The Omaha-Sunday Bee Magazine Page
i
1. 41
tryt4 Oreat Sea Mystery
Marie Celeste4
How the
Brig
"Celeste"
Rolled
Heavily in
the Sea
and
Tore Open
the Casks
of
Alcohol in
Her Cargo.
By Capt. E. K. Roden,
Nautical Expert of tho I. C. 8.
THE story published In tho Strand Magazine
protending to explain tho mysterious abandon'
mont of tho brig: Mario Golcste near tho Azores
in 1873 Is as ridiculous and preposterous a yarn as has
over come 'to my notice. According to the solution
given, ono of the "survivors" of tho crow of the Mario
Celesto, In notes found aftor his death and Just now
como to light through tho enterprise of nn Oxford
scholar, Captain Brlggs, of tho Mario Celeste, became
"daffy" as a result of rough weather oncountered after
leaving New York.
What particular reason tho skipper had to "turn queor"'
because of bad weather Ja not stated. Dad weather is
a condition generally mot with at sea, and Is always
dealt with as a matter of course, and no seaman, least
of all a commander, ever pays but passing attention
to it With a stanch hull, strong rig. and plenty pf
searooni such as that occupied by Mario Celeste one
week out from New York, it is not clear why bad
weather should affect tho captain in such a way
as it did.
However, the captain went queer and persisted in re
mainlng queer for the rest of tho trip. His Idea to
build, in tho forward part of the brig just aft of the
catheads, a brldie or gangway running athwartship for
his flve-year-oldf daughter must be attributed to his
mental condition. No sano man would over put a bridge
In such an exposed position where jlbsheets with heavy
blocks aro flapping back and forth on tho slightest luff
ing to tho wind of tho brig. Whatever the degree of
dafflness on the part of the skipper .of the Mario Celeste,,
ho certainly never ordered such a bridge to bo built,
or, H ho did, his two mates would surely have prevented
tho crew from carrying out tho order as being a hin
drance to tho manoeuvring of tho brig.
The skipper's subsequent suggestion to his mato to
swim alongside the brig with their clothes on, and the
following out of this scheme by a number of the men,
plainly indicates, if tho story is to bo believed, that the
entire ship's company was daffy, or in a state bordering
on dafflness. i The upsetting of tho bridge and tho
dumping into the sea afterward of the romalning, crew
The Manifest Absurdity of the Recent
Pretended Explanation Pointed
Out by Capt. Roden
and tho captain's wlfo and child while they wore watch
ing tho swimming raco of the skipper and his crazy
companions is a pieco of imagination entirely too
bulky to bo swallowed even by a most phlogmatlc Kan
sas farmhand who never saw a vessel in his life.
To comploto appropriately the stage sotting, sharks
had to bo introduced, and tho author of tho story has
seen to it that thoro woro plenty of theso man-eating
monsters to devour ten tlmea tho crow carried by tho
Mario Celesto. Of course, tho sharks did their work
well and had tho vicinity of tho brig cleaned up within
a Bhort time, except for the survivor, Abel Fosdyk. This
worthy individual, unaffected by tho dafflness of Cap
tain Briggs and tho rest of tho crow, smartly dodged
the sharks and seated himself comfortably on the upsot
bridge, calmly awaiting developments. Here the story
suddenly ends, with tho choorful Information that
Fosdyk was picked up by a "boat" and later on safoly
landed, but no details aro glvon.'
Of all fanciful accounts written to explain the aban
donment of the Marie Celeste, this story b by far tho
most clumsy and ridiculous over penned. How this
man Fosdyk could bo picked up by a passing vessel
wlthqut the captain of this ship reporting tho fact is
beyond tho tomprehonslon of tho averago man. Even
if Fosdyk himself had reason to hide his identity, tho
crew and officers of tho rescuing vessol certainly were
not bound to keep secret tho story that a man and raft
had been picked up In the vicinity where Mario Celesto
was discovered crewless.
Tho true account of tho Mario Celeste's abandonment
Is clear and simple, and requires no imagination to ex
plain. I have gone to somo littlo trouble in ascertain
ing the records in tho case, and hero is tho whole story
told in a few linos:
It will bo recalled that Mario Celesto was bound for
Genoa from Now York with a cargo of alcohol in casks.
According to tho principal owner of the brig, Captain
J. H. Winchester, who recontly died in Rahway, N. J.,
she was chartered to Melsner, Ackermann & Co., of Now
York, to carry alcohol to Italy. Captain B. S. Briggs, of
Marion, Mass., was her master, and he took along; his
wlfo and young baby, Albort O. Richardson, of Stock
ton, Mo., was her mate, and Albort Gllling, of Now York,
her econd mate, whilo her crow was composed of Ed
ward William Head, of New York; Volkert Loronzcr,
Arien Harbens, B. Lorenzer and Gottlieb Gbodshood, all
of Germany. No, such name as Abel Fosdyk appeared
on her shipping articles.
Ono of tho stovodoros who loaded the Mario
Celestevln Brooklyn was a Swede by tho namo of Llnd
berg, who at tho prosent timo resides in Gothenburg,
Sweden. A few years ago this man, in speaking to mo
about tho brig, said that for want of ample tlmo the
casks wero not properly stowed, and that in caso of
heavy rolling thoy might work loose. This fact was
known to Captain Briggs, but ho did not attach much
importance to it, being anxious to got started on tho
voyage, and depended on the usual good weather pre
vailing during that time of the year to mako a quick
passage.
By tho records of other vessels traversing tho North
Atlantic at tho samo tlmo as tho Mario Celesto, she run
into heavy weathor, and her cargo, being poorly stowed,
began to shift, and naturally somo of tho casks woro
smnshed. Coming into flno weather with high tempera
ture, tho fumes from tho spilled alcohol naturally began
to expand In tho hold. As tho prossurn lncreasod with
tho expanding vapor, It blow off tho foro hatch, sending
up from below gasca rc3ombllng smoke, that naturally
led tho crow to boliovo the brig was on fire.
Captain Briggs, realizing tho oxploslvo nature of tho
brig's cargo, took no chanco of bolng blown up with tho
crow, and no doubt at onco ordored all hands to take to
tho boat, carrying along tho chronometer, ship's papors
nnd such othor necessities as could bo roached in tho
short timo available His intention was ovidently to
stand by at a safo distance from tho brig waiting for a
chanco to bo picked up by a passing vossol, or to return
to tho brig after a roaBonablo tlmo had olapsod and tho
danger of explosion was over. As thero was no tlmo
to belay tho sails boforo loavlng, a broeza most likely
sprung up and mado tho brig drift, or run betoro the
wind, faster than tho men in the boat could row to
follow nor, and, consequently, tho boat and brig woro
separated.
This, In all probability, happonod during tho night
following tho abandonment of tho brig. Tho rest of tho
story Is brief. Tho Mario Celesto was overhauled nlno
days later by tho British bark Dol Gratia, but tho
boat with Captain Briggs, his wife, child and crow, did
not come within sight of any passing vessel. They, ltko
many others who, by stress of circumstances, aro forced
to take an open boat in less froquonted roglons of tho
sea, perished, lot us hope, by tho swamping of tho boat.
The fact that Mario Celeste had boen abandoned for
fear of being blown up is shown by all ctrcumBtnncos
surrounding tho case. When boarded by Captain Boyce,
of the Dol Gratia, tho foro hatch was found open, and
ono boat gone, but the cargo was undisturbed and in
good condition. Tho spilled alcohol by that tlmo had
had a chanco to ovaporato and escape through tho hatch
opening and everything looked normal. Tho evidence
olsewhero about tho deck and cabin showing tho grent
hasto in which the crow had left Is but a confirmation
of tho fear entertained by Captain Briggs that his ship
was in Immediate danger of bolng blown up, and on
this account was abandoning his Bhip.
No amount of imagination or speculative wrltlng""can
upset tho soundness of this reasoning. Tho writer is
perfectly willing to stake his roputation as a seaman
nnd navigator as to Its correctness. No professional
Bcaman will contradict this explanation after having
looked Into all clrcumstancos surrounding tho case, and
thero should bo no mysterious or supernatural element
at all about finding tho brig without a crow, but other
wise in good condition.
Every available evidence points to tho fact that tho
Marie Celeste was abandoned for fear of an explosion
of her cargo of alcohol, which did not take place, and
hor crow, drifting about, failed to get within sight of a
succoring ship.
i : 1
JsH
m, r f i i , . . ttwlMfed from Strand Ma canine.
The Imaginary Mishap on Board tho "Celeste" Which Captain Roden Be
nin res is uimcuious.
he Kent LmchNewYoik School CMdren Get
Attractive and Nourishing Dishes
Provided Little Students in the New
Campaign to Protect Them from
Poverty's Lack of Food and
Ignorance's Wrong Food
Well-Fed for a Penny Each.
THERE nro about twenty-five
thousand school children in
New York who do not get
enough to eat. Whatever they may
get for breakfast, if anything, they
go to school nnd put in the day with
out any provision whatever for get
ting any luncheon. Whatever, if any
thing, they get at home for their
evening meal .s not very clearly
known.
There is no escaping the fact that
thU little army of school children
go to school every day In Now York
without luncheon. While tho boards
of education in many other American
cities tako care of this situation, the
New York school authorities do not
bother themselves with the matter.
In New York the school authorities
spend fifty dollars every year for
each child In instruction, but they
ds not concern themselves with the
fact that a hungry .child makes a
pcr.r student.
What the New York school author
ities neglect has been done by tho
consciences of a number of private
citizens, who have formed what is
known as tho Now York School
Lunch Committee. This committee,
through the generosity of Mrs. Eliz
abeth Mlllbank Anderson, haa worked
out a scheme which enables it to
supply lunches to school children for
one cent apiece.
What kind of a lunch can possibly
to served for one cent? Well, that
will bo seen by the bill of faros
printed a little farther on.
Of course, thero is no money being
made out of these one-cent lunches.
Ihe truth is that the children get a
little bit more than one cent's worth
of foqd. "but tho lunch committee
never mention this fact, because they
aro very anxious not to, have tho
children suspect that there is any
element of charity In this matter.
When the poor littlo child walks
up and pays his penny he feels just
as independent and just as entitled
to everything that is handed him as
anybody who pays his check at a
Fifth avenue hotel.
Tho one-cent meals aro nourish
ing. Mnl-nutritlon Is never neces
sarily the result of insufficient food.
The condition is just as likely to bo
found among tho wealthy as among
tho less fortunate. It may bo due to
over-eating of rich things, as well as
eating an insufficient quantity of the
necessary foods. It Is the result, too,
often of Ignorance of homo econom
ics on tho part of parents; neglect
or wastefulness; congenital, heredi
tary diseases or physical defects in
parent or child, or decayed condition
of the teeth and consequent deterio
ration of the mouth.
No matter from whatever source
malnutrition results, this private
lunch committee had undertaken to
correct it wherover possible.
The service provided is intended
primarily to meet the need frequent
ly occasioned by the inability of the
mother to prepare the noon meal for
tho child. This inability is the re
sult of a number of other evils, all of
which In some way or other menace
the public health or welfare.
It may be that Mary's mother is
out working in a factory from early
In tho morning until late at night,
and that Mary must eat a cold lunch
of doubtful nutriment which the
mother prepared long before Mary
gets up from her bed, and which
stands until Mary comes home at
noon hour to gulp it down.
Or it may bo that Mary's mother,
pressed by poverty, must supplement
whatever meagre Inqomo tho family
receives by homework. She may' bo
finishing coats for one of our promi-
Stent clothiers or cracking nuts to go
nto tho candy of some of our popu
lar confectioners, or her Ignorance
of homo economy may render her un
ablo to cook food hyglcnically and
properly, or hor lack of knowledge
of food values tend to have her pur
chase foods which, it properly so
lected, would yield a greater food
value for less money. It is because
of thede varied conditions, only a
few of which aro mentioned, that tho
School Lunch Committee proposes
to attack the problem,
'It Is required that children taking
the penny lunches must eat a bowl
of soup. This Is for tho purpose of
insuring to each child a substantial
portion of warm, nourishing food.
aThe soup supplies approximately
one-third of the needed noon nutri
tion for a normal child.
In the service of these lunches it
must be taken into consideration
that the committee are dealing with
three distinct nationalities Ameri
can, Jewish and Italian. In order to
satisfy national likes and dislikes,
they have provided in tho districts
predominantly Itnltan, cooks of that
nation, and similarly with the Amer
ican and Jewish districts. In the
American schools a halt pint bowl of
the following soups may be obtained:
Cream of tomato, spilt pea, tripe,
clam chowder, rice soup, vegetable,
potato, Scotch broth and macaroni.
The food values In these soups
measured by calories very from 73.72
in vegetable soup to 147.82 in potato
soup.
In the Jewish schools the variety
of soups consists ot tho following:
Potato and barloy, cabbago, Lima
bcanB with barley, vegetable, rice and
lentils, peas with noodles, pea beans
with rice, rice with milk, obergrltz
with potatoes, noodles and milk.
The caloric value of soups in tho
Jewish schools seems higher than
that of any except perhaps tho Ital
ian soups. The food valuo ot the
Jewish soups range from 107.61 in
rico and milk to 378.30 in rice and
lentil's, the averago number ot cal
orics being 180.01.
At tho Italian schools the soup va
riety consists of potato, split pea,
rice and lentils, macaroni and toma
to, peas and rico, lentil, beans and
pasta, menestra, rico and tomato,
peas and pasta.
These soups have food values
ranging from 13C In tho rico and to
mato to 203 in the peas and rice, the
averago number of calories being
138.41.
The penny table has also a va
riety of two or threo things which
aro chosen from the following list :
Bread fritters, rice pudding, po
tato salad, tomato salad, corn meal
pudding, cabbage salad (with boiled
dressing), ice cream, vanilla cake,
sandwiches made of jam, egg and
onion, lottuce, meat and bologna, pot
cheese, bologna (with roasted pep
pers), American cheese, butter, rad
ish. There are also baked apples, lentil
salad, chocolate pudding, crackers,
apples on stick, apples, applo sauce,
prunes, sliced bananas with milk,
grapes, cocoa, bread pudding, sweet
chocolate squares, jelly cake, apple
pie.
It was found necessary to direct
the choice In respect to soup in op
der to prevent an indiscriminate
School Children with Their Penny Lunches. Note the Generous Size
of the Bowls for the Soup.
purchase of foods regardless of thoir
food values. Tho quality of the food
supplied tho children is under tho
strict supervision of expert dieti
tians. During 1912 and 1913, 226,325
lunches were served. For this the
children paid an aggregate of $0,
011.37. Tho cost to tho commlttoe
of each lunch was approximately
$.015. The children puld for each
racul $.020, leaving a deficit ot $.010
for each meal served. This does not
mean that the actual provision ot
food material is not self-supporting.
Tho deficit hero is caused by necos
sary service and supervision.
An Interesting foaturo of the work
of the committee is the service ot
lunches to the children ot tho
crippled classes. Theso children, de
prived of so much of the happiness
of normal children, aro at least, saved
the uncomfortable Journey lh tho
stages provided by the Board of Ed
ucation for conveying them from
homo to tho school and back to lunch.
As It is, they hare their good food
served to thorn in the school build
ing, and it is making them very
happy and strong.
An innovation soon to be started
is that of serving a mld-mornlng por
tion ot milk and crackers to the chil
dren in tho anaemic classes. These
children aro chosen because ot their
devitalized condition. Thoy aro
taught in open-air class rooms. There
is little doubt that the servlco of milk
and crackors In tho mlddlo ot tho
morning will materially Increase
their vitality and make them again
normal children.
A child with a limited income may
recolvo, for Instance, a half pint
bowl of clam chowder, two slices of
bread and u generous dish of prunes
for three cents, or If it is some day
other than Friday and not In a Jew
ish school, tho child may receive
vegetable soup, a meat sandwich and
a vanilla cake for three cents, and
be it thoroughly understood that it Is
not only tho poor child who attends
the sohool lunches. Frequently a
child possessed ot sb much as ten
pennies will come to raid the penny
table with Its tempting dojjclous
things, but his ten cents will be
found to go too far. I'nloss ho 1b
an unusually abnormal child, ha will
hardly bo ablo to assimilate more
than flvo cents worth, because for
that he could get some clam chow
der, a meat sandwich, a cup of cocoa,
bread pudding and apple sauce.
There is tho danger that the child
may bo tending to mal-nourlshment,
because of hlB over-oating one thing,
of course, and this the School Lunch
Committee is trying to prevent.
In one ot the clabses of 'crippled
children thero is a 200 pound boy,
who was advispd to givo up school
lunches because of their tendency
to add avordupols.
Tho New York School Lunch Com
mltteo consists of Miss Mabel II.
Klttredge, chairman; Mr. John A.
Kingsbury, secretary; Mr. Edward
F, Brown, executive secretary; Mr.
Wlllard D. Straight, Dr. C. Ward
Crampton, Mr. John Doty, Miss Lil
lian D. Wold, Mr. John Martin, Miss
M. A. Nutting, Mrs. Ernest Poole,
MrB. V. G. Slmkhovltcb, Mrs. Benja
min Whlttaker, Mrs. Joseph T. Ryer
son. Dr, Ira S. Wile, Dr. Thomas D.
wood, Mr. Bailey B. Burritt,
James II. Hutchens,
Mr.
