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THE OMAHA DAILY BEE : SUNDAY , AUGUST 21 , 1808.
NAVAL LESSONS OF THE WAR
Conclusion Drawn by the Officers of the
Texas from Their Experiences ,
BATTLESHIP STILL HOLDS FIRST PLACE
Important I'nrln I'lnyrd ! > Ilnpld-
t'lrc GIIII , ScnrclillKlitn , Hninkctcm
1 Powiler and Telephone * fiun-
norn of the IllKlit Stud.
"Tho big ship with blc guns and the men
who know how to fight on It. Is the one that
can do the business , " said Captain "Jack"
Philip , soon to be Commodore Philip , In
Ills cabin on the famous fighting machine
Texas. "That Is the cM" > f naval leston of
the war1 , or at least BO much of It as I have
Been. Torpedoes , torpedo boats and the
Email fast craft which some naval author
ities expected to play so big a part In any
war of the present day , have scarcely had
a showing. As for submarine mines , why
there Is one down on the for'ard deck that
no bumped Into at Ouantanamo. It had
barnacles growing on It so thick that the
firing pins could not operate. That partic
ular modern Invention did not work exactly
an It was Intended , or else It should not be
fcere now.
"It Is not for me , however , to attempt to
settle conclusions which naval experts will
p'robably draw from the sea fighting off the
Cuban coast. I am not a naval expert , only
a ship's captain. I will say , though , that
the magnificent utility of the battleship
that can fight and follow , too , the tremendous
deus value of the main battery and the
destructive forceof rapid fire guns , have
been demonstrated beyond question. Above
all In Importance , the men behind the guns
have justified Anglo-Saxon traditions and
have fought with the nerve and daring that
He long since learned to expect from Ameri
can seamen. They are the main reliance ,
the blood and sinew of the ship. I can say
for the men of the Texas that I never wish
to see a ship's company do their work better
or more thoroughly.
"It has been said that the Texas has been
put out of date by the recent Improvements
In battleship construction and appliances ,
but If there were any deficiencies of that
kind , they have been more than made up by
the spirit of the men. nnd I think that the
record of the Texas will stand with that of
ny of the other ships that took part In the
fighting around Cuba.
"In regard to such lessons as are to bo
drawn from the actual test of the guns
or the other appliances on the ship , Lieu
tenant Hellner , the navigating officer , and
Lieutenant Bristol , the executive officer ,
arc better qualified to speak than I am. "
Value at Secondary Iluttor ) ' .
Lieutenant L. C. Hellner , the navigator
Of the Texas , -was standing by a six-pound
rapid-fire gun mounted In the ofllcers' mess
room. Hit conversation soon showed that
he la an enthusiastic believer In the useful
ness In action of a considerable secondary
battery.
"If there Is any one lesson that has been
made more clear than another by this war , "
ho said , "It Is that our ships should have
plenty of the smaller caliber rapid-fire
guns In the make-up of their armament.
It was the raking , seething hall of fire
poured into the Spanish ships by the guns
of this class that drove them on the shore
at Santiago. Put a six-pound shell here , "
opening the breech of the Hotchklss gun
by a dexterous pull of the lever as he spoke ,
"glance through the breech sight at the
cone Just ahead'pull ( he-trigger here'and '
the mischief has begun. Ten times a min
ute these shells , each charged with enough
explosive material to set a ship on fire , can
be pumped Into the target , aimed with sub
stantial accuracy to scatter death and de
struction on an enemy's decks. So great Is
the saving of time effected in loading and
firing by having the ammunition in one
package powder , shell , fuse and primer
that fifteen or more shells can be fired from
these guns In action In sixty seconds with
hurried aim. Full accuracy can be ob
tained with from six to ten shots In the
came period.
"The effect on the enemy of this raining
of explosives can be Imagined. Only the
Spaniards can tell exactly what it Is. Splin
ters flylne In all directions , explosions at
every turn , flames starting up In half a
dozen different quarters at once Is it any
wonder that the Spanish ships of Cervera
burned for three or four days ? If the Span
ish ships had been especially constructed
to receive the most possible damage from
our raold-flre guns , th'elr arrangement
co'uld not have been better calculated. With
their flno boats and elaborate woodwork
they were easy food for the flames which
tbo small caliber guns started in every
quarter by splintering the woodwork into
kindlings. Of course , American ships and
guns , American sailors and gunners dldn't ,
hare the opportunity to. prove what they
can do in a good , square , standup fight.
The Spanish have not learned much In the
last 400 years. Their gunnery was wretched ,
their fine armored cruisers didn't show what
armored crullers are really capable of in
a ea fight , and I am afraid they will cot
be much of an addition to our fleet if saved ,
such was the effectiveness of the American
gunnery.
UattlFihlp * Hold Flr t Place.
"Still I am of the opinion , in spite of thi
fact that the ) Spanish cruisers were not tht
best representatives of their class and It
spite of the flno work doneiby our cruisers
that the battleship still holds the palm
It any changes In the construction of tht
battleship are to result from the experl'
ences of this war , I should say that then
ought to be an Increaseof speed powei
and a strengthening of the secondary bat
tcry. In this respect Manila and Santlagi
must rank together. The heaviest gum
that Admiral Dewcy had were elght-lncl
rifles , and , as In the case of Cervera's fleet
the burned and shattered hulks of Mon
tejo's far more numerous squadron lylni
In Philippine waters , are witness to thi
efficiency of the secondary battery. "
Lieutenant M. L. Urlstol , who has beei
on Captain Philip's staff since the Utte
took comaand of the Texas in 1896 , ha
been a careful and enthusiastic observer o
bis ship's performances In the stlrrlni
events oftho past few weeks. It la to th
improvement In the fighting appliances o
the Terms made by such men as Lleutenan
Bristol and Lieutenant F. G. Haesler. whi
is associated with him on the captain'
Eczema.
Mr. H. T. Shobe , 2704 Lucas Ave. ,
St. Louis , Mo. , gays : "My daugh
ter had Ecrema , which covered
her head and spread to her face.
She waa treated by physicians and
taken to celebrated health springs ,
but only grew worse. Many patent
medicines were taken , but without
result , until we decided to try
6. 8. S. A dozen bottles cured her
completely and left her skin per
fectly smooth. Not a sign of the
dreadful disease has ever returned. ' '
S.S.S.fTh Blood
. . . ,
( Swift's Specific ) is the only cure foi
Eczema , and all other obstinate blood
diseases. Valuable books mailed fre
" bj Swift Specific Company , Atlanta , G * ,
staff , that the ship owes much of her splen
did record.
A year and a half ago the Texas was so
much out of date that naval men hardly
counted her an effective part of our fighting
establishment. Since then her Interior me
chanism baa been almost entirely remodeled
from plans drawn by her officers , so that In
the essentials of a fighting ship It seems
worthy to stand beside any of Its slaters. In
fact , the second rate battleship Texas , which
IB not supposed to be In the same class as
the Indiana , Oregon , Iowa and Massachu
setts , Is today , In the light of its actual
achievements , better calculated perhaps
than any other vessel of the navy to stand
for a demonstration of up-to-date sea fight
ing.
ing.As
As the 12-Inch guns which form the main
battery of the Texas were operated before
Lieutenant Haeseler made his Improvements
In the arrangement of the fighting'mechan
ism , they bad to be trained fore and aft or
abeam before they cculd be loaded. Then
they had to be moved Into the position from
which It was desired to fire them. By this
laborious process they could be fired once
In about eight minutes , Lieutenant Haes-
ler's plans practically changed the entire ar
rangement of the Interior of the gun turrets ,
but his greatest Improvement was a controll
ing valve which enables the big guns to be
fired once In minute and
a twenty-nine sec
onds. The power by which the twelve 4-
Inch guns are fired Is now furnished by four
large hydraulic pumps In the redoubt outside
the turret. The difference In effect of half
a dozen 850-pound shells thundering against
an enemy's sides where only one could have
been fired before need not be dwelt upon.
Electricity .Not Fairly Tented.
"Electrical appliances on the modern war
ship and In the various auxiliaries of up-
to-date warfare , " said Lieutenant Bristol ,
"cannot be said to have had a fair trial
as yet. Certainly they have not been of
any great use In either of our big sea fights ,
although this Is not saying that they might
not be of the greatest Importance under
other circumstances. Before war was con
sidered a serious possibility eminent elec
tricians made forecasts of many new ,
strange and valuable uses to which electric
ity would be put in the next contest be
tween civilized nations.
"Ships were to be blonn up while sail
ing over mtno fields unconnected by wires
with shore battery. They were even
to photograph themselves on a chart In the
shore room of an operator , who would then
send a direct current to the mines through
salt water. Torpedoes were to bo projected
through the air to drop on the deck of a
ship and destroy It. Electricity was to be
their propelling as well as their guiding
force. Now what of all this has been re
alized ? What have we learned qf mines
and torpedoes ? About all that Is practical
as the lesson from the mines In Santiago
and Guantanamo harbors , of which the one
on our deck Is a specimen , Is that sub
marine mines ought to be taken up and In
spected at least once a month to keep them
efficient. Otherwise , In tropical climates at
least , mines will be so Injured by general
fouling and the contact pins so overgrown
with barnacles that the whole thing will
be useless and harmless. Not a torpedo
has been exploded In the course of the war ,
and the attempts of the Spanish torpedo
boats to get near our vessels were so
quickly frustrated by the use of the search
lights that this arm of naval warfare , for
which so much was prophesied , may be
pronounced practically barren of results.
"It Is In operation of the searchlight , by
the way , that electricity seems to have been
of the greatest practical benefit. In block
ading work , such as has principally occu
pied the American squadron off Cuba , the
usefulness of the searchlight in guarding
harbor entrances and sweeping the shallow
Inshore waters where light-draught vessels
J may otherwise. vsllp by unobserved , has
i prove'd of the greatest value. When Admiral
Cervera was bottled up In Santiago harbor
tbo Texas and the Brooklyn , or some other
of the fleet , kept their searchlights playing
on the narrow harbor entrance every night ,
and It would have been an Impossibility for
the Spanish commander to sneak out under
cover of darkness , as some of his critics
have suggested that he should have done.
"The electric searchlight may be put down
on the list as one of the modern improve
ments which have really a practical value
In , war. One of the Brooklyn's turrets has
been operated by electricity instead of by
steam or hydraulic power , as the turrets of
the Texas are , but we have not yet heard
any report as to whether this motive power
was found to possess any advantage or not.
Gun * Fired In the Old "Way.
"It is a striking fact that the carefully
contrived range flnders and other delicately
poised appliances for improving the accu
racy of a ship's fire seem to have been for
gotten in the heat of tbo conflict. So far
as I have heard the guns of the Oregon were
sighted and flred in the old-fashioned way.
I know that those of the Texas were , for
the simple reason that our guns are not
fitted with range flnders. Wo used the
standlmeter. to determine the range and
sighted the rapld-flrers Juit as used to be
done with the old-style gun. And yet I
think that for accuracy of fire the work of
the Texas' gunners left little to be desired.
This , of course , is not saying that the range
finder is not a most useful Instrument , es
pecially for long-distance work , but merely
that it waa not brought into play in the
Santiago fight , nor In the battle of Manila ,
which was fought at even shorter range.
"As to armament , the 13-Inch rifle has
proved to be the moat desirable because the
most destructive weapon , and next to It ,
I think , comes the rapid-fire six-pounders.
There can be no doubt that a 13-Inch gun
is preferable to a 12-Inch , such as the
Texas Is armed with , when it Is remem
bered that a 13-Inch fires with equal velocity
and penetrating power a projectile weighing
1,110 pounds , while the 12-Inch shell weighs
only 850. So far as the results of the naval
fighting hare come to hand , It seems tome
mo that the middle calibre guns , such as
the S and 10-inch , might well be dispensed
with. The most efficient armament , so far
as our experience goes , Is found In a main
Juttery of say four 13-Inch rifles and a
large number of small rapid-fire guns. This
principle has already been adopted In the
new battleships which are now building. "
"Of what value are military balloons for
observation purposes on shipboard ! "
"So far as I know , the project of send
ing up a balloon from the ship's deck for
observation purposes was not tried. It is
true that the fleet carried one or two of
( these balloons , but I do not think they were
t ever tested by actual operation. The Idea
does not seem to me to be practical. Front
what I have "heard " from the stationary bal
loon used on shore , about all it did was to
draw the enemy's fire and to concentrate
It where It did considerable harm.
Danger * of Woodwork.
"One great positive lesson of the war Is
the danger of having too much woodwork
about a fighting ship. That was the undo
ing of the Spanish vessels. They were ablaze
almost as soon as the fighting began , and It
didn't take long for the flames to draw the
men from the guns. Of course wood Is
bound to enter In some extent into the con
struction of a ship. The deck of the Texas
on which we were standing Is of wood with
a thin covering of iteel. The steel affords
n fair sort of protection against igniting
from any small projectiles and the wood
makes life below much more endurable.
Were the decks simply steel , or steel cov
ered with linoleum , the men below decks
would get such a continual scorching , es-
peclslly In tropical waters like those about
Cuba , that there wouldn't be much fight left
In them after a short experience of It. Un
questionably , however , the new war ships
will have less and less wood In them to
mitigate the dangers from fire and flying
splinters.
"The telephsae Is another electrical con-
trlvanca which has proved of effectual use In
the recent operations. Its utility , like that
of the searchlight , the great value of smoke
less powder and the effectiveness of the
megaphone have been demonstrated In this
war quite ai unmistakably as the force of
the biff fym and the destructlveness of the
secondary battery. But the wonderful new
mine cables , boats running on wheels at the
bottom of the ocean , the flying torpedoes and
the curcrnt of electricity projected along a
column of water , of which we read before
the war , are as much In the future as ever. "
IN CAMP AT CHICKAMAUGA
Daily Doing * of the Second Xeumakn
Infantry and of Colonel
Hldcm.
CHATTANOOGA , Tenn. , Aug 16. ( Spe
cial Correspondence. ) There have been some
very sensational disclosures of heartless
treatment of patients In army hospitals at
Camp Thomas , A prominent army officer
gave The Bee correspondent a case In point
of negligence of hospital department. A
young man from Nebraska named Ersklne
M. Barnes , brother-in-law of the clerk of
the supreme court of Nebraska , was taken
sick at Camp Thomas and was finally sent
to Fort McPherson , near Atlanta. His father
wrote to the hospital at Camp Thomams
and asked about his son and was told that
he was at Fort Thomas , Ky. The father
then wired to Fort Thomas and was In
formed that his son was not there. He
wrote again to the hospital at Camp Thomas
and finally located his son at Fort McPher
son. He then wired Fort McPherson as to
the condition of his son and received a
telegram stating that he was not there. He
continued to get telegraphic reports for
three days that his son was not at Fort
McPherson and finally , after three days , he
received word that his son was there. The"
fever stricken boy had gone for three days
without any kind of medical attention. The
poor , broken-hearted father received a note
from bis boy , saying : "I am donn with
fever and receiving no attention. "
The father wrote a friend : "I have heard
of the cold-heartcdness of the army sur
geon , but never expected It to bo visited
upon the pride of my life , my own dear boy ,
who was laboring and studying himself to
become a surgeon. I am heart broken. I
can write no more. "
Governor Holcomb has been appealed to
and put In possession of the facts and It
s said will demand an Investigation.
Llke the Ezpoiiltion.
Lieutenant Harding , Second Nebraska ,
visited the Omaha exposition during his ab
sence from camp and brought back glowing
descriptions of the big exposition.
Private Bird J. Chapman of Company A
has been transferred , at his own request ,
to Company D.
Sergeant Clifton R. DeMott of Company
E has been discharged by favor and will
return to his home In Nebraska.
PrUato E. S. Chadwlck of Company E ,
having been discharged from the service at
his own request , left yesterday for his home
In Nebraska.
Quite a number of furloughs are being
granted In this regiment. From six to
eight men from each company are going
home to spend from ten to fifteen days.
Captain Soderqulst of Company A has
mad application for a ten days' leave of
absence and expects to go to his home In
Nebraska.
Private Bllnklron of Company G and Pri
vate Charles Messenger ran a fifty-yard foot
race on Sunday afternoon which was won
by Private Messenger , although he had just
come out of the hopsttal.
Company M has received Information that
the remains of Private Richard Sprague
had reached Wood River , Neb. , and that
an imposing funeral followed. A special
train was run from Grand Island , Neb. ,
to accommodate the friends of the deceased
who desired to attend the funeral.
Musician Boehm' of Company M Is acting
drum major In place of Theodore Naff , who
Is 111.
Private Fred Schlotfeldt of Company M ,
who is a clerk at division headquarters ,
has been granted a three days' furlough
and is spending the time in Chattanooga.
As an evidence that the regimental exchange - ,
change and temperance drink stand of this
regiment have been a source of profit , there
has Just been distributed among the com
panies for the month of July $1,300 , $100
for each company and J100 for the band.
The exchange was started six weeks ago
by a subscription of $25 from each com
pany. Two weeks later this subscription
was paid back.
Private John G. Maher quietly passed a
petition among several of the companies of
the regiment asking that the regiment be
mustered out of service.
Captain A. G. Fisher and Lieutenant L. A.
Dorrlngton of company H , Second Nebraska ,
were entertained at General Colby's head
quarters Monday night In royal style. They
were serenaded by the Eighth New York
regiment band , headed by Major Rompoltl ,
the renowned band leader. Some Chat
tanooga women , acompanled by Lieutenant
Crane and other officers of the Third Ten
nessee , graced the occasion with their pres
ence. General Colby presented Captain
Fisher and Lieutenant Dorrlngton each with
a large photograph of himself and a larger
one of himself and staff.
Corporals Gallop and Kendall and Privates
Davis , Crlmmlns , Dltiler and others spent
their furlough at Rome. Ga. , returning late
Monday night.
Companies C and D , commanded by Cap
tains Hayward and McDonnell respectively ,
are doing outpost duty on the south side of
the park and will be absent from camp for
a week. They went out in heavy marcblng
order and occupy shelter tentg.
First Sergeant Jackson C. Hltchman of
company M Is In Chattanooga on sick leave.
The company stands that were conducted
by individuals have all been closed as a
health precaution. The regimental exchange
was required to bury a large stock of pies ,
cookies , etc. , and will not be allowed to sell
them any more.
The women visiting In the camp undertook
to send a civilian across the guard line after
taps Monday night. The young man ran
amuck a few bayonet points and was
prompty | arrested. He was badly frightened ,
but after considerable explanation he was
released.
The Second Nebraska team will play a
match game of ball with the Chattanooga
amateurs at the city ball park next Saturday.
GrlBMiby'B Ilongh nider * .
Chattanooga's sister towns are still using
every effort possible to have Colonel Grlgs-
b/s cavalry brigade moved away from
Chlikamauga : park. So far , however , they
hate met with no success and nothing defi
nite has as yet been learned as to whether
the brigade will be moved or not. Mr. Howell -
ell of Harriman Junction , Tenn. , was at the
camp yesterday and Informed Colonel
Grlgsby of the advantages offered by that
place. Two representatives from Knoxvllle
were also at the camp Sunday trying to con
vince the colonel that Knoxvllle was "the
only place" for the troops and that they
should be moved there without delay. Nash
ville is also under consideration and Lieu
tenant Way has Just returned from there ,
where he went to see what accommodations
the Nashvllllans would offer. Nashville has
offered the exposition grounds for camping
and drill grounds and has offered the use of
one of the exposition buildings for hospital
purposes. Colonel Grigsby will send some
one to Harriman to confer with the citizens
there before any definite action is taken.
Colonel Crlgiby has received a letter stat
ing that Major Stewart , who is 111 with
typhoid fever In the Presbyterian hospital in
Chicago , Is a very sick man and will proba
bly not be out for five or six weeks.
The Rough Riders are remaining very
close JA camp BOW from tbe fact that the
f
The New Arrivals
Are crowding us for room nnd as
wu'vu hnd n full liousu nt our Jfl.48 ox
ford sale we're golns to continue It an
other week This sale includes nil the
season's latest styles ami colors that
have been goods sellers nt $2.50 and S
you want to make a. note of the fact
that these arc new styles we've a tnblo
full of pointed toe oxfords at $1.00 but
these at $1.48 are the latest out Our
customers have found out that when
we advertise a cut a cut 1m * been made
and that we have tin * "hoes to sell at the
cut prices Come tomorrow before tl > o
sizes are broken.
Drexel Shoe Co. ,
Omaha's Up-to-date Shoe House ,
1419 FARNAM STREET
Here You Are
A good washing machine for $ 'J.t)3 )
does all the work AVe've Just received
a new invoice of the celebrated
"Strausky" steel ware for which we arc
sole agents for Omaha The teakettles
even haven't a seam in them a
No. 8 granite iron teakettle Monday
for 45c Come Monday If you want one
at that price Our line of pocket cut
lery and scissors Is worthy of your no
tice A traveler's sample line just added
gives us a larger assortment than any
other store In Omal We always did
sell cheap.
A. RAYMER ,
WE DELIVER YOUR PURCHASR
1514 Farnam St ,
Issue of all passes and furloughs has been
stopped until after the review tomorrow.
Lieutenants Weddekln and Burkholder ,
who are 111 on Lookout Mountain , and Lieu
tenant Bailey , who is 111 In the city , are re
ported as Improved. Colonel Grlgsby was In
the city and on the mountain last night for
the purpose of visiting the sick officers.
FIELD DAY AT CHICKAMAUGA
Soldier * Have a Little Diversion from
the Routine uf Camp
Dntle * .
CHICKAMAUGA PARK , Aug. 20. The
field day exercises on Snodgrass field today ,
for which preparations have been In prog
ress for some time , are being witnessed by
practically the entire Camp Thomas army
and hundreds of civilians. The exercises
are the first of a series decided upon by
General Brecklnrldge to furnish sport and
diversion and athletic training for the men.
The officials , Judges and timers , are all
officers. Scores of soldiers participate In
the contests. Music is furnished by the
First Missouri band. The lists of events
follow :
Track Events 100-yard run ; 880-yard
walk ; 440-yard run ; 220-yard run ; 880-yard
hurdle ; one-mile run ; relay race , four men ,
regimental team ; five-mile bicycle road
race.
race.Field
Field Events Running high Jump ; put
ting sixteen-pound shell ; pole vault ; stand
ing broad Jump ; tug of war , five men , regi
mental team ; running broad Jump ; wrest
ling.
Military Events Half-mile horse race ,
( heats ) , open to officers and enlisted men ;
musical drill ; exhibition rough riding ; mile
and a quarter steeplechase ( ten obstacles ) ,
open only to mounted officers riding own
mounts.
To the regiment or artillery brigade scor
ing the greatest number of points In field
and track events , according to the scale
below , a suitably Inscribed trophy is
[ awarded.
Scale of Points First , five points ; second ,
three points ; third , one point. The num
ber of entries for each field or track event
Is limited to two from each regiment or
artillery brigade. Prizes awarded to first
and second In each event.
HE BROUGHT IN TWO OFFICERS
MUtake Made by m Man Who Wanted
to Open a Bank Ac-
count.
An American of color propped into QUO
of ho prominent banks of the city yester
day tar the purpose of making a $25 de
posit. It was apparently his first acquaint
ance with a swell banking establishment ,
for It' was only after making various and
divers inquiries that he narrated toward
the proper window and safely arrived there.
He stated the object of his visit , planked
down his money and was handed a certifi
cate of deposit by the clerk , who gave him
the following Instructions as he nodded
toward the president's desk :
"Have it signed by that officer. "
The prospective depositor departed and
tbo clerk paid no more attention to him.
Fifteen minutes later the colored man came
Into the bank with two policemen in tow
and went directly to tbo same window. By
this time another clerk had supplanted the
other , and he looked in some astonishment
and expectancy at the trio that confronted
him.
him."What
"What is it ? " he finally asked.
"You done tole me to hev an ofcer sine
dls paper an' I done brung two of * em , "
responded the colored man with a happy
grin on bis face as be shoved the unsigned
certificate of deposit before the eyes of the
bank clerk. The clerk examined the cer
tificate In astonishment and finally said
with a decided ring of suspicion. In his
tones :
"Where did you get this ? "
The colored man did bis best to explain ,
but his efforts were far from satisfying
the clerk , while the two coppers began to
eye him with a professional glare. At this
critical stage of the proceedings the clerk
who had Issued tbe certificate of deposit
arrived and the situation was explained
to him. He burst out laughing and ex
plained tbe mistake of the would-be de
positor , who Imagined that a policeman
was meant when he was told to have bis
certificate signed by an officer. This time
he was escorted to the president's desk ,
where the certificate was signed , and he de
parted with tbe worried look wiped off bis
face.
I'U.VSIONS FOIl WESTERN VETERANS.
Survivor * of Late War Remembered
by the General Government.
WASHINGTON , Aug. 20. ( Special. )
Pensions have been Issued to the following :
Issue of Aug. 9 :
Nebraska : Original Alfred P. Job , Tcka-
rcah , 16. Reissue Albert P. Mason , Teka-
mah , J12. Original widows , etc. Emily R.
Watson , North Loup , } 3.
Iowa : Original Norrls A. Fink , Rock
Valley. } 6. Additional William Gray , Glen-
wood , 16 to IS. Restoration and Increase
Peter L. Benshoof ( deceased ) , Kellogg , $24.
Renewal Charles W. Lumm , Stennett , ) S.
Increase' William H. McRoberts , Wyoming ,
112 to $17 ; Andrew Hanson , Decorab , 112 to
117 ; William H. Meredith. Lewis , $14 to $17.
Original widows , etc. Mary Wbltlock. Corn
ing. $12 ; Mary E. Bensnoof , Kellogg , ti : .
Colorado : Restoration and Increase John
Skevlngton ( deceased ) , Silver Cliff , $6 to $12.
Original widows , etc. Aseneath A. Kltcbn ,
Denver , $8 ; Mary F. Skcvington , Silver
Cliff , | I2.
WRITES FROM THE TRENCHES
Private Soldier Describes the Battles Hear
Santiago ,
CAPTAIN ROWELL IS BLOWN TO ATOMS
Frank C. McCnne Tell * III * Experi
ence * In the Trenche * Wlthont
Food or Water and Sleep-
In * in tbe Rain.
Frank C. McCune , a son of John W. Mc-
Cune of 1410 North Twenty-fifth street in
this city , enlisted at Salt Lake City last
May for the Second Infantry , U. S. A. , which
was formerly stationed , at Omaha. He waa
employed in the treasurer's office of the
Oregon Short Line at Salt Lake before his
enlistment , and was well known in this
city. He was at Santiago during the
fierce fighting near that point , and has writ
ten to his friends a description of the hard
ships which the private soldier passed
through during that campaign , which Is
probably as correct a statement of the con
ditions that prevailed there as has been
prepared from the standpoint of a man down
in the trenches. The letter is as follows :
IN CAMP ( Outside Santiago ) , Sunday.
July 16. The white-winged dove of peace
Is over our camp now , and last night we
were moved back from tbe trenches and
pitched our "dog tents" for the first time
In fourteen days. Am sitting here with a
cool breeze blowing in. Guard mounting
will be going on In a moment. The fel
lows are laughing or chewing the rag , and
everybody is happy once more.
Our regiment has done no brilliant fight
ing , but we have been here all the time
and stuck it out fourteen days in the
trenches , no grub for three days at a time ,
and sleeping In the mud at night and fighting
in the day. Will give a little of my experi
ences since landing at Slboney.
We lit out from there June 29 and took
two days to march a dozen miles. On the
30th we made camp about two miles below
Fort San Juan ( where the Twenty-fourth
made its gallant charge ) and got a bite of
grub , and next morning bright and early
heard the big guns of the enemy shelling
our batteries. The regiment waded a small
river , filled our canteens , piled our rolls and
haversacks , and filed out for the firing line.
We came up to the Seventy-first New York
along the road , all lying down and the bul
lets were singing a merry tune over our
heads. Another creek to wade and we
struck an open field Just in time to see the
Twenty-fourth swarming tbe crest of the
hill and plant Old Glory on the blockhouse.
Thai la where poor Augustine lost his
life , artfaoagh I did not know of it until
several days after.
Take a Hill Wlthont m Shot.
We swung off to the left ( our position )
and , opening out to a skirmish line , took a
hill at the double , and not a shot from our
side. Well , it was a pretty sight from the
hill , the city foils and batteries and
trenches of the enemy being in full view.
We opened fire on a battery at 1,000 yards
and after we got to firing forgot all about
the shells and bullets coming over. We
silenced that battery all right , but lost
several meo , then took a position over on
our right and opened on the rifle pits of
the Spanish. We plugged away at them for
nearly fifteen minutes , then their big bat
teries got our range and shelled us out.
We retired just behind the hill and put up
a small llpe of pits and laid down until
dusk , when the fighting ceased all along
tbe line. Put out our pickets and sailed in
to dig trenches until dawn. Just had them
about deep enough for cover when the firing
commenced hot and heavy. Well , we kjpt
it up all day long , no grub , no water , and
hot as hades. That night we nearly finished
our rifle pits and got water from a creek a
mile away ; no grub as yet. The next day
was a repetition of the one before and we
lost a good many fellows , our first sergeant
among them.
We were relieved that noon by the Third
for three or four hours , and came down to
eat and bury our dead. H was tbe saddest
thing I ever saw. We put the poor fellows
away In one big trench for A and H
companies. Tbe captain read the burial
service , his white old head bare , tbe rain
coming down hard and shells and bullets
over our heads like a hailstorm. We sang a
verse of "Nearer , My God to Thee , " and the
bushed voices made but a poor attempt.
We took our position at 5 , and at dusk
marched out to the hill once more and
stacked arms , which w&s a fatal mistake on
our part. Tbe company started to finish
the trenches and part of us were lying don
asleep , waiting our turn to dig , when "biff ,
bang , " and a roar , the ball opened with a
night attack. Of all the confusion that was
the worst. No one had his rlflt ; every one
was yelling orders , and to crown the whole
bloody business the Ninth Massachusetts
volunteers , Just below , opened fire on us.
Here we were , nothing to do , but lie down.
The Massachusetts troops were ordered oft
by our major , and we got our rifles and
pumped tbe old magazines to a finish , and
all along the fighting line came our steady
volleys. The troops all got Into order , the
Sixth opened their old Gattllng gun and they
simply slaughtered those Spaniards.
Captain Bovrell it Killed.
Next day a flag of truce came over , and
all day long they burled their dead and we
Improved the time by fixing our pits. The
truce lasted from the 4th until the 10th ,
and never a rest all that time , but we
managed to get pork , hardtack and coffee.
Well , they told the Spaniards if they didn't
surrender we would open on them at 4
o'clock on the 10th. Tbe Spaniards failed
to see the error of their way and we sat
there under tbe shelter of our pits and sand
bags and listening for tbe first gun. It
came all right , about 4:10 : exactly , and we
jumped to tbe portholes all along the Hoe ,
eight or nine regiments ; the place slrap'.y
hailed bullets at the beggars. Our com
pany had the worst loss that day. The- first
skot from tko fipulsb , a sbtll , ( truck our ;
Our New Fall Carpets
Arc meeting with n rendy sale but
vro wnnt to sell more of them > Ve have
every grade from the modest Inprnlu
to tlio elaborately patterned Wilton If
motley savins Is nu object to you this
Is the place to come to buy We espe
cially extend an Invitation to all expo
sition visitors to come la anrt Inspect
these new carpetlnps You will tlml-our
prices and patterns equally Interesting.
Omaha Carpet Co
Omaha's Exclusive Carpet House ,
1515 Dodge St.
Nowhere Else in Omaha
Can you find so many pianos Ours Is
the largest In number and the largest
In variety aud the lowest in price-
Pianos at $ less than they arc sold
for anywhere went of Chicago Don't
take our word for it price them every
where you go then come to the largest
music house In the west We not only
sell them cheap but we give easy terms.
Small payment down and a small one
each mouth The new "Hospe" piano Is
a wonder fully $100 less than Us equal
la any other make.
A. HOSPE ,
loslc ml JrU 1513 Douglas
The War Is Over
And what we want now is a loc ! ko
dak rate to the exposition and that's
what you would have had we anything
to do with the concession but we
haven't but that doii't keep us from
kicking let everybody kick \Ve never
give anyone an opportunity to kick
when they get their photo supplys from
us the goods are right the price is
right and you feel right free use of
our dark room and burnisher to all visi
tors at the exposition We do develop
ing and printing and guarantee satis
factory work $1.00 for a kodak , only
50c for yourself It's absurd.
TheAloe&PenfoldCo
Ai > at ar Paolo o t > .
1401 Farnam Street.
Futon HottL
DISAPPEARED
And Will Continue to Disappear Until
All Have Disappeared.
HENRY COPLEY , 21P S. 15TH STREET
Say * Howard TV'atchei are Rapidly
Dliappearln * From III * Stock Alt
on Account of the Price Mr. Cop
ier i * A kln * for Theie _
Wntchci.
The Howard watch Is recognized ai the
best watch made formerly it was to high
priced to come Into common use , but Mr.
Copley can now sell a good Howard move
ment In a first-class filled case for $38 00
same watch sold a few years ago for 155.00.
He would be pleased to have you investi
gate and convince yourself that these time
pieces are cheap.
If you do not need a new watch take
your old one to Mr. Copley he will clean
it nicely and make It look and net as good
as a new one. He Is watch examiner for
the Union Pacific railway and Is reliable.
He makes a specialty of line diamond set
tings.
pits and knocked them silly , a second shell
came through , and exploding just at our
pit struck Captain Rowell at the waist ,
blowing him to pieces , another man's arms
and chest off , and tbe eyes out of a third
poor fellow. It was awful , I tell you. The
captain's hat waa blown into a tree fifty
feet away ; pistols and spyglass blown to
slivers and nothing left but his legs. The
men picked up tbe fragments as best they
could that night and we burled them. The
next day commenced toe bloody ork once
more. About 12 o'clock tbe flag of truce
went up once more , this time to stay.
We have been in the pits since then , all
ready , our fingers on the triggers , but no
order came to fire , and yesterday the whole
cheesa surrendered. Well , we were happy.
Plenty of grub once more , tents up end
the strain off our nerves and every one
going around visiting , getting shaved and
taking baths. This Is about the fight as I
can tell It , though there have been a hun
dred little incidents to make a fellow laugh
and forget that men are dropping next to
you , lack of grub , lying all night in tbe
mud and all day in the beat.
Sleep In a Pouring Rain.
When you are so tired with handling a
pick and shovel you will lie down and sleap
with the rain coming down hard all night ,
eat raw pork and pick a hardtack out of
the mud and bless your lucky stars you
can get it , then you think after it is
all over , what Is tbe good of war ? The
Island of Cuba is not worth half tbe poor
fellows who have fallen.
Tbe church bells over in Santiago are
tolling for early mass as our reveille
sounded , the sun Just coming over the hill
and it's all like a strange dream now.
At 9 o'clock we go Into the pits once more
to receive the surrender of the Spanish.
I dropped this at 9 a. m. and we all pulled
out to be under arms when tbe HIspanos
surrendered. Assembly sounded and we
climbed the hill once more. It was quite
a panorama. Way across the hills on the
other side of the valley our troopa were
lined up , each regiment with its battleflng
waving , and at tbe first gun the cheering
began : each regiment three "hip , hip , hur
rahs ! " It was like a ripple and ran from
regiment to regiment all around the city
for a doien miles and more. 'The bands
played "The Star Spangled Dannor , " hats
waving and cannon booming. Then they had
"Hall Columbia , " and after that as we were ,
marching back played "Tbe Qreat PrUe
Fight Is Over. " We flred a salute of forty-
five guns and Old Olory waves over tbe city.
PASSING STHANGK.
George Nadeau , a Maine outlaw , captured
last week after a six years' chase by tbe
federal officers , Is unable to read and can
barely write his own name , yet he has for
some time been supervisor of schools In his
town , St. Francis , and uUo a constable
there.
Randolph H. Waters , an inmate of tbe
Soldiers' Home at Leavenworth , Kan. , vis
ited a cemetery at Elmwood , Kan. , and read
tbe epitaph over a grave which was sup
posed to be his. His sister had placed the
heaiituue over the grave two years ago.
Waters ran away from home at tbe begin
ning of tbe civil war , and after it was over
he went west.
Captain Joshua Slocum of Gloucester ,
Masi. , has just completed a trip around the
world in the Spray , a vessel only forty feet
long He covered 46,000 miles and weathered
over 100 cales. He brought back a boatload
of trophies , and the one he prizes the most
is a book given him by Mrs. Fannie Steven
son , the widow of Robert L. Stevenson , when
b went ashore la Samoa. CipUIn Slocum
It Does Matter
Who launders your linen , if you're at
all particular about it , and most men are.
If you've never tried the City Steam mode
of laundering , and are not quite sure thnt
laundry work differs , send us your next
bundle and compare with any you've ever
had. We've no doubt ns to the result we
think we'll have you for a regular patron
afterwards. Besides , you might just as
well have the best possible as long as you
have any. AVagons call.
CITY STEAM LAUNDRY
SHIRT WAISTS A SPECIALTY.
Telephone 254.
Lanndrr lltn and Farnam.
Uptown Offlc * 1K17 Farnaoi.
Uld not have to buy any provisions on th >
trip and he made a snug sum of money de
livering lectures at points where the English
language is understood. His trip occupied
three years. ,
Samuel Packard Immigrated to this coun
try in 1C3S , and settled In tbe now historic
town of Hlngbam , Mass. His wife and
daughter came with him. From his family
have sprung 7,000 descendants. Ten years
ago there was a Packard reunion at Brock
ton , at which 1,200 members were present.
The 260th anniversary of his arrival was
held in Avon , Mass. , August 10. -
Tbe orders of decoration worn by Em
peror William of Germany arc worth over
1,000,000 marks ( a little over $230,000) ) . His
principal and most valuable decorations are >
the Insignia of the Black Eagle , the Order
of St. John , of the Garter and of the Tolsoa
d'Or. In all he has over 200 crosses , start ,
badges and other insignia.
A Chinese gentleman who has traveled In
America describes Americans in an essay
In one of his home periodicals as "a curious
people , who eat bullocks and sheep In great
quantities , have to batbo frequently , dress
all alike , and never sit by the graves of
ancestors for enjoyment but
, jump about ou
wheels and kick balls , also show their lack
of dignity by walking In public with their
wives and daughters. "
James R. Jobln of Missouri has the strans-
est home in the United
States. He lives on
a floating Island , in the Mississippi , known
as Arsenal Island. The Island Is the prop
erty of J. 8. Pittsfield of Illinois , but U
leased by Jobln , who lives upon it. His
bouse is in the midst of a pretty grove of
willows , elms , sycamores and cottonwoods
at the upper end of the Island. It is a mod
est little one-story building , with flvo
rooms , which are > ery clean and comfort *
able. It Is surrounded by storsge house !
and poultry yards. Stretching away from
the grove are many acres of fertile land la
an excellent state of cultivation. Since 1S53
Arsenal island has moved southward 8,000
feet.
Pythian Supreme I.odife Meeting.
INDIANAPOLIS. Ind. , Aug. 20. The larg
est and most Important
meeting of the su
premo lodge , Knights of Pythias , ever held ,
the greatest encampment of the Uniformed
Rank for many years , and tbe supreme meet
ings of the Sisters Rathbone , Pythian Sister
hood , Knights of Khossahan , will begin her *
next Monday. The city Is already decorated
as It never ban been before and the paraden
and members of tbe order are vlelng with
each other to make the meeting tbe greatest
success in the order's history , Every day ,
morning and evening there will be some
thing on. Tbe cheap rate * on tbe rallroadi
vent into eflect this morning and the In
coming trains were crowded. The meetings
will continue all of next eek and the su
preme lodge will be In session two weeks.
A Plttsburg company has received an order
for 770 tons of steel plate , to be used in tb
construction of steamers at Belfast. This
is the largest
single shipment ever mad *
from this country. . .
