The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-01-22
BUILDS WARSHIPS.
GEORGE AAIEs, OF SAN FRANCISCO,
IN TOWN.
Talks About the Oregon, Which is
Nearly Completed-The Monterey
and San Francisco-HOw He Sat
on a Britisher.

Hon. George Ames, one of the gentle
men heavily interested in the Union
Iron works, of San Francisco. is in the
city. Mr.. Ames is a very pleasant
gentleman and gave an attache of this
paper some interesting information re-
garding the construction of men-of-war
ships yesterday afternoon.
The Union Iron works constructed
the coast defense vessel, Monterey, the
San Francisco, and is now completing
the battle ship, Oregon. This last
named vessel has been ahoat for some
time and is nearly finished. If the gov
eminent was to furnish the Harveyized
armor with which she will be coated,
it would be less than sixty days ere
she could take the water for work of
the most difficult character. As it is,
it will be about the first Of May ere
she is ready for commission.
Mr.. Anes is very Sanguine as to the
future of this ship. He says she is of
the first of her kind and will be cOmpe-
tent to cope with anything afoat when
finished. She is going to be fast too.
A trip around the bay demonstrates
that. Indeed the firm anticipates it
will realize something in the neighbor-
hood Of 100000 on account of her speed
at sea and other matters upon which
the government gives a bonus for eX-
cellency and superiority. He is in love
with the Oregon. which he declares a
wonder.
AS to building battleships on the Pa
ciflc coast he is confident the west can
accomplish as great results as the east
in this line. He points with pride to
the Monterey and the San Francisco,
particularly the former. When she was
completed and a trial trip made around
the bay, her nose caught a wave and
the jackstaff split the water to con-
siderable depth. Whereupon the wise
newspaper men of the city at once held
council of war and decided she was
unseawortIy and would go down with
all on board. Officers and men were
nervous at first, but the contractors
told them all was right: to go ahead
They did so, and as a sample Of what
she can do, Mr.. Anes cites the fact
that she crosses the Columbia river
bar, when other vessels laid outside,
waiting more favorable opportunity
He regards her as one Of the most
formidable coast defense vessels afoat.
Mr.. Ames is an American in the
broadest sense the term implies. He
IS confident of the ability of Ameri-
cans to cope with the world in any
thing To have that questioned is to
touch him in tender place. Not long
ago an Englishman, fresh from the
foggy land where Utah beef is carved
to the music of God Save the Queen"
came to San Francisco with a letter Of
introduction to him. He asked to be
shown over the works. The office is
some distance from the shops and the
visitor was requested to wait a few
moments and Anes would take him out
in his buggy. On the walls are blue
prints Of the war vessels the firm has
constructed.
CHANGING at the plan of the Monte
rey, and indicating the same with his
stick the man from the island of Great
Britain asked: COW, I say, what is
that thing there?"
The mention of the word thing
ranked little, but Ames allowed it to /
pass, and explained that it was the
plans of the Monterey
"OW, [ say an what is the Mon
tterey? I down't know, down't you
Ames explained she was a coast de-
Tense vessel
"ow stupid ofnme not to know,
down't you know. But I say, what is
she good for, you know?"
Ames patiently told his visitor she
was good to repel an enemys fleet.
An yes. But say, you know. She
would be no good with England Won
know She would be blown out of the
wattah, you know"
!, Pointing tc an old faded picture of
the frigate Constitution which hung on
the wall, Ames remarked. his color
rising rapidly. Look here you blasted
lBritisher Do you see that? DO YOU
know what that is? It's the picture
OF the Constitution. You may have
read of her If not the descendants of
the man who commanded the Guerierre
did. She was a tub, but it was ali we
needed to give you people a blooming,
bleeding. bang up dressing down with
ana we can do it again if you like. Now
you get. You ride to the works in nv
buggy? Nit. You see the works? Nit I"
And the Englishman didn't. AS he |
went out he remarked. low remark
able man, very. Gets excited |
down't you know
1t is often a mystery how a cold has |
rI,%