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Medford Historical Society Papers, Volume 15., The old ship-building days. (search)
-bushel bag of corn, and engaged Walter to wheel them home. Boys gathered around, curious to know how much for the job, and eager to try a hand at it. After proving their inability, a proud moment came to Walter, when he took two boys on top the load and went right along with it. There came a day, however, when all his superior strength counted for nothing. It was at the launching above referred to. Amid the cheering of the great company as the ship entered the water a tragedy was being enacted. Just as the hawser tautened by the tremendous strain, Walter was jumping over it. It parted, and caught him in its recoil. He was drawn into the river out of sight. When after an hour or two his body was recovered it was found that one of his legs had been broken. There was built in this same yard, in 1854, a beautiful barque. She pursued for a number of years a peaceful commerce around the world until overtaken by Captain Semmes in the Alabama, becoming one of his sixty-five victims.