The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-04-26

NEW YORK, April 25.-The rain came down in
drizzlng showers at the navy yard yesterday after
noon as the crowd of men and women began to
gather along the bulkhead where the Greedy relief
steamer Bear was moored. On the trunk of the
cabin skylight was great polar bears head made
of white and red pinks, a model of the Bear in
flowers floral dory, and around them were bou-
DUETS and cut flowers in profusion. The deck of
the steamer was kept clear of visitors, and only
few sailors and occasionally an officer could be
seen.
About O'Clock Commander Sehley, accompan-
led by Commodore Fillebrown and Capt, Kirkland
came down the bulkhead, and the crowd, which at
that time stood ten deep, made way for them to
pass over the gangway. Lieut.. W. II. Emory, COM
mander of the Bear. received him and then ordered
the officers and crew to gather aft. The men form
ed in ranks sthwartships, while the officers
stood in group against the rail on the port side.
Commander Schley read the general order Of the
Secretary of the Navy already printed. When he
had finished reading he said:
call your attention to the fact that you are sail
ing on the day set the Oath of April. You are off
on time. believe you will be able to accomplish
the object of this expedition and that is the rescue
fate. believe that you will aid in every effort
made. I hope there will be no occasion to punish
any man on the expedition; / think there will be
none. wish you good luck
Then this telegram from Secretary Chandler to
Leut. Emory was read:
1 wish you and all your comrades good health,
good courage and good luck. Goodbye. DIE
W. E. CHANDLER, Secretary.
II say the same' added Commander Schley,
after which he shook hands with the officers and
the boatswain piped down.
Then the chain cables were cast of and the haw-
sers were singled up. Inc government tug Catalpa
of the American Yacht Club, of which Lieut..
Emory is honorary member, was run to the
was run M on the flagstaff over the taffrail.
At O'Clock the crowd had increased to 5000
people, and the navy yard band came down and
stood under a ship house shed, where it played
''Auld Lang Syne.' When boatswain's mate John
Quevedo began to shin up the main rigging to clear
the fouled fly, the band played the more cheerful
strain of '"The Girl Left Behind Me-"
In the meantime, the tug Catalpa had pulled the
Bears head out from the bulkhead. Lieut.. Emory
mounted the bridge, while Executive oficer Crosby
took the trumpet and directed the men about decks
Capt Barrymore the navy yard pilot, also took the
bridge, and at 3.15 the last rope was thrown off
and the Bear forged ahead clear of all. The Alert
at the dock, not far ahead, and astern was the
Thetis, taking coal from Spanish steamer.
When the Bear drew up alongside of the Alert
her engines were slowly backed, and then, as she
began to make way toward the river, hundred
sailors swarmed up the rigging of the Alert. TAX
ing off their broadtopped caps they gave three tre
mendous cheers for the success of the expedition.
The men on the Bear leaped into the shrouds
and, with the officers, forward returned the cheers
heartily. Then the thousands along the shore took
it up, and, with hats off and handkerchiefs in air.
cheered and shouted till they were h0arse. Over
the receiving ship Colorado $50 whtecoated sailors
climbed on the rail and cheereo their good wishes
for those on board the Bear. The big side-wheel
steamer c. H. Northrup and half a dozen little har-
Dor steam tugs were passing up the river. Their
pilots saw what was:going on and their whistles
awoke the echoes in prolonged blasts, which were
answered by Lieutenant Crosby at the whistle
string Of the Bear.
Well out in the East River the Bear headed down
towards Governors Island. Pier heads both
sides of the river, the windows of manufacturing
establishments, and the vessels of all kinds con-
tanned crowds of people, who were watching the
departure Flags hoated from the statfs on the
tail bridge piers. The ferryboats added their
whistles to the din raised by unnumbered tugs. Not
since Evacuation Day has the East River seen such
an ovation. A short distance below the bridge one
of the Governors Island tugs steamed alongside the
Bear as an escort.
Off the Battery the big steamer Republic was seen
coming down the North river, and when abreast of
her flag to the Bear she did So At this place the
Catapa east off her lines. and the Republic, the
Bear and the tug passed on through the Narrows
The Bear and the tug were making about eight
knots an hour and soon dropped astern OF the big
steamer.
The Thetis received the last of her coal yesterday
She will sail next week. Riggers are overhauling
the Alert. She will be placed in the dry dock for
an examination of her bottom.
The following have been selected for the
Alert, and are now on the Colorado
Able SeameN-William Bloom, Albert Jones, Jo-
seph Doyle, Alex. Watson, Thos. Beswetherick Al
exander Switzerland, Thomas Bragger, Adam
Weissel, Salvador Tordegoes. Frank Blovins Chas.
Tristram, Ormond Olsen, Charles Anderson, Chris
Guyken and Philip Schantz.
Ordinary Seaman-Herman Lara, Howard Della
ney, and Edward p. Thompson.
Landsmen (servants)-Wa ldemar Wettergren and
Alof Andersen; coal beavers, William Hass and
John Wachter; second machinist, John j. Green
first-class fireman, John Kelly; second class fire.
men, John Watts, Thomas Wilson ana Tho mas S.
Roberts.