The People's vindicator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1874-1883, 1880-11-06

saw also the brush-heaps, concluded
l would take the job"
Uncie Bent had conceived sudden
respect for his nephew. That respect
was heightened considerably four days
later, when he went out to look at the
completely demolished bowldsr, and the
following dialogue occurred:
"Well, nephew, you've got some
pretty good heaps of stone here. Ill
save you the further trouble Of taking
them away"
"But don't want you to save me the
trouble" said Wallace.
"What do you mean to do with 'em?'
Uncle Bent asked in some surprise.
"Sell 'em!" said Wallace.
"Sell 'em9'' echoed the old man
"What are they good for?"
"Good for wall stone; especially for
the foundation of a barn-if any body is
going to build one right on the spot
And Wallace turned up keen eye a,
hisMncle.
"you mean ! am to buy 'em of yOue"
"Thcy are worth more to you than to
any body else. But il you don't wan
them, I've talked with the carpenters; |
know who will take them"
Uncle Bent was astOnished, but not
displeased.
"Well, what do you ask for emp
"Mr. Wilson looked at them thi
forenoon; he said they were worth ten
dollars to you--he would give me tive.
and haul them away"
"Well, we'll, nephew! it's sharp
bargain you are driving with your old
uncle! But it's all right. You shall
have your ten dollars for breaking up
the rock, and ten more for the rock now
it is broken. And Ill tell you what!
Come and work for me. You may
choose your own place-in the Store or
in the mill. guess boy with such a
head rs yours on his shoulders can be
made useful"
"You are too late," replied the
nephew. GIVE just engaged myself to
a friend of Mr.. Wilson'S. l am going
to be an architect. ~. T. 7rowJridge,
IN Youths Companion.
Sale Of the Famous Stevens Battery.
The Stevens Battery has been sold at
auction. by order Of the Chancellor Of
New Jersey, for $4,000. The name Of
the purchaser was William Lainbeer, of
New York. The marine monster lies at
the foot OF Second and Third Streets,
Hoboken, n. j. Nearly $4,000, 900 have
been expendedpn this vessel since its
inception, which nearly dates back to
1913, aud OF the al 900, 900 left by the
will OF Edwin A. Stevens to complete
the vessel less than 100000 remain.
By Il provision of the will the vessel after
completion was to be presented to the
State of New Jersey. A question arose
about three years ago as to the real
ownership Of the vessel, and the Court
of Chancery decided that under the will
it belonged to the state of New Jersey:
The executors of the estate then carried
an appeal to the United States Supreme
Court. When Il motion was made that,
as the estate had not sufficient money to
complete the battery, which occupied q
large plot Of land that at present produces
nothing to the estate. it had better be
sold, the Court decided that it should be
sold. The experiments of the late
Robert l.. Stevens on the effect Of the
impact Of shot and shell upon iron pla
ting led in 1882 to the perfection Ola
plan of an iron-clad vessel. In 1913
through the assistance Of his brothers, &
contract was made with the Government
to build an iron clad vessel Of hiGt
speed and with all its machinery below
the water-line. Owing to the marked
progress in ordnance Mr.. Stevens fea,et
his vessel might prove too vulnerable
and in 1854 the ship was given up ane
the keel of much larger vessel wa
laid. AS with the preceding de
sign, the course Of cOnstruc
ton suffered many interruptions
The Government advanced funds
and then refused to continue the work
Successive Administrations alternatel,
encouraged and discouraged the en-
gineer, and he finally, emitting loos'
from all official connections, went o,
with the work at his own expense. Thu
! work was conducted with the creates
secrecy, as it was considered matte
of National importance that no knOwl
edge of it should reach foreign powers
. The designs were for the heaviest guns
and to BE- mounted on turntables AM
, worked the same as our monitors. Whel
Robert S. Stevens died in 1856, leavin,
, his brothers, j. G. and E. A. Stevens
, to complete the work, there only re
! NAMED the work of adding the armo
, plating and guns. The Government
refused to accept the terms Of Edwin
|. A. Stevens to complete the vessel, AM
when he died the work still remaine'
, unfinished in a basin covered by q ship
, house which thoroughly protects he
from the weather. She lies in the sam
i, condition, and the estimated cost 70
: finishing is S45O,OOO. She is 401 feet il
!; length, IS feet beam, % feet draft, an
a displacement of 6,OO6 tons. She ha
the sharp bow and fine lines 80 essentia
, : to the efficient working Of screw pro
\ pellers. She is built with q double bo|
tom, one shell inside the other, twenty
: two inches apart, with seven TRANSFERS
= bulkh heads carried across below the boz
a deck. COal-bunker bulkheads forwar
and aft, and smaller bulkheads in q
q ends Of the vessel, add greater strengt
y to the structure. The double bottom
divided into water-tight spaces, 81 f.
q apart, thus enabling the vessel to \
+ ceive heavy shocks without endangetan
q its safety. There are ten steam boilel
of a total weight Of 255 tons, four e
, gines OF over 6,0O0-horse power to DIN
= twin-screws, and coal-bunker capacil