2 THE VOYAGE OF THE OREGON. The World-Breaking Record of the American Battle Ship As Described by Her Gallant Commander. 14,000 MILES TO WAR. "And Every Officer and Man Would Have Died at His Post to Insure Her Safe Arrival," ' (Julias Chambers In New York World.)_ "What should Cervera have done?" "He should have stayed In Santiago harbor forever rather than come out the way he did," was the solemn re mark of Capt. Clark lately of the bat tleship Oregon, recently. "The fleet was a fortress. With Its guns he could have driven the United States array away from shore until such time us It could have mounted ten-Inch guns to alnk his ships. He was master of the situation and should have 'hung on' until every last member of his ships' crews had died of absolute starvation! I ffhen would he have been a real hero— (jn eternal figure In history! V "Think of the chances in his favor! Yellow fever might have come and decimated the American ranks. A gale might have broken loose on the Car ibbean seas that would have scattered our ships to the four winds of heaven, after which Cervera could have sailed away without opposition and returned to his native land undefeated." ■ The story of a great achievement, not less great because modestly told, is that of Captain Charles H. Clark, recently In command of that wonder ful fighting machine, the battleship Oregon. Cnptaln Clark Is a large, well built man, 5 feet 9 inches In height, and tips the scales at 200 pounds. His face lights up with a cordial smile whenever he meets anybody he knows and he is equally affable to strangers. "The Oregon's voyage doesn't seem great to me," began Captain Clark, "though It became memorable because of its opportune completion just at a time that the Oregon was needed to strengthen the North Atlantic squad ron In order to Impart confidence at home. That the Oregon should have sailed 14,000 miles to be present at the destruction of Admiral Cervera's fleet, and got there In time, is really interesting and curious. "I was appointed to the ship on March 17, and we sailed two days lat er. She had l>een on the dry dock at llrcwcrtoh only a short wbfle before, and her hull was thoroughly clean. From stage to stage the coal capacity of the ship determined the length of the run. The weather, except in the straits of Magellan, was excellent. The run down the Pacific coast need not be THE COLUMBIAN, BLOOMSBURG, PA dwelt upon. Nine hundred tens of coal carried us to Collar.. No trouble oc curred with the engines, and the same may be said of the entire voyage. The Incldeut of this run of 1,000 kuots was a (Ire In the- port coal bunker. The Are was dug out and quenched. It was a terrible ordeal for the men and a period of great anxiety to all on board. Several acts of real heroism wore displayed In this hazardous tight with the flames. "When Sandy Point was left behind we all realized the possible dnngers in front of us," continued Captain Clark. "The Oregon convoyed the Marietta to Rio without Incident. And in that harbor the Nictheroy lay at anchor, about to be added to the American navy. The Brazilian government was very courteous. It may have been swing to the fact that the purchase of the Nictheroy had not been completed. There was the Teinerarlo! Detecting her presence at once, I ordered the Marietta to guard the harbor mouth and told her captain to send a boat on board the Spanish craft and serve notice upon the Temerario that if she came within one mile of the Oregon our guns, big and little, would open on her without notnee. "On reaching port I had been noti fied by our consul that war was on, and I could not afford to take any chances. I steamed Into the harbor two miles above the usual anchorage for war vessels, giving to my ship an Isolated position, so that I might he justified in regarding the approach of any strange craft as a hostile act The utmost vigilance was employed day and night; men were kept con stantly at the rapid fire gens. A searchlight and patrol boats watched the water after nightfall. The risk was too great for me to take any chances, and although the Brazilians icted all right and were even generous In not holding us to the twenty-four liour rule recognized under Interna tional taw, I could not be sure of the utter absence of cranlis or Spanish sympathizers. "We sailed from Rio on May 4. I decided when we had been at sea a lit tie while, to leave the Buffalo (former ly the Nietheroyi and Marietta to shift for themselves. They were so slow feared the Oregon might be late in arriving wihere she was most needed. I left these ships off Capo Frio, 100 miles above Rio, after signalling them 'Come to Buliiu; or run ashore If attacked by overwhelm ing force.' I reached Bahla on the Bth, bnt we were told to 'Come on!' We sailed next morning, and this run of ten days to Barbadoes was t)he most thrilling of the entire voyage. We steamed absolutely without a light. "Indeed, The entire trip from Sandy Point to Jupiter Inlet was a light less voyage. In pitch-like darkness we drove ahead at our highest speed seeing lights many times, but always avoiding Che ships that bore them. We were out of court. We had no right of way without a light Even If we met a vessel on our port we gave way. "Night and day the men stood at the guns. Not for a single moment was vigilance relaxed. The strain on the men was terrible. For four days at a time hammocks were never strung. Watch and watch about, the men lay beside the guns sound asleep, while the men on duty stood silently above tbem. All the lookouts were doubled and changed with unusual fre quency. "Barbadoes was reached Just before daylight, May IS, aud after rushing 250 tons of coaj aboard we sailed the same evening. Still the orders read, 'Come on!' "From our consul I learned that Cer vera's fleet was at Martinique, just to the north of us. This fleet had been mutfh extolled for speed and fighting qualities. 1 am not a rash man. I was not looking for tffiat fleet. The situation seemed critical. Sailing Just before dark, I headed northwest, ap parently Into the heart ot the Carib bean sea. This information, I have no doubt, was promptly communicated to Admiral Cervora. But as soon as the darkness of a moonless night had thoroughly set in, I changed the course to due south and ran below Barbadoes and thence far to the eastward before I took the Oregon to the northward. We Alius passed faT to sea east of Martinique, and eventually turned into the North Atlantic beyond St. Thomas. I carefully avoided the Windward channel and the shallow waters of the Bahamas." "Why did you go to Jupiter Inlet?" was asked. "I didn't know where the depart ment wanted to use me," was the prompt reply. "I was in the dark ns to the location of the two floets. I knew one hail been at Hampton Roads and another at Key West, and the charts told me that Jupiter Inlet was in telegraphic reach of all points on the coast. From that place, also, I had coal enough to make the run to either of the two fleets. You can easily understand that had I gone di rect to Key West and the Oregon had been wooited at Hampton Koads, sev eral days would have to be lost in coaling. Of course the fact is that we went to Key West. This was the end of what may be called a suc cessful, though not a remarkable voy age." "Tell me something about the en durance of the men," I asked. "Their suffering from the hent was beyond description," began Captain Clark. "Battened under the hatches for weeks at a time, overy man work ed with the absolute Individual energy Continued on page 8. CSPSTORIA For Infants and Children. fcftSTSRjA The Kind You Have ASfefielablcPOT'arafionfwAs- I M M jtlSMtS&liHf! Hl'il \i /(/fll 5 _ Signature /JJu w -/laJ" ttessafldHssLGonfalns neither , „f XJf g v r Opium nor tfineraL Ui #(V#IIT NOT NAHCOTIC. liVVir J*iim&OMIkrSffIBZZBIf!BEB. - lyVp' i \X * iMift fcfir- I Alj op ■ lib 1 iyr The ft/ Kind turn. Sour Stomach .Diarrhoea, I lir Worms .Convulsions .Feverish- 1 IF* U MIII ncss and Loss of Sleep, g I Oil mBVu Tflc'Sitnile Signature of M 45&gg" Ifllwavs Bought. ■K3EI3S3&EK3EIHH H w —IMCTIIBU EXACT COPTOFWBAEHEB. ■|j lifll I fo*l THE CENTAUR COMPANY, NEW YORK CITV. STOVE NAPTHA, the Cheapest and Best Fuel on the market. With it you can run a Vapor Stove for one-hali cent per hour. Give us a call and be convinced. W. O. Holmes, Bloomsßurg, Pa. Eshleman & Wolf, L. E. Wharey, " W. F. Hartman, " Simple Test of Drinking Water. Here is a simple test for the pres ence of sewage water, says the New York Herald: All drinking water should be tested in town or country frequently, as there are other impuri ties besides sewage which are quite as deadly, and every cistern ot water is liable to be a source of blood pois oning. Mice, rats and other pests, must have water, and many a case of typhoid is set up by such as these falling into the cistern and remaining there for months in a decomposed state. To detect this impure condition is very simple and 'unfailing. Draw a tumbler of water from the tap at night, put a piece of white lump su gar into it and place it on the kitchen mantel shelf, or anywhere that the temperature will not be under 6o de grees fahrenheit. In the morning the water, if pure, will be perfectly clear; if contami nated with sewage, or other impuri ties, the water will be milky. This is a simple and safe test well known in chemistry. Working Every Day. "My father has been troubled with disordered blood, weak back and that tired feeling. He tried many different medicines which gave him no relief. He has been taking Hood's Sarsapa rilla and he is now strong and healthy and is working every day." A. S. WYKER, South Easton, Pa. Hood's Pills are the only pills to take with Hood's Sarsaparilla. Be sure to get Hood's Higgins—"You don't hear anything of Hobson any more." Wigwag—"l hear he is at the seashore now, but that he never goes in bathing." "Why ?" " He's afraid the mermaids will want to kiss him." A fine line of new styles in wed ding invitations just received at THE COLUMBIAN office. tf. The marriageable young ladies ot a western town held a meeting and resolved : " That we will not marry anyone who is not a patron of his home paper, for it is only a strong ev idence of want of intelligence, and he will probably prove too stingy to provide for his family, educate his children and encourage institutions of learning in The community." OA.STORXA. Bean the /i ThB Kind You Han Always Bought Here and There- / Much of the experience a man gets comes too late to benefit him. To the victors belong the privilege of fighting over the spoils. Down in front—a young man's first attempt at mustache culture. No man enjoys drinking in a con versation of the extra dry brand. When the acts are long drawn out its quite a distance between drinks. Some clubs cause scolding wives and some scolding wives cause clubs. The unsalaried office always nas to seek the man. An old hen never fears opposition from the egg-plant. Some men never respect the things they are unable to understand. The judgment of Solomon was great but he never tried to umpire a base ball game. Man a boy who runs away to join a circus is only too glad to .walk back home again. The gas meter's claim to the cham pion liar medal is disputed by the bi cycle cyclometer. Before marriage a man declares himself unworthy of his sweetheart's love, and after marriage he spends about two-thirds of his time in prov ing it. No woman is ever as young as she expects others to think she looks. The man who chews cloves is never quite free from the breath of suspicion. The less energy a man has the easier it is for him to drift into matri mony. The life of a chorus girl can't be so very wearing, judgtng from her ap parel. It isn't pride that makes the gallery gods look down on the rest of the au dience. A justice of the peace is the only peace connected with some matrimo nial experiments. The only way a man can find out just what a woman really thinks of him is to make her angry. The peacemaker is all right, but he is never appreciated by the man who is getting the best of it. Ice cream may be unhealthy, but the motive of the young man who tries to prove it to his girl friends is apt to be misconstrued. CASTOR IA For Infants and Children. Tbe Kind You Have Always Bought Signature of Fine PHOTO GRAPHS and CRAYONS at R. B. GROTZ, Bloomsburg. The best are the cheapest TID-BITS FOR MA f HONEY! and tender little juicelets for the chil dren, aic all right, but papa and "the boys" want a good, big, juicy steak, roast or chop wnen business or school duties are over, and we can cater to them all. Our stock of prime meats is unexcelled for quality, and we send them home in fine shape. J. E. KCIFKR. THE MARKETS. BLOOMSBURG MARKETS. CORBBCTEI) WEEKLY. RETAIL FBIOII. Butter per lb $ ,22 Eggs per dozen .16 Lard per lb .08 Ham per pound .10 Pork, whole, per pound ,06 Beef, quarter, per pound.... .07 Wheat per bushel .80 Oats " " 35 Rye " " .50 Wheat flour per bbl 4.80 Hay per ton 9 to sro Potatoes per bushel .80 Turnips " " .35 Onions " " 100 Sweet potatoes per peck .35 Tallow per lb .05 Shoulder " " .09 Side meat .08 Vinegar, per qt ;.., ,05 Dried apples per lb .05 Dried cherries, pitted. ' .is Raspberries .13 Cow Hides per lb ,1 Steer " " " .05 CalfSkin .80 Sheep pelts .75 Shelled corn per bus .60 Corn meal, cwt 1.35 Bran, " .*OS Chop " .ge Middlings " ,gj Chickens per lb new , 1 a " " "old 10 Turkeys " " lt i Geese " " Ducks " " , c g COAL. No. 6, delivered 3.60 " 4 and s " 3.85 " 6 at yard 3.35 " 4 and s at yard 3. h0 Thi Leading Consenratory of Amw ioa_—. — Caul Fabltbn, Director. Founded I n 18S8 by tflW * jiving full information. rank W. Hals, General Manager. THE j TRAINED NURSE Bciladcmaa Planter PATENTS Caveats and Trade Marks obtained, and all Patent business conducted lor .Mo DERATE FEES. OUlt OFFICE IS OPPOSITE THE i'. M. PAT ENT OFFICE. We Uuve no sub-agencies, al business direct, hence can transu, patent busl ness In less time and at Less Cost 1 ban those re inoto from Washington. Send model, drawing or photo, with deocrlp tton. We advise It patentable or not, free ot charge. Our lee not due till patent Is secured A book, "llow to obtain Patents," with reter Cnees to actual clients in your state, County, o town sent free. Address . C. A. RNO W & CO,, Washington, D. C (Opposite U. S. Patent Offlce.) HAIR R B ALSAM Olmdimi and beautifies the hate. Promote® a luxuriant prowth. Mover Faila to Beatore Qraj Hair to ita Youthful Color. ?H-4t.<L SUBSCRIBE FOR THE COLUMBIAN
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers