The herald., 1896-03-31
A CRUISER COMPLETED
The Battleship Oregon Ready for Her Official
Trial

The Battieship Oregon Ready for Her Official
Trial
SAN Francisco, March 3O.-The builders
of the battleship Oregon have given the
last tap OF their hammers on the big vessel
and she is now ready to establish her rec
ord and take her place among the com.
missioned war ships of the navy. She is
now practically in the charge of navy Off
GERS, but it has not been decided when the
official trip will be made.
The ships big armor-girded hull is filed
with mass OF machinery intricate in its
workings, but simple to control. 1t is de-
scribed as big fighting machine. Every
piece OF machinery is eaid to contain some
improvement on like machines in previ-
ously constructed vessels, but the greatest
general improvement in the construction
of the ship, say the naval officers, is the
almost entire absence of wood in the Ore
gon's hull or fittings. That improvement
was the result of lesson learned during
the recent Japanese and Chinese war.
In both the Japanese and Chinese vessels
that took part in the engagement. at the
head OF the Yalu river the interior fittings
of the vessels were of wood. The battle
was short but hot one, and the hulls of
nearly all the vessels that were in the en-
gagement were pierced with projectiles
from the opposing guns AS they ploughed
their way through the wooden fittings of
the vessels spl'nters flew in all directions,
and the records of the ships' crews show
more than four-fifths of the killed and
wounded received injuries from the flying
splinters.
On the Oregon wood is done away with
almost entirely. 1t is used only where no
other material would suffice and then it
is used sparinely. All the partitions in
the quarters of the officers and men are
| iron and steel. The metal sheets are
covered with cork and given handsome
finish to cover the chilly appearance of the
metal and give the rooms a comfortable
appearance. The furnishings of tine state
rooms are of metal, and every precaution
has been taken in fitting out the battleship
to guard against flying splinters III the case
OF an engagement.
The Steel Pool
CHICAGO, March 3O.-The iron and steel
industry, first in Importance in America,
is now in the absolute control of the few
men who are banded together by the
strongest bonds of common interest. and
who have, al most conservative estimate.
not less than 100000 at their disposal.
The details were mapped out in New
York last week, and the final move was
made in fittsburg, Pa. and Birmingham,
Ala, today.
The steel rail pool fixed price of S2S
ton on steel rails at Pittsburg and all other
mills sold at the same price, with the
freight from Pittsburg added. This meant
that the Illinois Steel company could ask
$29 and the Colorado Fuel and Iron COM
pany $33. The mill that could name the
lowest freight rate took all intermediate
sales.
The new pool makes price of 500
ton on steel billets at Pittsburg which is So
over it's former price.
All western sales agents have been no
titled of the advance, and also have been
notified to guarantee no sales for later
than April delivery.
W. K. Stirling, first president of the
Illinois Steel company, said he knew
nothing of the reported steel trust said to
have been formed in Pittsburg. He also
denied the Illinois Steel company was a
party to it, as reported.