Evening journal., 1889-06-17
UNFINISHED WAR SHIPS.
The Baltimores and Petref
Months Behind.
MORB MONEY IN FERRYBoATs.

And the Contractors cen Afford 10 Lose
500 Per Day-The Navy Departments
Annoy ed The Accident to the Charles
ton.
WASHINGTON, June 1.-THE Sunday Her
aid says; One Of the greatest trials which the
navy department has TO encounter is the re-
markable manner In which the contractors
for the new ships are acting. The Petrol and
Baltimore are months behindhand, and the
government Is exacting from each daily
penalty. 1t was expected that tLe Baltimore
would have been completed in every respect
by this time, but the contractors now an
chinery will be made this week for their ex-
elusive use. The official trial is a matter OK
the dim future, as it is almost certain that a
number OF defects win be discovered which
will have 10 be remedied
In regard 10 the Petrol the Columbia iron
works OF Baltimore, which had the contract
for this ship found It more advantageous for
them TO finish feet Of ferryboats for the.
railroad company than fulfil their contract
with the United States They could make,
more money by paying the government pen-
atty Of 800 per day and working on the
ferryboats than they could had they fin
ished the Petrol OF course this state OF af-
fairs could not last forever and lately the
navy department has received word that tha
ship is about ready for her official trial
The accident 70 the Charleston will dela y
her second trial at least two months, as IL has
become necessary to procure new slides for
those damaged in the recent trial IN Santa
Barbara channel While the con tractors look
upon the accident as one most trivial In char
acter and importance, the fact that il takes
such length of time to repair II looks 10 the
average layman that the accident Is more
extended than was given out At any rate,
II will be welcome news when one OF the ships
is ready to he turned over to the government
to he utilized for effective service.
Twenty-Five Thousand Competitions.
WASHINGTON, June 17--Twenty thousand
school children, members OF The Washington
Posts Amateur Authors association, covered
six acres Of ground in the Smithsonian instl-
tute park. They had assembled 10 witness
the awarding Of the gold medals offered by
The Post 70 the scholars In each OF the eleven
grades Of the public schools who submitted
the best composition upon given subject
Twenty-Five thousand compositions were sub
mitted TO the $50 teachers Of the schools, and
each teacher selected the best three compost
tions submitted by her scholars, the re-
mainder being held by the superintendent.
These chosen compositions were glyen to .
committee Of thirty-three, selected from the
most distinguished people in the city, and
representing the best circles Of political.
/ official and social life.
The president had intended to be present.
but as he had gone down the river, tile White
House WIS represented by Private Secretary
| Halford and Col. John NJ Wilson, superin-
tendent q public buildings and grounds. On
the platform were large number Of distin-
guished people, including Gen. Greely and
the Costa Rican minister, whose son secured
a prize.
Addresses were made by Willis b. Haw-
kins, the president OF the association; Will
lam B. Powell, superintendent OF the rublio
schools, and Associate Justice Samuel 4.
Miller, Of the supreme court Handsome gold
medals were then awarded 70 each Of the de-
serving pupils.