The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-08-07
END OF OLD WAR SHIPS.
THE VESSELS OF THE CIVIL WAR
FAST DISAPPEARING.

FAST DISAPPEARING.
What Becomes of the Boats That Fight
No More-New Cruisers Taking the
Place of the Wooden oncs-Changes in
Recent Years-Some Famous Hullss.
or the nearly 200 steam vessels which
were recorded upon the navy register in
1865, mt the close Of the civil war, there
how remain only the Lancaster, Pensacola,
Hartford, Richmond, Kearsarge, Iroquois,
Wabash, Minnesota Franklin, Yantic,
Monocacy, Michigan, Paos and Pinta, be.
sides the thirteen single turreted moni-
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 1872.
Four Of the obsolete war ships, old timers
that were familiar to the navy ward hos
pltal nurses, and which had been con
temnoi by the government, lost their op-
portunlty of ever again having their
wounds healed at the navy yard. and wen
sold to the highest bidder for old junk
And so one after another of the Old Grip
pies IS disappearing, and in few more
years the new cruisers, commerce destroy
Frs, battie ships, ironclads and torpedo
boats will have displaced them all.
1t IS likely that whoever visits Cow bay,
a picturesque arm of Long Island sound
will have his curiosity excited by picture
that will suggest to him a marine junk
EhAn II IL a fa1t b,, : by 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, aud 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
10 pieces.
BIC PRICES FOR HULKS.
All that can be taken apart with the
crowbar and the aN and saw will be taken
out intact, and then dynamite will be
brought into play to complete the ruin.
The tinbers 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
nnd others Of the war vessels.
Aside from these few tmbers, 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 a 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 tirewood, the rest
of the hull is set on fire and burned. The
sight Of one of these burning vessels at
night is really a brilliant one The verdigris
and other cOmbustible matter in the tim
Der give of rich lights Of the most brilliant
tints, and some of the sUperstitious sight
seers have vowed that of5sntimes the ghosts
of dead mariners have been seen walking
the sands and digging in them for their
stolen kits.
IL 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 old Quiunebaug was bought
for about $4,000, and the buyer no doubt
made pretty fair profit upon his specula-
ton.
AUTHOR OF A 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 fora
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 lronsides," as she was called. The
old sailing ship Cyane, which was one of
the vessels she captured in 1875 and which
did seryicefOr 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 antlquated side wheel steamer Pow
h"tan. Before then, in 1851 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.
lie was in command of the Powhatan
during the troubles between the English
and the Chinese on the ri river, when he
was Obliged to remain n9utral while the
Chinese forts we're shellinEthe French and
English gunb0ats One Of the English
gunboats was sunk by shot from the
fort, aud turning to some of the officers
alongside Of him hesaid, 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 PoNhGtan once chased the privateer
Sumter from Off tho mouth of the Missis.
sippi to MaraGhao, Brazil, and missed can
turing her by the giving out of the Pow
hatan's coal when she could not obtain
new supply. The Powhatan has disap-
poGrcd, except \ small portion of her hulk
and mass OF old material which lies piled
up on the shore at Cow bay.-New York
Tribune.
Daniel Webster's Versatility.