The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1882-05-12
LIEUTENANT DELONG AND FAMILY.
A Fine Officer Lost to Country and Family

NEW YORK, May CA reporter was the
first to announce the finding of belong and
his party to his relatives in this city. Mrs.
belong is in Burlington, Iowa, where she
has remained with sister since last Deem
Der. Her parents and brother live at $50
West Eleventh street in this city, and in a
room where DeLong had his headquarters
for four months during the winter and
spring of 1870. The reporter listened to
"reminiscences of his whole life and incidents
connected with the preparations of his last
voyage. On the walls of the pleasant parlor
hang picture of the Jeanette and photo
graph of the commander, taken when he was
in the Naval Academy. 1t was here that all
of his correspondence both with Bennett and
the Navy Department was carried on.
VIM. c. Wolton, of Messrs. DeLong &
Bro, showed the reporter letter written
from San Francisco just previous to the sail
ing of the Jeanette for the Arctic seas, in
which he speaks hopefully of the prospective
| voyage.
"He always insisted" said Wolton, "that
he would come back. He told his wife that
although the ship might be wrecked, he
would return. when shall l expect you?'
| asked Mrs. belong. in three years, but
wait five years. If you do not hear from me
before, you may imagine all accident has
befallen us. Yes, always expect us until we
| get back 1t was his confident manner, his
| assurance and faith in the success of the
voyage that gave Mrs. DeLong so many
hopes ever since she knew the vessel was
abandoned. Only to-day in a letter received
from her she speaks Of expecting to come to
New York In the latter part of this month
and says she is striving to keep strong and
healthy, so that she may nurse her husband
when he is found. She wanted TO 60 to St.
Petersburg to meet the party. but we did
not consider that she could stand the fatigue
of such journey. Mrs. Danenhower has
invited her to visit at her home in Washing.
ton to meet Lieutenant Danenhower upon
his turn.
"Concerning belongs early days, / CAM
say much. He was In The city in 1914, and
while he did not receive college education
owing to the death of his father when mere
lad, he did obtain a thorough public schoo
education. He was a protege of Archbishop
Quinn, who was friend of his mother. She
too, died many years ago, and he had ne
brothers or sisters, and no near relatives.
do not know what gave him a liking for thu
navy, but think his father had been nava
officer. Benjamin Wood secured his ap
pointment at the Naval Academy. Eads
who was killed by torpedo explosion q
Newport last summer, was his classmate ant
warm personal friend. II Is somewhat sin
gular that both of them should have me
tragic Deaths" .a ..
In personal appearance DeLong was tai
and commanding, and weighing about
$50 pounds when he left here three year.
ago. He was very social, and was brilliant
in conversation. His extensive travel
coupled with a keen observation and pleas
ing way of telling what he had seen, made
his society courted, without being in tn,
slightest degree egotistical.
Although a naval officer, and emil!
away from home great deal, he was yer.
domestic in his habits and fond of his fami
ly. For three or four years he was the ex
ecutive officer on the school ship st. Mary
and, of course, being near the city, could liv'
with his family. When be was on the mon
itor Lehigh, in Port Royal harbor, Mrs. De
Long was with him, and with little Sylvia
their only child, now ten years old, she wen
to London with him In 1878. II was while
there that he was detailed to the ship after
ward known os the Jeanette, to Havre
where it was renamed IN honor of Bennetts
sister. ..
The Jeanette left Havre on July II, 1878
and passing through the Straits of Magel
Ian reached San Francisco after voyage O
165 days. Mrs. belong says the six month.
she spent on the Jeanette were the happies
days of her life. She was the only lady or
board, and passed her time III reading, sew
ing, and teaching her little daughter, who
insisted on being on deck with her father al
the time she could. One of the sledges fol
the expedition was named after her.
1t was this expedition which gave him q
desire to seek to find the North Pole. Hi
received encouragement from Henry Grin
mel and Bennett. 1t was the many inter
views on the subject which gave the use o.
the Jeanette to the expedition. While hi
was so confident of success and of returning
to his home, he never for a moment forgot
the fact that he was going on new route
It was no foolhardy undertaking on his part
He studied the matter carefully.
Commander Brown, who had charge O
the Jeanpatte. admired belong very much,
saying, II i,aJ " sclra'. ee DIAN from thu
whole navy 10 COMMAND ~ AicLic expedi
tion, 1t would be George DeLcng."
Ex-Postn1aster Clarey Indicted.
OMAHA, May Can Indictment is report
Il "a th;s aftarnnou In tho ITuitnG CT atar cntfrf