The morning call., 1894-09-10
THE MAYNARD.
Drowned After Twenty
Seven Years Service.
Generosity of the Crew of the Ben.
nington-A Large Force of
Men at Work.

VALLEJO, Sept 9.-The stores are all
being taken out of the gunboat Benning-
ton and landed on the wharf. near the coal
shed. This isfor the purpose of guarding
agsiost any possible danger of germs of
fever lurking among the stores or spare
yards of rigging or canvas outfits. The
little gunboat will then be thoroughly
cleaned. after which work will be COM
menced on the repairs that are required to
her machinery.
A sad accident occurred on Wednesday
evening last By which the Bennington's 5
chief boatsW aims mate lost his life. He
was engaged in securing a scOw or lighter
10 the ship TO be used the following morn
ing II carrying ammunition to the maga-
zine, where it viii be carefully slowed
away uutil such time as the vessel is again
ready for sea. 1t is supposed that he fell
overheard and was drowned. The cur
rent, which was running strong at the
lime, must have swept him under the float
ana carried him away. Although he uad
been In the service some tweDty-seven
years he was unable to swim. He would
have been discharged IN seven days from
the date of his disappearance. His ship
mates prapped for the body, but were un-
able to find It. BOatswain's Mate Will was
a good, industrious and sober man. One
VI us Ul6oSulhIoS lHhI IL was
DTet Y tough luck afier going to sea the
most OF his life and encountering all
kinds OF storms that he should at last get
drowned il mlllpond, as they term the
Vallejo bay.
The crew on the Bennington is ready
at all times to assist any one II distress.
as the following will show: A few days
after the ship arrived in port the men
were all given liberty and a months pay
to 90 on shore. Many Of the petty officers,
who had from $50 TO $50 each, dubbed to-
gether and Instructed one of their number
to visit the SalvadOrian refugees at the
California Hotel. San Francisco. and ten
der their respects 10 General Ezets, with
the offer to give them what money they
had 10 help defend his companions and
himself. The visit was made and instruc-
tions carried out, but while the generous
act was gratefully appreciated it was
gracefully declined by the general.
Another instance occurred few days
ago. While a number of the crew were
ashore 10 Vallejo visiting at piece called
the Sailors Home, keIt by discharged
seaman named Jack Finn, disturbance
arose between some men on the outside of
the house, when woman residing In the
house and who j. taking care OF tue lodg-
ing department stepped to the front door
and drawing a revolver from her bosom
fired three or four shots, striking one of
aud lodging In the lung. The man is still
alive, with good chances for recovery, but
the woman Is still confined in the ely Jail
awaiting the doctors report as TO the
chances for his recovery. The crew of
the ship, it is said; has raised purse of
over $500 for the purp)se OF defending her
in the courts.
The Thetis has been taking on coal for
the past few days ana it is expected that
she will leaye for the southern coast about
the middle of the present month. All re-
pairs have been completed aud thev have
been done, II is said, la an excellent man
ner.
1t looks from the amount of work ahead
to be done on the crui@er Boston that 1t
will be at least six months before the re-
pairs can be completed. The construction
boat shop is just chuck block with work
on boats belonging TO the various SHIPS.
The shop room is inadequate and num-
Der of the boats are being repaired on the
street alongside the shop. Orders are in
Tor the building OF two new steam Launches,
one for the Charleston aud another for
the Philadelphia,
at the steam engineering department
every one Is busy ana there Is more work
on hand than there has been for many
months past, but the force Is able 10
handle il.
AS orders have been issued by the Sec
retary OF the Navy for he BeriDg Sea feet
TO come down, and with the United States
ship Adams, already on the way, there
will he still plenty of more work to do.
The force at the yard now numbers 945
men, which is larger number than has
been In The yard for the past ten or twelve
years. Almost 500 of these men are en-
ployed In the department. OF construction
and repair The force cannot now be in
creased until after the November elections.
The friends of Commander j. j. Brlce,
lately in command of the Adams, will
regret to learn of his illness at Ounalaska.