Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1885-03-26
TALES BY A TAR.
One of the TaIIapoosa's Crew Tells
His Adventures.


His Adventures.
Boston Globe.
Upon a terrace on the left bank of
the Mystic river, in Chelsea, stands
the United States naval hospital. The
main hospital building faces the river,
and IS 149 feet long by 70 feet deep.
The older portion of it was erected in
1885, and 1t was enlarged to its present
proportions IN 1865. 1t is built of
stone, and its walls of massive thick
ness look as if capable of withstand
ing the storms of centuries. The
hospital grounds comprise nearly one
hundred acres, and a more DELIGHTFUL
spot for Uncle Sans jolly tars to re-
crult IN It's difficult 10 imagine. Sick
and disabled officers and men often
come to 1t from a great distance, its
freedom from all malarial influences
making it especially well adapted for
patients from the south Atlantic
squadron, as well as from all southern
climates.
Situated about an eight of a mile
from the main hospital is a small and
well>arranged building for smallpox
patients, though it is rarely occupied
the diseases most common in the hos
pltaI beng those contracted by expos
IRE, such as rheumatism ard pulmen-
ary troubles. On an average forty
tour patients were treated daily in 1884,
ana during the past summer there
were but two cases of malarial fever,
and none of scurvy nor yellow fever.
Inc running expenses of the hospital
are paid by special appropriations and
the naval hospital fund, the latter
consisting of a tax of 20 per cent. per
month levied on every enlisted man
IN the navy and marine corps. It now
has thirty seven patients, but has ex-
ceIlent accommodations for one hun
dred, and could on an emergency ac-
commodate $50.
A Globe reporter lately took stroll
through its comfortable wards and
conversed with some of the PATIENTS
I've been foolerip' the sea for MORN
thirty year, " said one old tar, ''an'
have been in the navy bout twelve
years. | sailed from England when I
was Ii years of age, in the merchant
service, an was nine years in China
waters. 1 was at the fightin' at Tien
Sing in '72, but was not hurt any,"
I've been In the merchant service
most of my life, +" said another, ''and
only three years in the navy. ] was
on the Tallapoosa when she went
down. was in my hammock when
the collision took place, and the shock
threw me out, breaking one of my
fingers and bruising my legs and
knees. got on deck in time to lump
overheard just as sac was going down,
and was picked up by one of the boats.
1t was a narrow escape, and the
strangest part Of it was that it hap
pened Aug. 81. Jan. 81, 1882, I was
wrecked off Cape Hatteras in a bark
called the T. L. Carney, hailing from
New York. We were bound from the
West Indies to Baltimore with cargo
Of guano. 1t was about o'clock in
the afternoon when we struck and
very dark and foggy. The chief mate
was IN charge at the time, the captain
being sick. There was eleven of us
aboard, all told. About three hours
after she struck she commenced to
break up, and we all took to the boats.
There was heavy southeast wind
blowing, and we hadn't got more n
five fathoms astern of the ship when
we were swamped in the breakers. An
old man in the crowd-I've forgotten
his name-Went down at once, and
the rest of us climbed on to the bot
tom Of the boat. What night that
was! One after the other my ship
mates got benumbed with the cold,
and was washed off By 3 o'clock
il the morning I was alone on the
boat. About o'clock the boat struck
on sand bank as she drifted through
the Hatteras inlet. staid on her
until daylight, when was picked up
by Capt Gill, Of the schooner Watch
full.
Il was quite deaf and SO benumbed
that they had to lift me into the boat.
All that kept me alive that night was
the bowl Of an old wooden pipe that
had. The stem was gone, and / broke
the bowl in pieces and chewed it,
Capt. Gill put me ashore at Hatteras,
and I staid there seven weeks trying
to find the bodies of my shipmates.
wanted very much to find the cap
tain, but was only able to find three
of the crew. From there [ came to
Washington and shipped IN the the
navy. My name is Charles J. Carl
son. was born IN Sweden"