The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-14
HERE'S ANOTHER ONE
Have You Heard of the BAT
terry Ram Of the World ?"
A SECRET POLITICAL ORDER.
it Has Existed Several Months. and
Already There Is Trouble and
pfssenSion In the Ranks.

All Is not clear sailing for the Battery
Ram Of the World, an organization now
many months Old. and the trouble appears
TO be a disagreement arncng its members
as TO its attitude on politics. For year
and half the Battery Ram has been
In operation under the orders OF its COM
modore in the Fifth precinct OF the Sixth
ward. and it Is now involved in a quarrel
that has led up TO the expulsion OF some
OF its members.
The Battery Ram of the World is or
gained along preteatious lines, and the
names Of its officers are similar to those
on man-of-war. From the poop deck In
the Sixth ward the commodore Eliminates
his orders They are then transmitted TO
the lieutenant commander. then to the
Captain. then TO nine keutenants and final-
ly to the sailors and marines. OF the nine
heutenants. one Is stationed in each ward
IN the city. and under them are the squads
OF marines. who are supposed to execute
the commands. When a new name Is
added to the membership, the applicant Is
shipped and the keeper of the log makes
an entry TO that effect. All Official busi-
rsss Is sealed with a seal bearing the fig
IRE OF big ram, such as they use on
battleships.
An august assembly Of the Battery
Ram OF the World was held short time
ago in Young Naturaiists' hall in the old
state university grounds. near the arm
cry The commodore, a massive gentle-
man OF color, sat on a dais, while near
nm were his Lieutenant, commander, his
captains and his nine trusted lieutenants.
and beyond were the marines, the entire
gathering not crowding the ROOM The
commodore. in deep voice that was heard
announcing the vote. OF the delegation
from the Sixth ward at a recent city con-
Vention. reminded his men tina; they had
bound themselves. each and every one, ly
secret oath, to observe a constitution.
the terms OF which were to remain also a
profound secret He then called on the
keeper OF the log to read the proceedings
IN naval court-martial, and the punish
ment meted out TO one of the subordinates
met the commodore's hearty approval.
since that time the membership has been
decreased by one, and the cemnodore's
vessei mas been picking its way among
the rocks OF dissension.
One OF the objections urged against ths
Hattery.Ram of the World is that II was
organized nominally for the purpose OF
giving It's members cheap insurance. but
II Is said to have fallen into the hands OF
cohsplrators, who are now attempting to
shape II into a secret political oryaniza-
tion with which to hammer down the bar
r1ers hedging Federal, state, county and
city patronage. So there has been no end
OF opposition to its latest move. However
IT'S president is said to claim absolute con-
troll OF the colored vote of Seattle. There
are perhaps eighty-five members IN This
city. among them one of the city ia
tners, and also perennial candidate for
once, VINO at one time made a desperate
eHort 10 De appointed secretary Of the
BOARD OF public works and later tried hard
10 De nominated for city treasurer,