light- house end of Goat Island. It is a mere ruin.
FORT WOOLCOTT
Stands on Goat Island. It is only used now as a station in case of infectious diseases, and is not garrisoned.
FORT LOUIS,
or Fort Dumpling, stands on one of the Dumpling rocks. It is now only a shell of masonry.
-
On Rose Island, the remains of a fort and barracks are visible.
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CHAPTER XVI.
TAMMANY HILL-THE OBSERVATORY-MALBONE HOUSE -ANECDOTES OF THE MALBONES-MR. HALL'S MANSION -CEMETERIES.
IF the visitor desires to behold, at a glance, one of the most extensive and delightful views which the vicinity can boast of, he should take a stroll to Tam- many Hill.
When Mr. William Coddington came to look for a place of settlement, he found a tribe of Indians on the island, whose sachem was Wonnumetonomy. His wigwam stood on a remarkable hill at the north part of the township of Newport. Coddington ap- plied to the sachem to purchase the island, whose answer was that Canonicus and Miantonimo were the chief sachems, and that he could not sell the land. This Wonnumetonomy was the resident sachem or governor of this island, under the Narra- gansett sachems. The place of his residence was called by the English after his name, vulgarly abbre- viated to Tonomy Hill, until about thirty years since, when it underwent a new corruption, and is now generally called Tammany Hill. Tonomy Hill may, therefore, be considered as having been the
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royal residence of the sachems both before and after the conquest of the island by the Narragansetts.
This Tammany Hill was once fortified. It termi- nated the left wing of the intrenchments which the British threw up around the town while in possession of the island.
On its crest now stands a wooden structure, called an observatory, about fifty feet high. From its summit magnificent views of the town, bay, islands, ocean, and the surrounding country are obtained. It is the property of Dr. Rowland Hazard.
Near Tammany Hill once stood Malbone House. It was in old times a splendid mansion, one of the old-fashioned places where borders of box-wood were clipped into compulsory regularity, and yew trees fashioned into ornithological monsters. Until within a few years vestiges of elegance yet remained, but now no traces of them remain.
Mr. Malbone was one of the most opulent men in the provinces, and his residence was a perfect ban- queting house. The beautiful edifice, however, was suddenly destroyed. One day, when a large party had assembled at dinner, an alarm of fire was given ; a spark had kindled the soot in the kitchen chimney. Every assistance was rendered; but the wind was high, and before nightfall Malbone House was a heap of smoking ruins.
It is said that the house owed its destruction to the pride of Mrs. Malbone, who could not endure to have her spacious halls and parlors polluted by a
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rabble of country boys and farmers, nor allow them to trample with their dusty shoes over her rich car- pets and mahogany stairs, even to preserve her stately mansion from destruction; and that being allowed to enter only by the back doors, it was found impossible to convey water to the roof fast enough to extinguish the flames, in consequence of which the haughty lady lost the house she prized so much.
Mr. Malbone bore his loss almost stoically, for it so happened that he had a large party on the fatal day to dinner. Finding that no efforts could arrest the progress of the flames, he ordered the dinner to be conveyed to an out-building adjacent, coolly ob- serving-" If I have lost my house, that is no reason that we should lose our dinner."
On the site of Malbone House now stands the beautiful mansion of the Hon. J. Prescott Hall, Dis- trict-Attorney for New York. It is built of brown stone. On the left of the front is a tower, from the summit of which is an unrivalled prospect of the bay and surrounding country. Around the dwelling is a verandah, from whence the views also are delightful : fine cedar trees with their dark masses of foliage agreeably shading the lingerers in that delicious re- treat. The dwelling is a pattern of elegant simpli- city, and reminds one of a good English rural home -a mother-country gentleman's country house. Nor does the exterior convey a false impression of the owner, who is characterised by hospitality and all
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those genial tastes which render such a residence a " little heaven below."
Near the house are the stables, fitted up with every regard to comfort and convenience. Over the entrance is the cranium of an elk with branching horns. The structure is really an ornament to the landscape, and not, as is too often the case with such offices, a deformity and a nuisance.
Nor far from Tammany Hill is the Cemetery. It is a large piece of ground, well filled with the bones of the " rude forefathers" of the town. Conspicuous among the monuments is the obelisk to the memory of Commodore Perry, the hero of Lake Erie. There is a smaller place of burial opposite the North Bap- tist Church (Dr. Choules's), in which repose the re- mains of several former governors of the colony.
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CHAPTER XVII.
A RIDE TO THE STONE BRIDGE-VAUCLUSE-PICTURES -QUAKER'S HILL-BATTLE THERE-THE BRIDGE- SHARKING, &C.
THE visitor to Newport who may be inclined for an island trip, may very pleasantly spend a day on a visit to the Stone Bridge.
This link of communication with the main land may be approached by the east road. Travelling along this thoroughfare, on either side will be seen hills, not of great altitude, but with gentle slopes and verdant valleys between them. "The surface is everywhere," says Dwight, "easy and graceful." That the grass is fine and plenty, the herds feeding on the hill sides and meadows testify. Rolling along, as we gaze we think of the excellent Dean Berkeley, not yet come to his see, who, doubtless, many a time and oft viewed this living landscape. Had the mitre of Cloyne then circled his beneficent brow, we might aptly have quoted the stave which a rural rhymester of England chanted on the occur- renee of a " Visitation " of a Right Reverend Father in God of one of the English dioceses, and which ran somewhat in this fashion :-
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" The mountains they did skip, and the little hills did hop, To see His Reverence, my Lord Bi-shop !"
Orchards and homesteads greet us at every turn of the road. Unfortunately, the peachworm has played havoc with the blooming darlings of the sun ; but, as a substitute, on many a cherry tree hangs luscious fruit, which, half hidden by foliage, gleam
" Like golden lamps in a green night."
It is said that the trunks of some of these trees bear marks of the ravages of the British during the war, in the shape of bullet marks. Pity that they had not a better taste for cherries ! We can alinost fancy the very stones (of the fruit) crying out against them, albeit they were brother redcoats !
Any one fond of pictures, good pictures, would do well to visit on his journey to the stone bridge, VAU- CLUSE. It is to the right of the road, and a very Paradise of Painters. A natural gallery in little, Vaucluse, or Van Cluse, is the seat of T. R. Hazard, Esq., a gentleman well known as a keen appreciator of art, and a true philanthropist. To one, like ourselves, an art lover, we cannot say more than Try to procure from the collector and enshriner of the gems within this Vaucluse Casket, the permission of a peep, and if you succeed, and come away from the feast undelighted, then have we no partiality for pigments, and a contempt for canvass.
On our way we observe a Friends' Meeting House, just below the hill called Meeting House Hill, and
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sometimes Quaker Hill, in a valley where a battle was fought between the Americans under General Sulli- van, and the British under Sir Robert Pigot. The Americans had crossed the river with an intention of attacking the British force at Newport, while the French fleet under the command of the Count D'Es- tang, was expected to second their efforts by sea. The Count being drawn from his station by the ad- dress of Lord Howe, put to sea in pursuit of the British fleet. Here he was overtaken by a violent storm, August 11th, and suffered so severely, that he concluded to return to Boston with his fleet. A small number of his ships only came up with the British, and these were roughly handled. Thus the enter- prise was abandoned by the French Admiral. After- wards, an engagement took place in the valley, between the Americans under General Greene, and the British, in which the British had the worst of it.
In the narrowest part of Narragansett Bay, which is formed by the influx of the Taunton and Pawtuck- et Rivers, it is about half a mile from Rhode Island to the eastern shore. Here formerly existed How- land's Ferry, but now, a substantial structure spans the flood, which, with arrowy swiftness, rushes be- neath. Two bridges had been erected over the tide, which at this strait is amazingly rapid, but both failed ; the second, erected at a cost of $26,000, was ruined by the sea worms.
Some years since it was proposed to form a com- munication between the Island and the main land, by
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filling up the whole breadth of the East River, ex- cept a narrow passage, with stone dropped into the water, and suffered to fall as chance might direct, and one third of the depth was said to be filled with the foundations of the ruined bridges. Seventy thousand dollars, it was supposed, could not cover the whole expense.
This project was carried into execution. From the Tiverton side plenty of stone was obtained, and in 1806 the proposed bridge was completed. Masses of granite of various sizes had been brought to the spot, dropped into the water, and suffered to fall ad libitum. In this way the vast heaps, with a passage between them, were raised to the low water mark. Above this a bridge of the same materials was raised of mason work, to the proper height above high- water mark, when strong walls of stone were built at the sides, and the flooring covered with gravel. The work was executed under the superintendence of Daniel Lyman, Esq., and cost $70,000.
Here may be obtained fine views of the once Mount Hope-now Bristol-where once in sylvan grandeur resided Massassoit, the celebrated Sachem of the Wampanoags, and also his son Philip.
There is a capital hotel here-the Stone Bridge House (on the Tiverton side), which in the season is a place of great resort, and where, it is almost needless to say, anything conducive to creature com- fort may be obtained.
The great sport here is " sharking,"-not at the
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hotel, but on the shore-for the sea lawyers are fre- quent visitors to Narragansett Bay. Close to the Stone Bridge, may these voracious creatures be hooked, and when at the end of a pork-baited line one of the ferocious fish flounders savagely on the land, much joy reigns throughout the neighborhood, because the unfortunate Carcharias Vulgaris has expiated imagi- nary crimes. We cannot, for the life of us, join in the howl against the shark-it only, when it nips a limb, follows its natural instincts-as Dr. Watts says :
" It is their nature to."
Sharks must have something to eat, and are often hungry. We fancy that those who most blame, are subject to like passions, and gratify them with as much gusto as a shark disposes of a dead sailor. The truth is, we created beings are all of us eating animals. The civilized citizen disguises his food by cookery ; the beasts take theirs raw-that is all the difference. The Alderman rejoices in turtle ; the Cannibal in his " cold roast missionary." This latter fact was keenly felt by a newly created bishop of New Zealand, who just before sailing to his diocese, called to bid Syd- ney Smith good bye. "You are fat, and full of gravy," remarked the consolatory Canon of St. Paul's, " and you are going among Cannibals-but, my dear fellow, if they eat you, I hope you'll disagree with their stomachs."
A few years since, while a lad was fishing in a.
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small boat, in the outer harbor of Newport, his boat was attacked in a most furious manner by a shark. After the first attack, the shark leaped from the ocean into the boat, which from his floundering he would have sunk, had not another boat, near at hand, . come to the relief of the boy. With great difficulty the monster was killed. He measured eight feet in length, was of the most ferocious of his species, and an unmistakable marine man-eater. He weighed nearly four hundred pounds.
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CHAPTER XVIII.
USEFUL INFORMATION- PROFESSIONAL LISTS - BANKS --- STAGES, &c. &c.
STATISTICS are very dry, and directories are dull ; but useful information is not always sure, as Mr. Micawber would say, to turn up now and then just in the " nick of time." Therefore we deem it ad- visable to jot down a few items of information, which may be serviceable and save trouble to the stranger in Newport.
The CLERGY LIST will be found in our chapter on Churches.
PHYSICIANS IN NEWPORT.
Dr. Theophilus C. Dunn.
Dr. James Turner.
Dr. Daniel Watson.
Dr. Cotton.
Dr. David R. King.
Dr. J. J. Ellis, Portsmouth.
Dr. Henry Turner.
Dr. O. C. Turner.
Dr. W. A. Watson. Dr. Buller.
Dr. Wood, (Botanic Physician.)
Dr. Reh, (Hydropathic Physician.)
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LAWYERS.
George Turner, Esq. Henry Y. Cranstoun, Esq. C. G. Perry, Esq. William H. Cranstoun. Wm. Gilpin, Esq.
BANKS.
Newport Bank. Rhode Island Bank.
R. I. Union Bank. New England Commercial Bank.
Traders' do. Merchants' do. Exchange do. Savings do.
LIBRARY (CIRCULATING).
Mr. James Hammond.
Upwards of 8000 volumes of standard works, to which additions are constantly being made, are to be found in this well-appointed establishment. An excellent catalogue has been prepared, and Mr. Ham- mond himself is a bibliopole of the best class.
NEWSPAPER AND PERIODICAL DEPOT. Benj. T. Tilley.
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NEWSPAPERS.
Newport Daily News and ( Weekly) Herald of the Times. (Whig.) Edited by Wm. H. Cranstoun, Esq.
Newport Weekly Mercury, (Neutral). Estab- lished 1761. Edited by George C. Mason, Esq.
Newport Advertiser-a Democratic Organ (Week- ly). Edited by Jas. Atkinson, Esq.
POST OFFICE-THAMES STREET.
Post Master-M. J. Coggeshall.
COLLECTOR OF CUSTOMS.
Hon. E. W. Lawton.
TELEGRAPH AND EXPRESS OFFICE,
At Kinsleys', in Thames street, near the United States Hotel.
HOTELS.
Ocean House-Touro street.
Mr. John Weaver, proprietor.
The drawing-room of this establishment is really superb, and the other appointments of the house admirable.
Atlantic House-Corner of Pelham and Touro streets.
Mr. Joseph B. Weaver, proprietor.
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ATLANTIC HOUSE.
f
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An admirable establishment-fitted up with taste and splendor, and with every accommodation for visitors.
Belle Vue Hotel-Belle Vue street.
Mr. William Hazard, proprietor.
This hotel possesses one of the finest dining- rooms in America, and the bed-rooms and private apartments possess every desirable convenience.
United States Hotel-Pelham and Main streets.
Mr. A. B. Copeland, proprietor.
A centrally situated hotel-in the very heart of the town, and near the steamboat wharves.
Park House-near the State House.
Proprietor, Mr. Edw. A. Hassard.
A capital hotel-and provided with all conveni- ences for families and business men.
Pelham Street House.
Mr. Horton, proprietor.
A quiet, respectable hotel, and well managed.
BOARDING HOUSES.
Church Street House-Mr. A. Wilbur.
Murray House-Mrs. Murray.
Kay Street House-Miss Anthony.
Touro House-Mr. E. Sheldon.
Bateman's House, near Castle Hill-S. Bateman, Esq.
There are a number of other boarding houses be- side these above named, that may easily be found out in an hour's stroll through Newport.
HAND-BOOK OF NEWPORT.
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J.W. CKR & BRO. N. Y.
BELLE VUE HOUSE.
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MILITARY COMPANY.
The Artillery Company, formed in 1741, com- manded by Col. G. G. Perry ; and by its charter allowed officers with titles of Regimental Officers ; is in a flourishing condition, and excellent drill. They have a fine stone Armory, next south of the Central Baptist Church.
BATHS.
Oriental Baths-Corne street. These baths are admirably arranged, and are presided over by Dr. Charles B. Peckham, who is the Priessnitz of Va- pour. We commend and recommend Dr. Peck- ham's establishment to all who require such aid as he affords.
HOT AND COLD WATER BATHS.
These baths, situated on Long-wharf, are kept by Judge Trevett, " a fine old gentleman all of the olden time," whose chit-chat is as pleasant as are his baths, and that is saying a good deal. A long time ago he was the dominie of a boy's school, and among his pupils were some now men of note. Governor Marcy was at one time his assistant !
BEACH BATHING.
Bathing House Proprietors- Mr. Goffe, Mr. Oman, Messrs. Tew & Crosby.
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LIVERY STABLES.
A. Stewart, Pelham street. Messrs. Tennents, Touro street. Mr. Hazard, near Court House. A. B. Copeland, United States Hotel.
STAGES.
Kinsley's-to Fall River and Providence daily.
STEAMBOATS.
Empire State, State of Maine,
Between New York and Boston daily, calling at Newport.
Bay State,
Perry, to Providence daily.
Canonicus, during summer to Fall River, and
Miantonomi, do. do. to Providence.
The accommodations on board these boats are ad- mirable. The Perry is a beautiful vessel, and a delightful trip to Providence and back in her, cannot fail to delight. Her officers are all that can be wished.
FIRE ENGINE AND HOSE COMPANIES.
There are seven fire companies in Newport, all admirably managed.
PLEASURE BOATS
May be hired at reasonable rates, at various wharves.
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BOWLING SALOONS, &C.
Mr. Goffe's, next north of the Ocean House. These alleys, to quote the seductive card of the pro- prietor, are of the first class, and are not surpassed by any in the country. They number fourteen in all, five of which are expressly for ladies.
There are billiard tables, and other passing-away- time appliances, at Mr. Goffe's. Mr. Cobb, on the Bath road, has the bowling saloons long so well known as Vose's.
HAND-BOOK OF NEWPORT.
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OCEAN HOUSE, NEWPORT.
J.W. ORR N. Y.
8%
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CHAPTER XIX.
MISCELLANEOUS REMARKS-A NEWPORT RELIC-MAN- SIONS-FISHING-THE GERMANIA SOCIETY-VALE.
OUR pleasant task is almost at an end ; not that we have exhausted our subject ; for during our pen- and-ink rambles about Newport, material has so crowded upon us, that, were we so minded, we might swell this little book into a bulky volume. But then it would not be a hand-book-a companion for a walk, and an amusement during rest. So, as poor Dora Copperfield said, "It is better as it is."
Perhaps some who run their eyes over these light pages may feel inclined to follow up the idea, and collect, in a better and more solid form, matter which may properly be styled a history of Newport. There is a wide and an open field for the topographer and local chronicler in this fine old town. Here many stirring scenes have been enacted, and here many a house has its history. We have only cleared away the sod : let others dig the shaft, and they will scarcely fail to bring to the surface ore worth the having, and which they may smelt in the furnace of truth with advantage.
Some of this historical local ore lies on the surface,
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and needs little delving for. For instance, a day or two since, we chanced to stroll into a wharf-side store, and saw fastened against the wall a huge log of wood. It was old, worm-eaten and decayed, and, so far, not attractive ; but on it was stuck a slip, cut from a newspaper; and, being readers of everything that comes in our way, we put on our spectacles, and, gathering up, to save them from the dust and grease of the oil casks, the skirts of our snuff-colored coat, we read as follows :
"It is not generally known (says the Providence Journal) that the remains of Captain Cook's ship, the Endeavor, are now lying in the harbor of Newport. This was the ship which carried out the celebrated Sir Joseph Banks, and the great Swedish naturalist, Dr. Solander. A well-known scientific gentleman of the city of New York, Dr. John W. Francis, during the last summer, obtained a piece of one of her timbers, with the view of having it made into snuff-boxes, to be distributed among the most eminent scientific societies in Europe and America. The 'Endeavor ' was purchased for a whaling vessel, and her ultimate destiny was to deposit her bones in the waters of Newport harbor."
The Boston Transcript, of the 29th ult., on the authority of eminent shipmasters, denied that the remains of the Endeavor were lying in the neighbor- hood of Newport, and asserted that they lie in the river Thames. On the following day, however, it appeared that a gentleman who had noticed said de-
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And yet in it the thoughtful mind A history, like romance, may find.
II. Within some English forest dim, It grew a stately tree, Waving, when breezes woke the hymn Of natural minstrelsy ! Bright birds among its foliage glanced, And village-folk beneath it danced !
III. A crash ! down fell the Forest King ! The woods groaned as it dropped ; Men gazed upon each century-ring, Its giant boughs they lopped ; And where leaf-shadows danced of yore, Unsheltered was earth's grassy floor.
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