The Calhoun chronicle. [volume] (Grantsville, W. Va.) 1883-1984, 1896-01-14

| llheuebS OF the OOlumDla. uncle sam
fighting ocean greyhound. Every de-
tail is reproduced with the utmost &c
curacy on scale of quarter of an
inch to the foot, even the guns being
perfect in all OF their parts down to
the very breech mechanism.
In the new navy of the United States
several classes OF vessels nre COM
prised. The Government has adopted
the policy OF constructing one small
model to represent each type of war
ship in the service. Thus miniature
copies have been made of the armored
battle ship Texas, the monitor Milan
tonomoh. the ram Katahdin and
others. Seven men at the Washing
ton Navy Yard are constantly en-
ployed in building these models, which
cost from $1,000 to $4,000 apiece.
These artisans are mechanics of the
highest skill, and the work they do Is
such rs to require II special training.
Workmanship of the utmost difficulty
is needed, many of tho parts being so
little that an ordinary person could
not handle them or put them to-
gether. Everything must be repro
duced down to the smallest block for
the running rigging.
Take the guns of the miniature Co
lumbla, for example. They are the
prettiest toys Imaginable. The big
ones, representing originals of eight
inch calibre, are about four inches
long. No part of either gun or car
ringe is lacking, and the breech can
be opened by touch of the finger to
admit small. sized armor-p piercing
projectile or an explosive shell. The
workman who makes such n cannon
first takes steel bar of the proper
size and turns it in lathe TO the
shape of the tube that is to be. Then
with n machine drill he bores n hole
through it from end to end. The rest
of the process consists in making and
putting together the various metal
pieces, wheels, etc, which go to the
construction OF n real gun.
The secondary batteries of the CO.
lumbia consist of number of small
machine guns and rapid guns,
some OF which are aloft in the military
tops. These are the weapons which
work such havoc by throwing Il con-
tinuous rain of explosive projectiles
at n hostile ship, setting her on fire
and making 1t impossible for any men
aboard of her to survive unless pro-
tected by amor. Every one Of these
is reproduced on its proper scale in
the model. Battle ships, of course,
have turrets, which are represented in
the models of them, and the Texas has
on her deck n steel fort called ''cita-
DEL" from which protrude the long
muzzles Of great twelve inch-guns.
The building Of the model of the
Columbia was begun by taking num-
Der of pine boards, cut roughly TO the
outlines of the ship aud putting them
together under pressure with glue be-
tween them. Thus solid block of
approximate dimensions was formed.
The block was then planed and CHS
elled until the lines of the great war
vessel were reproduced, with absolute
exactness The hull being made
smooth with sandpaper, the rudder and
propeller shafts of cherry wood, were
added. At the same time were put on
the sponsors" out OF which the guns
look as from windows os steel. Holes
having been bored for the window
ports, the little craft was ready to re-
ceive its armament and other equip.
ments.
The equipments are very elaborate,
and to produce them has required an
immense amount OF labor. For exam.
pie, there are Il number OF boats. in.
Guiding one steam launch in miniature
Each of these represents three days
worl, for one man. The false bottoms
and the ribs inside OF them are shown.
All of them are OF wood, save for the
smokestack and ruuder OF the steam
launch. The boats are swung from
davits, the tiny metal blocks through
which the track runs being perfectly
practical aud just like real ones.
The Columbia has fifty.six window
ports, each OF which is duly represent
ed in the model by bulls eye Of
glass set in a ring of metal The metal
employed almost exclusively in the
miniature warships is composition
called nickel silver. OF this material
is the stern gallery, which extends
around the after part of tho
vessel. This gallery is exclu-
sivelv for the captains prOmeuades
There are several skylights, with win.
dows, just like real ones and likewise
"protective matches, with grating of
ON deck the fragments will not be
thrown down below. The anchors
and chains, the propellers and the
triple steering wheel, which is worked
by six men, are OF silver.
The smokestack Of the miniature
Columbia is Of brass, painted just like
that OF the cruiser herself Attached
t. it are escape pipes OF copper and
whistle and fog horn, otherwise known
rs "stoam SIREN" OF nickel silver.
Tho ventilators arc Of copper They
turn their gaping mouths to the wind,
which blows down into them and
keeps the air fresh below One Of the
last things done is to put the masts
into the little ship. They are Of wood,
but being painted look just like the
hollow steel masts Of modern war
vessel The bigger spars on warship
are steel tubes The rigging OF tho
model is Of white wire, twisted to i'm
itate the wire rigging Of a man-o' war.
Ia y model OF bnttleship the armoa