St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1898-06-08
On the 2sth of May they left Hong Kong

battle indicated that Commodore Dewey
had the utmost confidence in Capt.
Gridlev: that he never interfered in the
slightest degree with his management
and handling of the ship; that he told
him to fire whenever ready and that
the broadside which sunk the flagship of
the Spanish admiral was Gridley's own
conception and act, and in fine that in
the entire battle the Olympia was handled
superby.
Capt. Gridley leaves wife and three
children, two daughters and a son, who
are now residing with Mrs. GridIeys
father, Judge Vincent, at Erie, Pa. His
mother, Mrs. Ann Eliza Gridley. and his
brother Lucius reside in Montpelier.
Capt. Gridley was born at Logansport,
Ind, in 1915, and was appointed to the
Naval Academy from Hillside, Mich, in
1860. On Oct. 1, 1868, young Gridley
was promoted to be ensign aud ordered
to the steam sloop Oneida, then with the
west gulf blockading squadron, in which
squadron he remained until the close of
the war. He was promoted to be lieu
tenant in 1867, and on March IL, 1868,
was commissioned as lieutenant COM
mander. In 1882 he was promoted to
commander. In March, 1897, he was
ordered to the Asiatic squadron, and on
July 1S, 1897, was assigned to command
the Olympia.
II You Write to Your Soldier Boy.
About 200 letters addressed to men in
the United States army and navy are
detained at the general postofice in this
city because the senders did not put
stamps on them. This, the postal au-
thorities believe, is due to a misunder-
standing of the purport of two orders
recently issued by the postoffice depart
ment at Washington. One of these or
ders directed that mail for soldiers and
sailors, whose location will necessarily
be subject to constant change, shall be
forwarded from place to place, without
extra postage charge, until delivered.
The senders OF letters or other mail mat
ter, however, must put on stamps. The
other order provides that soldiers or
sailors may send letters to their relatives
or friends without putting stamps upon
them by getting their commanding Off
Ger to indorse the envelope, but the adj
dresses this beautiful word is Officially
will be required to pay the postage.
There is nothing in either order which
permits the forwarding of unstamped
mail to men in the army or navy.
Mrs. l.. z. Letters Gift.
Mrs. L. q Letter has presented the
Chickamauga Park Hotel at Crawfish
Springs to the United States soldiers.
The building will be used as hospital.
The purchase price is $4,000. The
structure can furnish accommodation
for 700 men.
Dr.Nicholas Sem first suggested theidea
to Mrs. Letter, who is now in Washington.
Through him she learned of the poor pro-
vision made for sick soldiers. She there
upon decided that the soldiers should
have the hotel as hospital. She COM
municated her intentions to Mr.. Letter,
who is in Chicago. The mult-milion-
aire at once wired to DR.. Sem, now AS
sistant Surgeon-General, to purchase
the hotel, fit it up as required and draw
upon him for the required amount. The
purchase was at once made, and hereaf-
ter sick soldiers will be tucked between
soft sheets in secluded, airy rooms.
: "There will be no presentation cere-
, mony," said Mr.. Letter. ut is no time
for ceremony. Mrs. Letter wanted the
!. sick soldiers well cared for; that is ALL
All the details of the purchase and the
fitting up of the hotel as a hospital are
left entirely with DR.. Semi"
Praise for the Oregon's Crew.
The navy department has made public
the following extract from report made
by Capt. Clark Of the Oregon on the ex-
| tro Ord;uorv r.,p NJ +ha+ 70 ,,,et;,.
ut is gratifying to call the depart
ment's attention to the spirit aboard
, this ship in both officers and men. This
, best can be described by referring to in
, stances, such as that of the engineer off
, GERS in voluntarily doubling their watches
when the trip was to be made, to the
attempt Of men to return to the fire
, room after being carried out of it insen-
, sible, and to the fact that most of the
crew who were working by watches day
,, and night at Sandy Point preferred to
leave their hammocks in the MEETINGS
J until they could get the ship coaled and
ready to sail from Sandy Point.
The First vermonter.
w. c. Spafford, bugler of Co K, Ben.
nington, died at $50 last Wednesday
afternoon, OF a complication of cerebro.
spinal meningitis pneumonia. Hewas over
comedy the heat about week before. He
was Fl years of age and unmarried. He
. graduated as first lieutenant from Nor
! witch University and has been in the YER
: mont National Guards for several years.
!, He was sergeant major of the first bat
tallion last year and was elected second
lieutenant of Co K. He failed to pass
the medical examination and went as a
musician of the company. The remains
were embalmed and will be taken home.
Since the papers have so much to say
6 about the speed of war vessels the
6 question is frequently asked; What is a
knot! A knot is geographical mile OF
, 6oS6 feet; Cos feet longer than the mile
= commonly used to measure distances.
, Hence when vessel has a speed of 20
knots, it is capable of going about 20
. miles an hour. Some Of the torpedo
!, boat destroyers can attain the remark
able speed of 35 miles an hour-faster
than most express trains.
, The jaw bone of a mule, ostensiblv the
, animal killed, according to Captain. Gen.
{ eral Blanco, by Admiral SIMPSONS guns
2 IN the bombardment of Mantanzas, was
: received in the mail at the navy depart
f ment the other day. On the tag attached
) to the bone was the address: admiral
) Sampson, Navy Department, Washing.