CHAPTER XI.
Mr. Plant’s Close and Constant Contact with the Great System as Seen in the Following Letters—Letter Written on Board the Steamer Comal—Letters on Trip to Jamaica, West Indies, March 15, 1893, and Published in the Home Journal.
MR. PLANT keeps himself constantly informed of the workings of the whole System over which he presides, by daily communication with every part of it. The head of each department writes to the president every day, or telegraphs, or does both if necessary, and in return, Mr. Plant, through his secretary, replies daily to each communication received. So close does he keep to the workings of the System that wherever he travels in the country his mail is regularly delivered to him at points arranged for the purpose, and it is as promptly answered from his private car as if he were at his own office in New York City. Nor are all these letters which pass between the president and his associates about hard business; they are often social, familiar greetings, and interchanges of friendly intercourse. The following extract from a letter, written by Mr. Plant when traveling to Galveston, Texas, is an illustration of this:
NOTES OF THE VOYAGE.
“Left wharf on Steamer Comal, Saturday, July 22, 1893, 4 P.M., wind southwest. Passed Sandy Hook about 5.30, found sea smooth; well off the coast, shore houses vaguely seen in the distance.
“Sunday, 23d.—Had a still and comfortable moonlight night; smooth seas; wind southwest; off Cape Charles, twelve o’clock. About one o’clock wind all died away. The sea perfectly smooth until 2.30, when a light breeze came in from the southeast, which lasted until sunset, then died away and came out again from the west about six o’clock. Passed Body Island Light with light breeze. No sea.
“8.10 P.M.—Hatteras Light fairly abreast—ten sailing vessels and one steamer in sight. Weather being fine, captain concluded to cross the Gulf Stream and run down on the east side and along the Bahama Banks. We have now been out twenty-eight hours, and I have felt very well. No annoyance from the stomach so far in any particular.
“12 o’clock noon, Monday, 24th.—We are bowling along in the Gulf Stream with a good breeze from the west—smooth sea. Had a fairly good sleep. Room being on the port side and the wind from the west made it rather warm. At noon to-day the temperature of the water is eighty degrees and the air is eighty-two degrees, which is not so bad as might be. We are now well off Charleston and about abreast of the Bermudas.
“Tuesday, 25th.—The wind continued from the west until about four o’clock, when it ceased, and from that until nine we had a dead calm and a smooth glassy sea. Now at ten o’clock a light breeze comes in from the east, and we have prospect of a comfortable day.
“Yesterday P.M. we had crossed and were entirely east of the Gulf Stream and there was no wind, of course, in still water. While in the Stream we had a current of about three knots against us. Our course is now bringing us again near the stream, which we shall cross in the course of the day and will probably pass Jupiter before bedtime, say, nine o’clock. We are having a delightful voyage so far, and I seem to be doing quite well.
“P.M.—The southwest wind has died out and we have a gentle breeze from the east; this gives promise of the northeast trades for to-night, which will be quite acceptable and will put me on the windward side of the ship; have been on the lee side so far.
“5 P.M.—Have not seen a sail to-day, and am having a very restful time.
“9.30 P.M.—Have been with the captain since dinner, and for the last half hour on the lookout for Jupiter Light. The lead informs us that we are too far off the coast to enable us to see the Light just yet.
“9.50 P.M.—Now we just have a glimpse of the Light from the bridge, and as ‘All’s well,’ I will to my couch for the night. The winds are favoring those on the port side, having swung around to the northeast, giving a promise of the southeast trades for to-morrow; so good-night.
“Wednesday A.M.—Had a splendid shower this A.M. just after daylight, and right after the northeast wind died out and was soon followed by the good southeast trade, and now (10.30) we are sailing along just outside the reefs, having passed Cape Florida early this A.M. During the night we have passed Palm Beach (Lake Worth).
“10.30 A.M.—We are now directly abreast of Carysfort Light, and a more pleasant day to be at sea could not be desired. While at breakfast we passed near the wreck of the English steamer Earl King. She went on the reef about a year and a half ago; nothing now in sight but a portion of what looks to be the bow—a good beacon to warn others from this dangerous reef. She is reported to have been an old ship loaded with cement and other cheap freight, bound for New Orleans, and well insured.
“The indications are that we shall arrive at Key West about seven o’clock this P.M. and in time to meet the Mascotte on her return from Havana. As we have but a small freight for Key West, we shall not be long detained there, and shall expect to arrive in Galveston early Saturday night. Temperature of air at one o’clock 81¾ degrees; water 83 degrees.
“Wednesday P.M.—Passed Aligator Light one o’clock; this will bring us to Key West about eight o’clock, and enable me to place this on Mascotte without much to spare, and probably place us ashore at Galveston Sunday morning, and as you may not be in Darien Sunday, you will only receive the message at office on Monday A.M. Send to Mrs. Plant at Branford on arrival, so she may receive the information same day. Would like to have you make at least a synopsis of the daily notes to Mr. O’B., that you may send to him should he be absent. We are now well up with American Shoal Light; next we shall have Sombrero, and then Sand Key and Key West. We are likely to fall in with the Mascotte.
“We are jogging along very pleasantly with wind well on the port quarter and temperature quite comfortable.”
The following letter from Mr. Plant, published in the Home Journal, New York, March 15, 1893, speaks for itself. It shows its author to be at home on shipboard, and as much at his ease as in his own parlor; while carefully noting all points of interest and enjoying to the full all that was enjoyable.
On Board S. S. “Halifax,”
Sunday, Feb. 26, ’93.
“We sailed from Port Tampa on Thursday, February 16th, and after a delightfully smooth and pleasant trip arrived at Nassau, N. P., on Saturday morning. A number of our party were entertained by the Honorable Sir Ambrose Shea, governor of the island; others of us preferred to pass the few hours in riding and driving, seeing something of the beauties of the place. We returned to the steamer in the afternoon and got under way, passing out of the harbor through the “Hole in the Wall,” as it is called. We steamed down over the banks, passing along the eastern shore of the island, and leaving Cape Mayce on our starboard, until away over to port were seen the highlands of Hayti.
“All the way from Port Tampa to Jamaica, the weather was simply delightful, and the sea as smooth as the waters of our Seneca Lake. We arrived at the wharf at Kingston at seven o’clock Tuesday morning. Our excursionists all went to the Myrtle Bank Hotel, where choice accommodations were provided. We received a call from the Consul-General of the United States, Mr. Dent, and also visits from other important people of the city of Kingston. In the afternoon we received an invitation, conveyed to the party through our conductor, Mr. A. E. Dick, a hotel man well known in New York, to attend a garden party given by Lady Blake at King’s House. Lady Blake is the wife of Sir Henry Blake, the governor of the island. We found a large crowd of people, a gracious welcome, exquisite music and bountiful refreshment. Only think of it—an out-of-door reception on the twenty-first day of February!
“In the evening we were surprised to learn that a grand ball would be given in our honor by the citizens of Kingston. It proved a very brilliant affair. The beautiful costumes of the ladies formed a striking contrast to the military costumes of the officers of the British West Indian Squadron; there were eight ships in the harbor.
“We were called very early in the morning, coffee and fruit being served in our rooms, and took carriages to the Western Railway station, whence we started by rail for Bog Walk, on the Rio Cobre River. We arrived at half-past ten. After leaving the train our attention was called to a group of negro men and women who were engaged in loading bananas into a car for transportation to the city of Kingston and thence to the United States.
“At Rio Cobre, we enjoyed one of the most beautiful drives that your correspondent has ever experienced, down the valley of the Rio Cobre, a most beautiful sheet of water, and after a ride of two hours, reaching Spanish Town, one of the principal cities on the island of Jamaica. It was at Spanish Town that a son of Christopher Columbus settled when he came to the island of Jamaica. We were entertained by the proprietor of the Rio Cobre Hotel, where we remained until the afternoon, when we again took train for our headquarters at Myrtle Bank, in Kingston.
“Early the following morning we were called, fruit and coffee were again served in our rooms, and we started at six o’clock for a drive of twenty-five miles over and across the beautiful mountain ranges and towards the north coast of the island. At ten o’clock we arrived at the Castleton Gardens, a beautiful spot owned and sustained by the government as a garden of acclimation. Here are found the grandest of all tropical palms. At the hotel connected with the gardens we partook of a royal breakfast, into which entered many different kinds of fruit. After a stop of two hours we resumed our journey over the mountains, and in the distance we obtained a good view of the lovely Annotta bay.
“En route, we visited a sugar estate where we saw the conversion of sugar-cane into Jamaica rum of the first quality. Most of the labor is performed by Malays, brought from the valley of the Ganges in India, who while here are compelled to labor in competition with the negroes. The men are paid at the rate of one shilling and six pence per day, while the women receive only one shilling per day. I can assure you, from the manner in which they work, it is evident that they earned every penny they received. By the way, the coachman who drove us, informed me that his wages were ten shillings per week of seven days’ continuous work and he has to board himself out of that pittance.
“On the afternoon of this day, Friday, we were well off the coast of Jamaica, homeward bound. Now as I write, Sunday morning, we are approaching Egmont Key, which is situated at the entrance of Tampa Bay. Soon we shall be docked, and soon thereafter at that haven which has been so often described but to which no writer to my mind has done justice—the Tampa Bay Hotel.”
