Footnotes to Long Island History
Clipper Captain Malaga Smith
by
Thomas R. Bayles
The Brooklyn
Eagle of February 22, 1907, carried an article about the death of
Captain Malaga Smith who was born in East Patchogue in 1830. It
described an interesting ocean race in which Captain Smith won the
contract for carrying the United States mails from New York to South
America in 1874.
Captain
Smith’s vessel had for some time held the mail carrying contract, and
one of his rivals, B.J. Weinberg, was anxious to get it away from him.
He built a fast clipper ship with which to beat the Long Islander. When
the race was started from New York on the long voyage of 4,200 miles
each captain was given a hearty send off, and then each did his best to
win the race.
At the end of
20 days Capt. Smith brought his ship into port several hours ahead of
Weinberg’s clipper, and made the voyage in exactly 19 days and six
hours.
Capt.
Weinberg, in recognition of his successful rival’s victory, presented
“Capt. Mag” as he was familiarly known hereabouts, with a fine stovepipe
hat the crown of which written: “ Presented to Capt. Malaga Smith by B.J.
Weinburg for beating his clipper from New York to South America, June
30, 1874. Capt. Smith wore the hat for 15 years and highly prized it.
Capt. Smith
was a prominent seafaring man, and also a leading politician in his
native town. He left school at 14 years of age to ship abroad a full
rigged brig bound for Italy. He rose rapidly and made his fourth voyage
as master of the vessel, and during his active life visited nearly every
port in the world. He retired in 1878, took up farming and was
prominent in local politics, serving as town trustee and highway
commissioner.
He died in
1907, leaving a widow and two sons, Gilbert P. Smith of Brooklyn and
Jonas Smith of East Patchogue.