The Barnacle Club, of Vineyard Haven, on Saturday evening formed themselves into a permanent organization. The following officers were elected for the year: President Walter H. Renear; secretary and treasurer, Captain Harvey S. Cook; house and finance committee, Elisha Luce, Bradford B. Manchester, Harry D. Foster, with the president and secretary. The club has about 44 members, resident and non-resident, with a number of applicants for membership, and is in a very flourishing condition.
The Board of Harbor and Land Commissioners has sent to the legislature its report -for 1902. Regarding improvements completed or contemplated on the Vineyard the board says:
The Mulliken automobile manslaughter case, which was tried before Judge Eldridge, of the district court of Dukes county, last summer, and which aroused great interest among Vineyard people and automobilists, will come up in the superior court at Edgartown the last of the month.
Mr. Elmes, the proprietor of the links, announces that on Aug. 20, 21, and 22, he is arranging for a ladies’ and gentlemen’s golf tournament, open to all members of the club. There will be three prizes in each contest, consisting of English pewter mugs, ladies’ and gentlemen’s caddy bags, and gun metal putters. The prizes are ordered and will be on exhibition early next week in the drug store window. Now for good work; it requires practice and the score cards dated, to hand to the committee.
The following named Vineyarders are officers of the whaling fleet for the season of 1901 sailing out of San Francisco:
Steamer Narwhal - Alonzo M. Ripley, second mate.
Steamer Balaena - Ward P. Vineen, first mate.
Steamer Beluga - H. H. Bodfish, master; Andrew W. Look, first mate; Thomas G. Fisher, fourth mate.
Bark Gay Head - Charles W. Fisher, master; Tisdale S. Pease, first mate; Abram L. Joab, fourth mate.
Steamer Alexandr - B. T. Tilton, master.
Edgartown is in the swim with other resorts. The horseless carriage is here. The first to appear is the locomobile of Mr. Elmer J. Bliss, of the Regal Shoe, who brought this vehicle down from Boston Saturday night. Mr. Bliss had his locomobile out on Sunday, and it worked very satisfactorily on our streets.
The forest fire which races across the large section of the island known as “The Plains” lasted two days and burned through to West Tisbury. More than 200 men had a hard fight before the flames were subdued.
Two and a half hours from the start the fire reached Pine farm, owned by Ariel B. Scott, where the flames claimed a barn, destroyed a corn crib, hen houses and a building in which were two incubators, wagon and tools and a flock of hens.
On Wednesday the former whaling schooner Hattie Smith was granted new documents at the Custom House here and her port of hail changed to New York. She is the last of Edgartown’s once extensive fleet of whaling vessels, and the present is the first time since the days of the Ship Apollo in 1818 that Edgartown has not had a vessel of the above character hailing from the port.