Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1898-03-10
THE g. s. NAVY YARD.

"reminiscences of War Her,
in G0ldsbOrO. An interesting
Letter.
DEAR ARGUS: Around the
navy yard at Portsmouth and a
Fortress Monroe. a busy activity
is seen on all sides, and while
war may be very much in the
distance, yet, unless the signs
fail. it is anticipated, and every
indication points to q suppressed
feeling Of excitement.
The Torpedo boat WinsloW
left after some needed repairs
yesterday, her destination belne
Key West. Fla,
I heard OF the stroc:s IF Ports
mouth yesterday evening fha,
the cruiser Newark, th&t had
been placed in the navy yard al
Portsmouth, Va, withs six months
in which needed repairs were al
lowed to be made. was hurried
up by d communication from
Secretary Long asking il such
repairs could not be completed
in a shorter time.
The torpedo boat Foote is hav-
ing repairs, amang which is a
new shaft, maize to Ter. The
Machias and Essex aud others Of
the old craft r expected to be
brought in within the next few
days, all of which indicate that
war. grim war, is not by any
means among the improbable
things that We may be expecting.
l learn, also, that. without any
intimation. other than to those in
authority, torpedoes aud
other explosives are being placed
ia the entrance to Hampton
Roads where a foreign foe might
invade. All these things seem TO
me to point to open hostilities,
and our Goldsboro boys may be-
gin to think Of active warfare.
Captain Balm aud Lieutenants
Quick and Creech may CONS
mence their primary lectures to
the boys" to rally round the
flag. have seen more signs of
war than 7 ever expected to see
again.
l remember, when a boy, seeing
old Col. S D. Pool looking af-
ter building pontoon bridges in
the old open deid where now
stands the old Go.dsboro Acad-
envy, Porter & Godwin's shop
aHnld General Baker with his
corps Of aids, among whom was
H. P. Dortch, as Courier. as
they drilled their men. with drum
corps and brass bands. I remem-
Der how mothers aud wives used
10 seek the telegraph Offices and
newspapers from Richmond, at
ter an engagement, to gain tidings
of their loved ones-and it all
flashed before me, as a seven
year old boy. as one Of the
things that bad toe be-but [
was fearful of nothing, because
too young to comprehend.
But these reflections now, cpu-
pied with the thousands of Confcd-
crate graves at Richmond and Pc
tersburg and of thousands Of
Union soldiers at the National
here and OF both
Confederate and Union at Win
chester, Va, all speak in thunder
to@es of that conflict, ard while, if
war at all, most of it, with a for
eign foe, would be on the high
seas, yet war is fearful, even in
it's mildest form. An old ne
gro once said in nay presence,
after having the smallpox, ''boss
dere amt muffin small about it,
'ceptin de rame," and his pitted
face told only too we'll the truth
fulness of his remarks, as these
cities of the dead that l have re-
Gently visited, tell of the awful
carnage of warfare. But then we
can't be slapped in the face as a
nation by Spain, and if even with
out her knowledge, one of her
subjects in Spanish waters, in
time of peace, destroyed, ''the
Maine" one of our best war
ships, onr President should de-
mand, in the shortest possible
time, full indemnity, and no delay
be permitted in doing so, add this
seems to be the verdict of the peo-
pie, and the indications all point
to this in the very near future.
Respectfully.
J. w. s.