The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-08-01
THE TEXAS 1T NEW YORK.
Powder Stained, Punctured in Spots
 and Guns Bristlimg.

and Guns Bristling.
 New York, July 31.-Back from the campaign in Cuba, powder stained and punctured in spots, with her formidable guns bristling in the sunlight and her officers and crew laughing and cheering like schoolboys on holiday trip the United States battIeship Texas, with Captain Phillip in command steamed slowly up the lower bar from Sandy Hook For a brief period she remain ed at anchor off Tompkinsville to re- ceive the mail and dispatches and as soon as those were got on board the vessel moved slowly to her destination amid the greetings of thousands of men, women and children who crowd ed the decks of excursion boats that were outward bound
 Captain Phillip was on the bridge di- recting the course of the Texas and by his side stood his executive officer, Lieutenant George E. Harbor
 y yard the dock was crowded with blue jackets and marines, who greeted their fellows with feverish enthusiasm and welcomed them back with joyous cheers. The general outward appear ance of the big floating fort showed that the Teyas had had a rough time of it since she left the yard bound for southern waters five months ago and close inspection revealed the places where the shells of the Dons had pene- trated the port bow and starboard superstructure. On the 22d of June while the Texas was bombarding the Moro at the entrance of Santiago har- Dor a six-inch shell tore through the port side under the anchor about twen- ty feet from the bow. This shell ex- ploded on the opposite side of the gun deck and on it's way instantly killed Frank Blakely, first class appentice, whose home was in Lawrence, Mass This was the only death-dealing missile which struck the Texas during her fighting term, as none of the other men who were wounded succumbed to their injuries.
 During the engagement of July 3 when the Texas was chasing Cervera S vessels a big shell, probably from the Almirante Oquendo pierced the star board bulkhead underneath the bridge It passed through the ventilator and after carrying away the ash hoist en- tered the smoke stack, where it ex- ploded, but injured no one. Several shots took effect on the bridge and other parts of the superstructure but nearly all traces of the damage done by them were removed by the mechan- ics aboard, who patched up the splin- tered iron work while the vessel was steaming north on the homeward trip. The firing of the port turret gun across the upper deck shook the vessel very considerably and she will need a general overhauling, as her decks and supports have been loosened If occa- sion required, however, the Texas could fight at a moments notice as effective ly as ever, her batteries being in excel lent order All the sailors who were seen to-day said that the Texas was wonderful ship and her record off the Cuban coast had laid at rest the stories which had been circulated as to her being an unlucky vessel. Twenty-two sick sailors and marines were brought back from the. squadron by the Texas and they were all transferred to the naval hospital adjoining the navy yard None of them had been injured in bat tie and in no case is there any fear of fatal results. Navy dock No. ? is in readiness for the docking of the Texas, which will be done tomorrow.