The San Francisco call., 1896-07-20
NEWS OF MARE ISLAND,
Stores Sent to San Francisco to
Be Placed Aboard the
Oregon.
Secretary of the Navy Herbert Ex-
pected to Visit the Station
Soon.

VALLEJO, CAL, July 19.-Hundreds of
boxes of. stores of all kinds are being
packed and sent to San Francisco on the
navy-yard tug for the battle-ship Oregon.
1t is safe to say that the officers on the
big white leviathan have had monkey
and parrot time IN unpacking and stor-
ing the gear away, as much OF the stuff
has never been used on board ship before,
and being new to some of them it is hard
to tell what it is for.
According to a letter Senator Perkins
sent to the Board of Trade of Vallejo 10 there
was no particular reason why the Oregon
went into commission at San Francisco in
stead of Vallejo except that the contractors
had completed her and it was in the dis
cretion of the Government to receive the
ship in the harbor of San Francisco or to
order her to Vallejo. and the admiral con-
sented to receive her in San Francisco
By so doing the contractors saved the cost
of taking the Oregon to Mare Island.
This statement explodes the story of
shallow water in the channel. The Ore
gon, however. is not likely to come up to
the navy-yard at present, but will go over
to Sausalito and remain for time before
going northward.
Work of all kinds is beginning to be
rushed at the yard. Over 1000 men are
now eIuplOveQs Inc DenHlHgGOn is aDOuL
ready for sea, and If orders are not re-
voked will go north to join the Philadel-
phia- 1t was first presumed the Benning-
ton would go to China and relieve the
Yorktown, but such will not be the case.
The United States ship Alert will come
to the yard after the men have had liberty
at San Francisco. She will be placed out
of commission and hauled out into the
Row, to remain until lull comes in other
and more important work. 1t is not ex-
pected it will be, ike the Ranger. trans
formed into a gunboat. Workmen are
busy aboard the Ranger, and when they
finish the vessel will be far more com fort
able than the modern gun boats without
masts, sails or spars.
The Bureau of Equipment will send 100
homihg pigeons to the yard, for use in
carrying messages from ships of-war while
at sea to the navy-yard. A large and
handsome cote is to be erected on the hill,
near the steam engineering storehouse.
Passed Assistant Surgeon Amman Far
renhoit arrived at the navy-yard this
morning on his way to the Navy hospital
from the monitor Monterey.
a Dranch OF the steam engineering shop
IS to be located in yards and docks build
ing, to expedite business on board ships
when lying at the quay wall undergoing
repairs. Men now have to walk to the
snop at the upper END of the island if they
wish tool or piece of iron to work with
The Secretary of the Navy is expected
to visit the yard in short time. No par
tlcular demonstration is looked for from
the citizens on his behalf That his visit
will result TO the benefit of the yard goes
without saying.
The cruiser Charleston is being dis
mantled and will go out of commission
in short time. The Baltimore has a
small gang working on the engines. 1t
will be six months or more before the
cruiser will be ready for sea.
LOANS on diamonds. Interest low. At Uncle
Harris, Is Grant avenue