Monthly Publication of the Fell’s Point Citizens on Patrol 9 June 2012 4HHEE&ELLSS0OIINTERNTER Volume 14 Number 6 A Sculptor and Her Art Happenings -- After All These Years House Tour Draws Major Crowd The Preservation Society’s 41st By Lew Diuguid Historic Harbor House Tour on Stephanie Scuris came to Connecticut from Mothers’ Day turned out such a Greece in 1947 when she was 16, learned English crowd that 500 tickets were not well enough to graduate with MFA honors from the enough, so Long & Foster, long a real estate supporter of the event, Yale School of Fine Art in 1959 and was featured printed enough to cover 66 more among young artists in a show at New York’s Mu- seekers. The weather was crisp seum of Modern Art. Time Magazine described her and the publicity had been unusu- Brass Column submittal as having “assembled rods ally forthcoming--a spread in The more handsomely than any TV aerial manufacturer Sun, Baltimore Magazine and spots has yet managed to do.” The Groton News, with on four television and four radio a photo of the lovely sculptress, noted, perhaps stations. Several of the 10 open presciently, that she financed her schooling “by houses--plus the perennial Robert working nights, mostly in restaurants.” Long House, Palace on Dallas and the musical Tomas Lambdin House Scuris, now 81, has spent most of her years Tall Ships to Salute 1812 of Laura and Tony Norris--received since then with her brother Theodore, a writer and A veritable armada of 23 tall ships and naval more than 400 visitors. Bozzuto and artist, in studio-apartments rough-hewn from two vessels from 15 nations will crowd the harbor PNC Bank were sponsors. Starting historic warehouses on Fell Street--next door to the June 13-19 to Sailabrate the 200th anniversary of with President Kay Hogan, none of Dead-End Saloon that has long offered bar jobs the War of 1812. Aircraft including the Navy’s Blue the long-timers there could remem- and wall space to aspiring artists. Stephanie doesn’t Angels will perform over Ft. McHenry on June 16- ber such a successful tour. frequent the place but expresses concern that its 17 1-4PM. While most of the tall ships--the most Farmers’ Market Shifts Venue long-time owner is selling. Amid her spiraling alu- since the 1976 bicentennial celebration--will be Main Street’s Saturday 7:30AM minum, bronze and stainless steel creations, and berthed and open to board in the Inner Harbor-- Farmers’ Market in the Square has Ted’s sculpted woods, she contemplates still the starting with opening ceremonies there at 11AM reopened this spring with large possibility of a joint show, now so long postponed. June 14--nine craft, mostly schooners, will tie up in gatherings of carry-over shoppers Asked why she had never married, (Continued) Fell’s Point, open 11AM-6PM on June (Continued) and several new vendors. Displaced in the Square by Sailabration on The War We Commemorate - V Saturday, June 16, it will relocate for that day to Bond St. Wharf. Privateer Role Prime in ‘14 Outcome Dubious Diva at The Vagabond By Geoffrey M. Footner The Vagabond Players’ final pro- A constant increase in intensity of American duction of its 96th season, “Souvenir: civilian cruisers’ war--so intimately linked to Fell’s A Fantasia On the Life of Florence Point--on the British merchant marine was the Foster Jenkins,” by Stephen Tem- single consistent element of the “Second Trans- perley and directed by Roy Ham- atlantic War” between the United Kingdom of mond, runs through July 1. Jenkins is a tone-deaf New York diva who Great Britain and the United States of America. thinks she is a great soprano and An increase in the size and power of this privateer reaches Carnegie Hall. The Players force made it effective against the Royal Navy from are America’s oldest continuously 1812 to the final critical year of 1814. American operating little theater, at 806 S. Sculptor Stephanie Scuris of Fell St. treasures sailors not only crewed this private armed naval Broadway. Fridays- Saturdays 8PM, work in stainless steel. force. They manned the inland Navy’s ships on the Sunday 2PM. Tickets $10 - $16 at Great Lakes, at Plattsburgh and up (Continued) www.vagabondplayers.org. Emissions Catch Up Domino While Fell’s Point’s water view is about to turn to the tall ships coming June 13 to celebrate the War of 1812 bicentennial, its year-in, year-out focus is Domino Sugars, just across the harbor. Freighters laden with raw cane come, empty, and go--to the pipes of tugs. The sole ruffled feathers are among the circling sweet-toothed seagulls. Until this spring. The refinery opened 90 years ago last month, and perhaps with that in mind, the routinely news-shy, Cuban-emigre American Sugar Refining Inc., headquartered in New York, let the press know that a record 95 million pounds of cane from Guatemala was coming in April 9 aboard Photo by Lew Diuguid the largest ship ever to call, the 600-foot Simon Schulte. Both are records Moran tugs tucked in a record load of sugar in April as Domino Sug- for the U.S. east of the Mississippi, ars approached its 90th anniversary. Note cruise ship docked across where the Locust Point plant is Locust Point. dominant. As it happened, Moran tugs--dear to Fell’s Point until they quit their Rec Pier tie-up three years ago--spun the Campbell-line car- rier around and nudged it to dock. Two monster cranes instead of the usual one labored long days for two weeks to empty her. A bird watcher at Under Armour on Tide Point was able to photograph a rare yellow-crested night heron, distracted by the doubled noise next door. The unloading took two weeks. Then, on May 19, The Sun stirred the sugar bowl anew: the refinery, in a settlement with the En- vironmental Protection Agency, had agreed to pay $200,000 to meet charges of violation of the Clean Air Act -- for five boilers releasing nitrogen oxide in excess of the permitted 62 tons per year. The Sun pointed out that the nitrogen is a component of “ozone, or smog” and also adds to the Chesapeake Bay’s nutrient pollution woes.” The company said its “willingness to install additional control technology . . . Photo by Ellen Worthing demonstrates American Sugar’s commitment to maintaining and improving air quality.” Eye wash or a Heron puts its foot down. commitment? Doubtless Fell’s Pointers will be covering the waterfront. Tall Ships Salute - cont. from front Murphy’s Law Applies, Aliceanna Bar Closes 15-18. They include: T.J.Murphy’s, the saloon at 1703 • Broadway Pier, west side, the Lynx, a close in- Aliceanna St. that Spike TV vowed to terpretation, built in Maine in 2001, of the 1812 “Bar Rescue” as Murphy’s Law, has top-sail pilot boat schooner Lynx, built by James fallen in a ruthless application of that Cordery in Fell’s Point. She was captured in the axiom--anything that can go wrong Rappahannock River in 1813 and served out the will. Spike sent in its bar makeover war with the British. Also the Wolf, a similar schoo- caravan and spent a week updating ner modeled on Caribbean blockade runners and the kitchen, replacing sagged joists, jiggering decor and menu. The own- built in 1983 in Florida. On the east side, the 1972 ers, recent Mt. St. Mary’s alumni T. Canadian destroyer Iroquois. Joel Gallant and Keith Murphy, were • Brown’s Wharf, the 1888, 68-foot cutter Elf, from thankful but skeptical that crowds Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St. Michaels. would follow. They proved right. All Also Witchcraft, a 1903 racing yacht out of Boston, this before the resultant “reality” TV and Celebration, a 40-foot Middle River schooner. show has run. The shuttered bar is • Ann Street Wharf, top-sail schooner Farewell, of for sale or lease but the agent Don- STUMPED--Sidewalk superintendent Mike Beck- Baltimore, 1972. ald Friedman of B&CV assures the ner of BOP Pizza advises the volunteer tractor • Frederick Douglass Pier at Maritime Park. Liv- show will go on, in July. belonging to Ron Furman of Max’s of Broadway ing Classrooms will display the renovated Lady Schedules during May 18 clean-up of the Square by Main Maryland and skipjack Sigsbee. It is renting out Trash and Recycling Street. The stump relented and a tree is to re- the pungy Lady Maryland for those seeking a Current days for trash pickup place it. Volunteers from Morgan Stanley painted water view of the happenings, including the Blue are Tuesdays and for recycling are lamp posts as Main Street began implementing Angels. Contact Elizabeth at ejosowitz@living Thursdays. Residents are limited to an agreement with the Inner Harbor Waterfront classrooms.org. setting out three 32-gallon cans of Partnership. That City-business group, which On Saturday, June 16 only, the Japanese Coast waste between 6PM on Mondays and 6AM on Tuesdays. Guard cutter Kojima will visit Tide Point. Most of evolved from a Fell’s Point-based watchdog for the Promenade, offers uniformed patrollers who the modern naval ships, including the USS Fort Neighborhood Meetings are to steer vagrants to shelters and guide tour- McHenry, will be docked on the north piers of Locust Douglass Place: Third Tuesday of each month at Bertha’s, dlh411@ ists to businesses that join a new Main Street’s Point near the fort and can be visited only by taking gmail.com. Medallion Member program. frequent free buses from M&T Bank Stadium. Antique Dealers’ Association: Call 410.675.4776. Sculptor - cont. from front Privateer Role - cont. from front Community Organization: Second Tuesdays at 606 South Ann St., she replied, “I had my art, I couldn’t do both.” That and down the coast in Jefferson’s gunboats and 443.791.1717. seems to apply to the semi-reclusion of her recent Joshua Barney’s flotilla. Those latter mariners also Main Street: office, 1730 Bank St. years: she has to care for her art, two cats, two lofty fought at Washington and at Baltimore--where 410.675.8900. leaky buildings from the 1800s, and a younger both Navy regulars and mariners manned the land Preservation Society: 410.675.6750 brother who suffers from manic depression. and seaborne batteries in the nation’s defense. ext.16 or preservationsociety.com. The route from Yale to Fell St. ran through The A combination of branches of the federal gov- Residents’ Association: First Maryland Institute and had everything to do with ernment, local administrations and organizations Wednesdays, 7PM, Bertha’s. Bauhaus. The school’s new president, landscap- have effectively altered the history of the War of ist “Eugene Leake, invited me,” Stephanie said. 1812 to feature the aspirations of politicians and Although older, he graduated from Yale just after personalized interpretations of some curators and thanks! her and took up revival of the institute in 1961, also historians in the interest of tourism. It is the intent The Fell’s Pointer thanks its recruiting acclaimed artist Grace Hartigan--who of this writer to bring forth from the archives several three sustaining contributors for lived out her years in Fell’s Point--and others. “It facts about how this war was fought: covering the monthly printing bill: One-Eyed Mike’s, 708 S. was all about Bauhaus,” the movement associated Fact 1. The barbaric destruction of Washington Bond St., 410.327.0445; Duda’s with Walter Gropius’ architecture, she said. She united the nation like never before, and was the Tavern, Thames and Bond Sts., soon moved to Fell’s Point while teaching at the war’s turning point. 410.276.9719; and Harbor Magic institute through 1996. She counted architect Louis Fact 2. The Battle of Baltimore was never more than Hotels, including The Admiral Kahn as a friend and he incorporated her pieces in the preplanned essay as so described by Admiral Fell Inn, Broadway and Thames, his projects, some in plaster, others in metal rods. Cochrane, although his timidity saved the city that 410.522.7380, and The Inn at She has drawers of fading watercolors. Sites of her the Royal Navy had marked for destruction. Henderson’s Wharf, 1000 Fell St., larger works include Singapore and San Jose. She Fact 3. The battle at Plattsburgh on Lake Champlain 410.522.7777. was the subject of numerous exhibitions along the in September 1814 was the key defeat that allowed Design and layout are contrib- uted by Tina Fleming Warren of eastern seaboard in the 1960s-80s. cooler interests led by the Duke of Wellington to warrencommunications@comcast. Younger brother Ted came here as a gradu- alter the goals of the Tory government. net. Additional graphics support ate student at Hopkins’ Writing Seminars. While Fact 4. Wellington informed Lord Liverpool’s gov- byJacquie Greff, TonalVision.com. in school he sculpted in aluminum, in 1970, “Give ernment that the Royal Navy had lost control over The ‘Pointer also is grateful to its Peace a Chance,” still near Shriver Hall. Stephanie the seas and channels of Great Britain to American volunteer distributors, tipsters and already was ensconced in the ‘Point, when it still privateers, despite the efforts of its home fleet. writers, and welcomes all submit- was a deepwater port and switcher engines pushed Enemy privateers had captured 50 vessels every tals, questions and complaints at freight cars along the rails on both sides of her month during the 1814 sailing season without a the addresses below. warehouses. With the cargo came detritus: “The single loss to Royal Navy defenders. Editor Lew Diuguid wood, oh my God, the most wonderful wood!” Next: The War at sea. Some of it served for Ted’s statuary and layered wall hangings, which occupy a large upstairs space. until recently was the buildings’ sole heat source. A Neighbor Geoffrey Footner recalls being so taken round steel table once was a a giant spindle from a with one of Ted’s works that he attempted to buy neighborhood machine shop. Models of sculptures PRINTER AD it--thereby irritating the artist, who could not bear are scattered about, elegant yet lively, almost in to part with it. motion. Reminiscing, she misses the late Road Fight Stephanie used to worry that the cement plant leader, Lu Fisher, whom she supported without across Wolf St. from her would expand and take her taking an active personal role, and neighbor Jean The Fell’s Pointer is published properties, but she outlasted it. Now her concern Hepner, who recently moved into retirement. monthly by volunteers of Fell’s is Buzzuto’s apartment building rising there, which Another tattered tie runs back to the famed C. Point Citizens on Patrol, Inc. she says makes her warehouses tremble. If she can Grimaldiis Gallery of Charles St. “I was represented Questions, input and participation mount a show it could be an engaging one. Indeed, in its first show,” in 1977, she mused. Could that col- in patrols and this newsletter are the two ground floors put on a haphazard but en- laboration be revived? It was something to consider welcome. E-mail [email protected]. gaging display as the visitor finds them. An 1861 as she swept her sidewalk and worked up a pot of Online www.fpcop.com. Write P.O. Vulcan pot-bellied stove dominates the space and flowers to place there. Box 6137, Baltimore, MD 21231.