Page 24. MAINE COASTAL NEWS March 2011


Maritime History this era, women were supposed to be weak,


Continued from Page 23.


delicate, very feminine creatures and she was often avoided by other women because of her rough ways, violence, and profane and colorful language, which Carry said she had learned from her two husbands. She never had the support of the W.C.T.U. itself. Carry’s aggressive behavior and profane language set her apart.


Her fame, however, brought prosperity in offers for stage appearances and lecture tours which were not always pleasant appearance because she frequently became a target for all kinds of trash and refuse, rotten eggs and vegetables. However, at one time her tours became very popular and she had to hire a manager when she earned $300 a week. Carry was very generous and kept little money for herself. She had no business sense and was accustomed to poverty. She had no interest in pretty clothes or great food. All she thought about was what she considered her mission in life.


In the spring of 1904, Carry accepted an offer to make a lecture of the Canadian Maritime provinces. She would board the elegant excursion steamer CALVIN AUSTIN at Boston for the Canadian city of Saint John in New Brunswick, where she would be a speaker. Carry had been writing her biography and found the work stressful, and even Carry Nation found destroying saloons tiring. She had spent most of her life inland, and looked forward to traveling by water, which would also provide her with an opportunity to rest.


In its day, the 525-foot CALVIN AUSTIN (the “Boston Boat”) was designed to provide the ultimate in luxury to all its passengers, even those in the free cabins.


Carry Nation and the Steamer CALVIN AUSTIN


“The more luxurious 250 staterooms were furnished with electric lights, mahogany berths, washstands, mirrors, and mattresses with wire springs. Many staterooms were designed for traveling families. There were eighteen parlor or bridal suites, with brass beds, rockers, draperies and pictures. The grand formal stairway was at the head of the grand salon, which had handsome mahogany furniture, and the salon itself had a white and gold Royal Wilton carpet which ran the length of the ship. The social hall was located aft.”


The elegant dining room, which seated 150 persons, was sixty feet long, with richly decorated walls and formal style, was glittering with electric lights, cut glass and beautifully decorated china. Food on board the CALVIN AUSTIN had been compared with ambrosia, and was well known for its superb wines, fine cigars and especially for its gracious service.


Captain Samuel Pike and his fifteen officers, and the entire crew of the CALVIN AUSTIN, prided themselves on their ability to please a sometimes difficult traveling public inclined to a type of celebration. There were few situations they had not met and handled gracefully and with tact. However, the presence on board, of Carry Nation, who hated liquor and tobacco, could be catastrophic. The steamer’s policy had always been to keep the most difficult and critical of passengers happy and well fed and many strategies had been worked out to achieve this, but Carry’s presence created a unique challenge.


The name of Carry Nation on the passenger list caused no great alarm, but there was determination that she should not be able to disrupt the usually smooth running arrangements of the dining room or


the handsome salon. The word went out from the captain that no matter how disliked Carry was, the crew was to treat her with the utmost courtesy, and provide her with no opportunity for offense. It was also extremely important to prevent any of the other passengers from irritating Carry, to get her “going” for their entertainment and that of their friends.


When Carry arrived on board the steamer, she expected to be given one of the free cabin berths, but instead she was shown into one of the finest and most luxurious of suites. She became alarmed at the expense, but was quietly informed that the arrangements had been made as a part of her speaking tour. Soon after the steamer left Boston harbor, a tray arrived for Carry, brought by one of the CALVIN AUSTIN’s most pleasant stewards. Food on board the CALVIN AUSTIN had been compared with the most expensive restaurants and hotels, but this tray was not loaded with rich sweets and cakes; such would have been too obvious. The tray held only breads, biscuits, rolls and jam. Again Carry was afraid of the expense, but the steward replied that the tray of refreshments came with her tour. Any mention of liquids could open a dangerous topic, but the steward was discreet, “Would madam prefer tea, coffee, or hot chocolate?” When trays arrived at the kitchen they were carefully examined for her likes and dislikes; other trays arrived at carefully scheduled intervals. Carry had never been stuffed with good food on a regular basis, and she began to relax in her luxurious surroundings, with no desire or need to enter the elegant dining room where wines and other expensive liquors were being served to gentlemen smoking fragrant cigars.


When the steamer docked at Portland Carry had no desire to go ashore; she was more interested in going ashore later when the steamer arrived in Eastport because she had heard many stories about the Old Sailors Saloon and other such liquor establishments there. Also, there would be a longer wait in Eastport because many passengers and much freight would be unloaded, transferred to the small steamer QUEEN and taken up the Saint Croix River to Robbinston and Calais. As the CALVIN AUSTIN edged her way against the ride to Eastport’s Steamboat Wharf, a crowd could be seen waiting. Carry was anxious to go ashore, and she roughly elbowed her way along, while people watched from a safe distance. Once on shore Carry was at first cautiously surrounded by a crowd of big and small boys who then followed her closely and laughed and roared at everything she said. Carry made a rapid tour of Eastport’s business section and although she sold many miniature hatchets, she found no saloons to attack. The W.C.T.U. had even extended into Washington County, and Eastport ladies had driven all saloons and beer joints out of sight.


Carry had come prepared to do battle with a number of saloons, and when she found nothing to attack, her disappointment turned to anger against the town. Carry Nation was still angry and shouting her opinion of Eastport when the steamer pulled out into the tide. She was waving her hatchet, and threatening to return and destroy the saloons she knew she had missed. The night of Carry’s departure, the drinks were on the house at the Old Sailors Saloon, and a wild celebration followed.


I n t e r n a t i o n a l M a r i t i m e L i b r a r y Help Save All Facets of Maritime History


The International Maritime Library (IML) is a non-profit tax-deductible organization dedicated to the collection and preservation of all maritime information, such as books, periodicals, documents, personal papers and photographs and then computerizing it for ease of reference. Those interested will have access to the reference materials and the databases created from them, either on-site at IML or via the website. Presently, there is no facility dedicated to collecting and researching all the written maritime works, past and present, published around the globe. IML will fill this immense void by collecting published and personal works, and computerizing it. IML’s collections and computerized works will assist maritime academic institutions, businesses and the public allowing them quick access to information with the touch of a button. With the technological advances in today’s world, the maritime industry is well behind in what is available via computers. There have been thousands of maritime books and periodicals published throughout history, which presently cannot be referenced. Those looking for current or historical information spend hundreds hours, and may never locate that obscure piece of information. IML will change this by creating a single source for all maritime information.


ON-GOING PROJECTS INCLUDE:


Transcribing maritime articles from: Maine Industrial Journal (1880 to 1918); Bangor Whig & Courier (1836-1899); Republican Journal (1829 to present); and various others including Eastern Argus (Portland), Bath Daily Times, Eastport Sentiniel, Ellsworth American, New Bedford Mercury, Salem Gazette and Boston Evening Transcript.


Databasing - List of Merchant Vessels, 1867 to 1990s. Sail completed, Steamers (1867 to 1903) will be finished end of 2009


Transcribing Appleby's Ship Records for Maine and the WPA Ship Documents, especially ones not published. Passamaquoddy Complete and presently working on Bath.


Also, there are over 800 periodicals published in the maritime world and not one library holds a quarter of them. IML will bridge this problem by collecting and comput- erizing them for future use by researchers and the general public. There is a massive amount of work to be done to accomplish these goals, which should have been started 150 years ago!


To make this happen we need financial support, please help us do more! For more information please call (207) 223-8846.


I want to join


Admiral of the Fleet$1,000.00 Admiral


Commodore


Name: Address: City:


Send to:


The International Maritime Library, P.O. Box 710, Winterport, Maine 04496 Dedicated to the Preservation of Maritime Writings


$500.00 $250.00


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