West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1891-07-16
SHES rHAT HIGHT No MORE
Old Vessels Arc Fast Disappearing Before
the New Ones.

Old Vessels Arc Fast Disappearing Before
the New Ones.
or the nearly seven hundred steam
vessels which were recorded upon the
navy register In 1868 at the close OF the
civil war there now remain only the
Lancaster. Pensacola. Hartford, Rich
mond, kcarsarge, lroquois. Wabash,
Minnesota, Franklin, Yantic, Monoc-
acy. Michigan, Palos and Pinta. besides
the thirteen single-turretcs monitors.
This entire feet carries fewer guns
than were carried by three OF the origi-
nal ships OF the navy-the Constitution,
the Constellation and the United States
lin the war OF 1912. Four OF the obso-
lete warships, old-timcrs that were ia
miliar 20 the navy-yard hospital nurses
and which had been condemned by the
government. lost their opportunity Of
ever again having their wounds healed
Mt any navy-yard and were sold 20 the
highest bidder for old Junk a short
time ago. which fact was recorded in.
the Washington dispatches Mt the time.
IL IS likely, says the Chicago News.
that whoever visits now bay, pictur-
esquc arm OF Long Island sound. will
have his curiosity excited by Il picture
that will suggest TO him n marine junk
shop IL is place whore the business
OF breaking up old ships Is carried on.
II is the place where the last scene of
the eventful histories OF very many OF
the war vessels have been enacted and
where the old brooklyn and the Quin-
nibaug will have their weary and rot
ten bones laid away TO rest. Thct Is,
they will be torn or blown to pieces
All that can be taken apart with the
crowbar and the axe and saw will be
taken OUT intact. and then dynamite
will be brought into play to complete
the ruin. The timbcrs and planlSs that
can be got out whole will be sold to
the farmers and contractors for build
ing barns and bridges; and there Is
many bridge along the drives on
Long Island upon the timbers OF which
may be still seen the names of seamen
and landsmen. cut in by those who
fought and died in battle on the Gucr-
riere, the Roanoke, the Shamrock, the
Powhatan and others of the war YES
sells. Aside from these few timbcrs,
the iron, copper and other metals are
the only really valuable things in the
ship The copper. of course, is most in
demand and always brings good
price, and after 1t is taken out IL Is
sent. as also Is the brass, TO the smclt-
crs at bridgeport. Most of the iron is
sold to the foundry at milestone,
where II Is broken up, reworlsed and
rerolled. The old machinery and boil
.ers are also disposed of 10 the iron
workers.
Finally. when everything is taken
out that is of any value and when all
the timber is taken out that viii paw
for the labor, whether for building or
hrewood, the rest of the hall is set ON
fire and burned. The sight of one of
these burning vessels at night Is really
a brilliant one. The verdigris ard other
combustible matter in the timber give
Off rich lights of the most brilliant tints
and some of the superstitious sight
seers have vowed that oftentirnes the
ghosts of dead mariners have been seen
walking the sands and digging in them
for their stolen kits. 1t has often been
a matter of wonder to those who know
nothing about the value OF old Junk as
to where the buyers of these old vessels
make a profit. For instance, the old
Quinnebaug was bought for about six
teen thousand dollars and the buyer
will no doubt make pretty fair profit
upon his speculation.
Upon some of these old hullss there is
often saved out some particular part of
the vessel that is looked upon as
valuable for relic. One of the great
est treasures of the odds and ends from
these old ships is the steering wheel
OF the old Constitution, or old
lronsides," as she was called The
vessel IS at present at Portsmouth navy
yard. The old sailing ship Cyane.
which was one of the vessels she cap
tured in 1915. and which did service for
many years nftcrward in the Pacific,
was sold few years ago and broken
up.