The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-06-02
END OF GID WAR SHIPS.
THE VESSELS OF THE CIVIL WAR
FAST DISAPPEARING.


Place of the Wooden ones-Changes in
Recent Years-Soms Famous HuIks,
were recorded upon the navy register in
1866, at the close q the civil war, there
now remain only the Lancaster, Pensacola,
Hartford, Richmond, kearsarge, Iroquois,
Wabash, Minnesota, Franklin, Yantic,
Monocacy, Michigan, Palos and Pinta, be
sides the thirteen single turreted mont
tors. This entire fleet carries fewer guns
than were carried by three of the original
ships of the navy-the Constitution, the
Constellation and the United States-in
the war of 1919.
Four of the obsolete war ships, old timers
that were familiar TO the navy yard hos
pital nurses, and which had been con-
demned by the government, lost their OPP
portunity OF ever again having their
wounds healed at the navy yard, and were
sold TO the highest bidder for old junk.
And so one after another of the old Grip
pies is disappearing, and in a few more
years the new cruisers, commerce destroy
ers, battle ships, ironclads and torpedo
boats will have displaced them all.
1t is likely that whoever visits Cow bay,
picturesque arm of Long Island sound,
will have his curiosity excited by picture
that will suggest TO him marine junk
shop. 1t is place where the business OF
breaking up old ships is carried on. 1t is
the place where the last scene OF the event
full histories of very many OF the war YES
sells has been enacted, and where the old
Brooklyn and the Quinnebaug will have
their weary and rotten bones laid away to
rest. That is, they will be torn or blown
to pieces.
BIG PRICES FOR HULKs.
All that can be taken apart with the
crowbar and the ak and saw will be taken
out intact, and then dynamite will be
brought into play to complete the ruin.
The timbers and planks that can be got
out whole will be sold to the farmers and
contractors for building barns and bridges;
and there Is many a bridge along the
drives on Long Island upon the timbers of
which may still be seen the names of sea-
men and landsmen, cut in by those who
fought and died in battle on the Guerrero,
the Roanoke. the Shamrock, the Powhatan
and others of the war vessels.
Aside from these few timbers, the iron,
copper and other metals are the only real
valuable things in the ship. The copper,
of course, is most in demand, and always
brings good price.
Finally, when everything Is taken out
that is of any value, and when all the tim
Der is taken out that will pay for the labor,
whether for building or firewood, the rest
of the hull is set on fire and burned. The
sight of one of these burning vessels at
night is really brilliant one. The verdigris
and other combustible matter in the tim
Der give off rich lights of the most brilliant
tints, and some of the superstitious sight
seers have vowed that oftentimes the ghosts
of dead mariners have been seen walking
the sands and digging in them for their
stolen kits.
1t has often been 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 in
stance, the cid Quinnebaug was bought
for about SIC, 900, and the buyer no doubt
made pretty fair profit upon his specula-
ton.
AUTHOR OF FAMOUS REMARK.
Upon some of these old hulks there is
often saved out some particular part of the
vessel that is looked upon as valuable for a
relic. One Of the greatest treasures of the
odds and ends from these old ships is the
steering wheel of the old Constitution, or
"Old Ironsides," as she was called. The
old sailing ship Cyane, which was one Of
the vessels she captured in 1915, and which
| did service for many years afterward in the
Pacific, was sold a few years ago and
broken up.
Few vessels of the old navy saw more
active service during the civil war than
the Anticipated side wheel steamer Pow
hatan. Before then, in 1857, she formed
part of the squadron which went TO Japan
under Commodore Perry. 1t was on this
cruise that the famous expression, Blood
| is thicker than water" originated. The
expression has been credited to others since
that date, and to an officer of the navy
who died in this city recently. In fact
Commodore Tattnall was the originator
of it.
He was in command of the Powhatan
during the troubles between the English
and the Chinese on the Pi river, when he
was obliged to remain neutral while the
Chinese forts were Smelling the French and
I English gunboats. One of the English
gunboats was sunk by a shot from the
fort, and turning to some of the officers
alongside of him he said, Blood is thicker
than water" and ordered the boats low
cred and sent them to rescue the drowning
officers and crew of the British gunboat.
The Powhatan once chased the privateer
Sumter from off the mouth Of the Missis-
sippi to Maranhao, Brazil, and missed cap
turing her by the giving cut Of the Pow
hatan's coal when she could not obtain a
new supply. The Powhatan has disap-
peared, except q small portion of her hulk
and a mass Of old material which lies piled
up on the shore at Cow bay.-New York
/ Tribrua