New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-05-08

HIS CONNECTION WITH THE BUILDING OF THE
MONITOR AND THE UNION PACIFIC RAILROAD.
Cornelius S. Bushnell whose death was reported
In yesterdays Tribune. was man who in his time
made and lost several fortunes. and one also who
succeeded In winning n fame that was known
throughout the country. His connection with the
building Of the Monitor which disabled the Merr.-
mac his participation in the construction of the
Union Pacific road and OF the warship Destroyer.
each brought him into public view
After experiencing many vciss'tudes In the earlier
part OF his career Mr.. Bushnell. upon the out
break Of the Civil War. turned his attention TO
shipbuilding and with the assistance OF Samuel
H. Pook, expert naval constructor. he matured
plans to build the iron-pated ship Galena. Doubt.
however. was expressed by many naval authorities
as to tho ability OF tho Gaena to carry tho amount
OF armor with which 1t was proposed to equip her.
and the plans were submitted to Captain John
Ericsson. who pronounced them satisfactory and
practicable 1t was at this interview that the plan OF
the Monitor first brought to light After the
Galena question had been discussed and settled.
Captain Ericsson placed before Mr.. Bushnell the
model of the Monitor. which the former had In
vented some years before. but which. owing TO the
strained relations existing between himself and
the Navy Department he had never presented TO
the Government. Struck at once with the value OF
the design, Mr. Bushnell devoted himself imme-
diately to the development Of the invention. He
laid 1t before Secretary Wees. by whom 1t
favorably received
Thereupon Mr.. Bushnell associated himself with
Messrs. Grlswold and Winslow, OF Troy. n. "
partners In the enterprise. Offering each Of them
quarter-interest in the undertaking. retaping
quarter each for himself and Captain Ericsson.
When the opinion OF the Naval Board sought
President Lincoln was greatly pleased with the de-
sign, as also Admirals Smith and Paulding.
but Captain Davis, a member OF the Board, de-
clared that he would never sign q report recon-
mending Its adoption. and for time the scheme
came to a standstin. 1t Is likely that It would
have remained 80. had not Mr.. Bushnell, by par
donable subterfuge. induced Captain Ericsson to
proceed to Washington and plead the before
the assembled Board. The result the adoption
OF the Monitor. Her subsequent defeat OF the Mer
Mr. Bushnell afterward estsbIished q shinvard in
Fair Haven. and turned out more ships for the
Government than were furnished by any other
other associates he constructed eight monitor bat
teries, improvements the original among them
being the Puritan and the Dictator His relations
with the Government made necessary his frequent
presence In Washington. and brought him In close
contact with many public men, Ono OF them,
Senator Dixon, OF Hartford, placed Mr.. Bushpelrs
name ma me In the original Pacific Railroad bill as one
this enterprise commanded his closest attention
He attended the meeting for organization in Chi
cago in 1862 and appointed one OF the com
600 being required and 20 per cent paid in before
the company could begin business. or this 100000
was himself the largest subscriber to the original
stock. He was further mainly instrumental In Sc
curing the amendment OF 1884, without which IL
would have been impossible to complete the road
hrst 70 last with the company leaving II only
when " had become great success and, un-
ton of what Is now the Atlantic and Southern
Pacific Railroad