The San Francisco call., 1896-03-02
MARE ISLAND
AND VALLEJO,
Working Night and Day to
Finish the Monitor
Monadnock.
MAY BE SENT TO CUBA.
Lack of Funds Seriously Ties Up
Necessary Operations at
the Yard.
OREGON BILLETs IN DEMAND.
The Bennington Is Expected Shortly
From Honolulu - Miscellaneous
Notes of Interest.

dition, and within short time she will be
steaming on her way down to San Diego.
The finishing up on her has required in
cessant work, day and night. What the
particular object has been can only be sur
missed from recent reports from the seat Of
Government relative to the condition of af-
fairs in Cuba.
The Baltimore was found on being taken
in dock to be comparatively free from
marine growth so often found on ships of
war coming from the Orient. No orders
have yet been received as to whether the
contemplated repairs to be made will be
temporary or permanent; if the former q
few weeks will be sufficient; if the latter,
six months will be required. The reports
as to her condition have not yet been made
to the department.
The next ship to arrive at the yard will
be the Bennington from Honolulu with a
number of short-time men on board, who
will on her arrival be sent East by rail.
Many applications in person and by let
ter are received daily on board the receiv-
ing-ship for billets on the Oregon when
she is ready for commission. Many of the
positions sought after are for writer's, sea-
men and machinists. Since the new
order designating that continuous-service
men are to have the preference in the first
two named places, it is an extremely hard
matter for one green in the service to OBJ
tain such place unless some strong inf1u-
ence is brought to bear on the Secretary of
the Navy, who now makes such appoint
ments. In years gone by this duty rested
with the commanding officer OF the ship to
make his own appointments; but time
makes changes in all manner of things on
board of ships of the new navy. even to
the matter of food served to the messes.
All kinds of canned goods are now served
out, just as a family man can 60 into q
grocery-store ard there make his selection
of meats ana delicacies.
Take such a rate ship as the Baltimore,
and thousands of cans OF meat are slowed
in the hold among the paymasters stores
ton to fresh and salted provisions. No
wonder the men all look so sleek and
hearty when they come on shore, an ap.
pear, except in isolated cases, to be con-
tent with their shipboard life. They are
we'll clad, and it is seldom q slovenly
dressed bluejacket is found on our streets.
The personnel of the navy seems to be on
are desirous of shipping in the navy or
enlisting in the marine corps.
The men at the barracks and in the
guard on the Independence are tine-look-
Ing body of marine soldiery. The parade
ground is one of the best in the country,
and everything about the barracks is neat
and orderly. During inclement weather
the men have little else outside of guard
mount to do. Some little exercising in
the manual of arms that can be performed
indoors is about all that is required.
The Monadnock carries no marine guard,
their duty devolving on the bluejackets.
1t is only on monitors and small vessels
that no marine is detailed for duty.
From the Asiatic station two more Of the
smaller ships will SOON come, and il they
| go out of commission crew for the Oregon
will be made up, with possibly some from
the East. 1t will, however, be some time
before they will be required.
The various shops throughout the yard
are running light. There is plenty of
work to keep the men employed, but the
appropriations are about exhausted. With
the exception of this, all the pile-driver
men who have of late been engaged on an
| end of the yard have received their dis
charge, which implies that it will be some
time before they resume work. Men must
be taken on sixty days prior to the Ma
tional election, otherwise for two months
longer they will be out OF employment.
The. urgent deficiency bill if passed will
set the wheels in motion and give employ
The fire brigade was called out the
other night and in quick order had sew
eral streams of water playing on an
imaginary fire. Captain Barker, captain
of the yard, is a firm believer in being
prepared for any emergency in case of a
confiagration, and so frequently has an
alarm turned In TO Keep the brigade
The lecture given by Medical Inspector
Woods on the voyagings of the Charles
ton, in our city for the benefit of the Naval
Union, was rare treat, and a repetition
of the lecture before San Francisco
audience would undoubtedly be highly
appreciated.
Saturday as executive OF the lndepend-
ence. The lieutenant has had much
service on the coast and his presence is q
welcome addition to the naval colony at
the yard and among those resident in
Vallejo.
The purchasers OF old junk are fast re-
moving their belongings from the yard,
and in another two weeks their traps will
have been taken away.
A lot of the condemned guns eliminated
from the schedule prior to the sale have
been retained and will be used with muz-
zles inverted down a. bollards and hold
fasts along tho water front and in various
places about the yard.
The Sketch Club members are busy in
getting ready for another art exhibition,
and it goes without saying that much inn
provement will be noticed in the collec-
ton over any Of their previous efforts.
Although some weeks off, preparations
ere already being made for an Easter SER
vice of more than ordinary interest and
attractiveness in the way of music and
chapel decorations.
With the death of Edward w. O'Brien,
Saturday morning, one of the pioneer en-
ployes Of the navy.yard passed away. Mr..
O'Brien assisted in constructing the old
sectional drydocks and also in erecting
some of the first buildings at TIE yard.
under direction Of Captain Farragut. His
funeral Will take place Tuesday afternoon,
under the auspices OF San Pablo Lodge
No. 43, l. o. O. f., Of which lodge he was
the only surviving charter member.
fthe numerous objects of improvement
recommended to be done at the yard are
only appropriated for, next fiscal year will
be one of the most prosperous in the yards
and docks department since the periods
covering the building OF the stone dry