History of Lynn, Essex County, Massachusetts, including Lynnfield ...

64 ANNALS OF LYNN 1
874.
he was a privateersman, and assisted in the capture of seven
prizes. One of the vessels had a large amount of specie on board,
designed for the payment of British troops, and while under
convoy for an American port, Mr. Wormstead, being on guard
over the prisoners, discovered a mutinous movement, just in time
to prevent the disasters of a recapture.
The crew of the fishing schooner Laughing Water, of Swampscott,
on the nth of Sept. captured, off Boon island, a sword
fish, weighing, when dressed, six hundred and ninety pounds.
John H. Smith, aged 23, driver of Empire steam fire engine
No, 5, was killed on the evening of Sept. 18, by being run over
by a hose carriage when starting at an alarm of fire. His head
was crushed by one of the wheels. He was buried from the
Washington Street Baptist Church, on Sunday, the entire fire
department attending, and also one or two societies of which
he was a member.
Wong Chin Foo, a native Chinese, lectured in Odd Fellows'
Hall, on Sunday evening, Oct. 11, to a large audience. He
appeared in native costume, and his subject was " Confusius, the
Founder and Teacher of the Chinese Religion." He spoke good
English, and his lecture, giving a very favorable account of his
countrymen, was listened to with much interest. He considered
the religion of Confusius more promotive of the good of the four
hundred millions of people by whom it is embraced, than any
other could be, if indeed it were not the best for the whole world.
He endeavored to remove from the minds of his hearers the false
belief that his was a nation wholly given to idolatry, and to
impress upon them the fact that multitudes of profound scholars
and philosophers were to be found there, that moral science was
cultivated and virtuous living enforced.
During the last week of October the tides ran lower, as was
calculated, than at any time for forty years. The cause was,
partially at least, without doubt, the long-continued mild weather
and oft-shore winds.
A fire commenced in the furniture establishment of G. B,
French, in Union street, on the night of Nov 9, destroying large
portions of several stocks of goods. The premises were the same
on which a fire occurred Aug. 25, 1873.
A mechanics' fair was opened in the building in Market street,
adjoining Odd Fellows' Hall, and known as the Academy of Music,
then just erected, Dec. 22. Many useful mechanical contrivances
and interesting mechanical productions were exhibited by
Lynn artisans and tradesmen, and by others from abroad. One
rather peculiar feature was the introduction of dramatic entertainments
during the evenings.
For two or three years, business affairs in Lynn were in a
greatly depressed condition ; indeed the same was true of almost