The National tribune., 1892-12-15
PERSONAL.

of tho Department of the East, returned last week
from his European tour. The General was on the
steamer Spree when she became disabled by the
breaking Of her shaft in mid ocean, and had to be
towed back to Queenstown. The ship was left At
the mercy of the for two days In gale she
had sails and the shaft being broken could not be
steered. The General believes that the vessel was
saved by the prayers OF those on board among
whom was the Evangelist Moody. The Generals
account of the affair is quite thrilling. Mr. Moody
asked the General to organize n religious service
in the cabin, and he asked the Captain permission
to do so. and was told Most certainly; am that
kind too" Everybody on board the nesrl y-snkiDg
vessel responded to the call of Gen. Howard. and
he ssysi was the most impressive religious service
he ever attended. Jews. Catholics, Presby
and all others forgot ali about denominations, there
being room for them at such an hour. Mr.
Moody read the g1st and 10th Psalms. and q Ger
man translated it line by line to his eountrymen
Several heartfelt prayers offered by others,
and nearly everybody on board, especially Gen
Howard, believes that the vessel and everybody on
board Except one man. who got frightened 80
badly that he jumped overheard and was drownedj
was saved in answer to these petitions.
Early in 1864 the steamer John T. Burlington WAS
sunk in the Missouri River near Rockport. Mo. 1t
was large Government boat, engaged ;hen in
carrying supplies to Union soldiers at the outpos;s
1t was sunk by Bill Anderson's guerrilla band, and
of all the 40 or 50 people on board there was not
survivor. Many expeditions have bsen formed
and much money spent TO and the boat for the
treasure that was In 1t, but they all failed. While
railroad contractors were blasting shore,
immense piece of rock made hole in a sandbar
100 yards out in the stream. A party went INFO
what proved to be the old hulk and found half
dozen skeletons. Two small kegs of gold were
found md prent many eases of whisky Only the
forward compartment was examined. The after
part of the vessel will be entered by the discoveries
Much gold and more whisky and guns expected
to be found there
The late Sunset " Cox once delivered political
speech in a country opera-house, where his wife.
by whom he always accompanied on these
OCCASIONS, tucked away in of the stage
boxes. After the Grafton Mr. Cox approached her
smiling. "Ahl there you are" bystander heard
him say. i've been wondering all the evening
where You were. never thought of looking here
and yet I've heard Of Box and Cox before, too"
Col. y. C. Buell., the Cannoneer' has been visit
ing Pttsburg Pa recently, and telling the report
ers what he knows about sbipbui!ding and the
policy the Democratic party will adopt toward the
navy. He said: There is not the slightest
foundation for the generally circulated reports
that the srmor- plate contracts of the Carnegie
Steel Company to be annulled. The fact 10 that
while the Homestead works were practically sus-
pended until month ago, the company Is now
carrying outit contracts with greater rapdity and
efficiency than II ever did before. The is true
of the Bethlehem works, and the Government is
entirely satisfied. I do not believe there Is any
ground for alarm lest under q Democratic Admin
istration progress. toward equippiug navy viii DC
retarded. Thirty ships have been provided for
by Democratic Houses, and I feel no apprehension
that, with the Democracy in full control there will
be any cessation of the work. It was under Dem
ocratia Government that the great foundry at Beth
Iehem was started, during the term of office of
Secretary Whitney, In 1885. Gen. Traoy's contract
with the Carnegie Company, which resulted in the
erection of the armor-plate mills at Homestead.
q continuation Of the same policy, and was in
tended 10 build up another great establishment
and prevent monopoly In this line of Government
work" Col. Buell. is the Chief Civil Engineer of
the Cramp Shipyard, in Philadelphia, and is about
well posted on matters pertaining to the build
ing of war-ships as any man in the country.
Mr.. E. F. Williamson, Of WolIaston, Mass, has
document of rare orth in the form of Gen. Grants
report the President the close of the rebellion.
The report signed by Gen. Grants own hand;
and has also some other autographs expressions
Doubtless there are few such documen in exist
A call has been issued by Henry Hitchcock, Chas
Parsons. Chss. Fl. Gleason, James g. Butler. Smith
P. Gault. and Henry Feurbach for meeting on
Friday evening Dec. 9, at the residence of the late
Gen.W T. Sherman, 9i2 Garrison avenue, st. Louis
Mo-, to possession of the Sherman home
stead from its present owner, G. r. Drew. the pur
pose being to turn the building into headquar-
ters of the recently organized Sherman Memorial
Society. which is composed of representatives from
the Loyal Legion and the various GAR Posts of
St. Louis 1t is proposed to refurnish the historic
residence with the Generals furniture from men,
bers of the family, and to add relies from other
Col. Augustus Choate Hamlin, whose vindicafion
of the Eleventh Corps at Charlottesville we pub
lish in this weeks issue, is Past Department Com
mander, GAR of Maine, and born in that
Stale in 1879 graduated at Bowdoin College in 1871
and in medicine at Harvard In 1855. In April, 1851
ne raised n company Of infanlry al his expense
and joined, as Assistant Surgeon. the I'd Me-, the
first to leave the State in May. 1861. He partici-
paled az q volunteer with the Ist Mass. aud 18th
N Y at BIackburn's Ford. and with the I'd Ne. at
Bull Run and Yorktown. April 1852 he APP
pointed Brigade Surgeon, and assigned to Fremont
in western Virginia where he participated in the
combats In the Shenandoah Valley, and those Of
Pope's campaign, ending ut the Second Bull Run.
In the formation OF the Eleventh corps ne Eas Sc
lected Medical Director, and remained with the
corps until February. 1868 when he was appointed
Lieutenant Colonel and Medical Inspector. US A.,
and assigned TO the supervision OF the Hospital De-
partment in Washington. In July, 1863. he
ordered as Medical Inspector of the Army of the
South and remained with it until after the fall Of
Fort Wagner. He then returned to his former du-
ties ia Washington, where he remained until De-
oember, 1864, when he was ordered Medical In
spec or of the Armies OF the Southwest under the
command Of Gen. George Il Thomas. with whom
bs remained until mustered out ia November. 1865.
In 1878 he was made CAevaiier of the Order OF St.
Anne by The lats Emperor OF Russia fos attention
to Russian officers in 1864 and 1878 BE twice
elected Mayor of Bangor by the largest majorties
ever given IN the city He was many times elected
Commander of Post L. and elected Depart
uent Commander of Maine in 1879 He was Com
missioner of Maine at the Yorktown Centennial
celebration in 1881, and Surgeon-Genersl of the
State from 1882 TO 1885. He is a member of several
scientific societies in this country and In Europe.
He wss mt the head OF the Pension COMMITTEES of
the G. r. during Gen. Palmer's administration.
One of the most prominent candidates for the
speakership of the Michigan House of Representa-
tives is Col John d. Sumner, of Kalamazoo. Col.
Sumner was born in franklin County, II. Y, in
1872 but was taken 10 Michigan when only year
old. and has since lived in Kalamazoo County. At
the beginning of the war he about to enter the
Michigan University but he enlisted n private
in Co F. Sth Mich, in September 1861. and served
through the WAR. He was promoted successfully
nj. C,.-aant SaoouG frat len