West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1895-06-20
LIEUT.. COMMANDER BROWN
An Interesting Interview with the
Hero OF samoa"

mander Brown is the distinguished
brother of Postmaster Charles Ed
gar Brown, of Cincinnati. He is a
son in law of ex- Senator Henry G..
Davis, of West Virginia, whose
eldest daughter is the wife Of Sena.
tor S. b. Elkins.
Commander Brown Cthen Lieut..
Brown is often referred to as the
"Hero of Samoa" and his achieve
ments which won the title are
already part of history. 1t will be
remembered that the American
fleet, with many other vessels, were
wrecked by the great hurricane Of
March, 1889. in the harbor of
Apia, Samoan Islands. Commander
Brown was navigating officer Of
the "Trenton," and when the ship
was about to strike coral reef,
where all would have been lost, and
finding that all sails set to control
the ship were at once blown away.
ordered the crew of four hundred
men into the rigging, making a
living sail, which withstood the gale
and enabled him to clear the dan.
gerous reef, and finally to pilot tho
ship into shallow water, where all
hands were saved.
a representative of THE ARGUS
called upon Commander Brown
last week and enjoyed pleasant
chat with him.
AS he has but recently returned
from the City Of Mexico aud visit
to the silver States, your represen-
tative asked him his opinion in re-
gard to the silver question. The
Commander SAID that he was q
binetallist, favoring the free COIN
age Of both metals, but higher
ratio, say 20 to /, this ratio to be
fixed by international agreement f
possible. He thinks that the "green
back craze" was an effort made to
pay off public debts with depre.
ciated currency, and the "1G to
craze" is an effort to pay Off private
debts with an inferior money. In
his opinion this party will meet
with the same fate as did the
"Greenback" party.
In regard to Presidential posi-
bilities, he considered Mr.. Harrison
in the lead for the Republican
nomination.
Answering a question in regard
to the Navy the Commander said,
Fortunately both Of the great po.
litical parties deserve equal praise
for the gigantic steps taken in the
last ten years towards building up
a modern Navy, and they will con.
tinue the good work The nation
is growing restive under the re.
peated threats made by European
nations against our sister republics
OF America, and the people feel
that we should be IN a position to
take a proper stand in order TO
carry out the Monroe doctrine to
its fullest extent when expedient
and necessary for the honor Of the
Republic.
In regard to the "Intercontinen.
tai Railway" Commander Brown
stated that tho surveys had been
completed from the Mexican line to
Bolivia. These surveys arc now
being plotted and mapped. The
first volume is expected daily from
the printer. The other volumes
will follow in succession. As
whole distance survey, Gt is about
$500 miles), the publication Of the
maps and reports is quite an IN.
dertaking. lie has just received
letter from the President Of the
Guatemala Central Railroad, i'm
which he informs Commander
Brown that he has just opened sew
enteen miles Of the line, and will
push to rapid conclusion the whole
line through Guatemala. Doubt.
less there will be a railway from
Washington TO Nicaragua in time
to assist in constructing the canal.
Some lowlived, miserable son Of
sea cooks half-witted sister went
into lawyer Conley's COW stable
Monday night and cut bis cows
tail of. There was another COW
detailed the same night but we
have not learned to whom she be-
longs. We suppose that the insig-
! ..eE....H .... 90. Al q