The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1898-08-23
NAVAL SUPERSTITION
Some Strange Beliefs Entertained
by Seamen.
Over Certain ships Hang HooGoos
That Cannot Be shaken on, No
Matter What Means Are
Tried.


The crews of modern men-of-war,
principally mechanics, men trained in
the unromantic din of shops, men who
can work iron and steel to the thou
sandth part of an inch, should be free
from the senseless superstitions which
possessed the square-rigged sheil-backs
who sailed with Preble and Paul Jones,
but they are not.
a certain gun, warped and twisted
during boring process, requiring
double the usual amount of work to
complete it, and costing man his job,
IS regarded with disfavor.
The gun is watched and its fai,ings
noted. Predictions are rife that it will
yet be heard from to lis discredit. Its
crew, under the ban of the hoodoo, are
conspicuous in the blacklist gang; soma
of them being always up for punish
ment. They are the unfortunates who
get licked in alteration with despised
landlubbers ashore-and are ironed for
overstaying their leave on their return.
Transfer the entire crew, and the hoo
doc leaves them. attaching Itself to their
unfortunate successors.
The man in charge OF a certain DON
key engine is warned TO look out for il:
'it's hoodooed." He inspecfs it
thoroughly; tries every nut and bolt;
it is in perfect order.
Ten minutes later, while warping the
ship to her berth, the hoodoo breaks
down and she rams the pier-with the
admiral looking on
A crank pin on the main engine re-
spends to the minutest tests for me-
chanical truth and accuracy; but it is n
weli-lnown hoodoo. Although flooded
with lubricant, it gets hot, causing
shutdown-while the honorable secre-
tary is on tour of inspection.
1t was turned by a scab during a
strike.
These mishaps do not all occur on one
ship; no ship could Withstand such a
load; she could not keep a crew.
There are instances of ships that are
pursued by a relentless series of mis-
adventures from the laying of their
keels. They become exceedingly I'M
popular. The ramming of tugs and
ferryboats, colliding with wharves, and
charted rocks, but heretofore unknown
Submarine distractions by these un-
fortunates, can be attributed to no rea-
sonable cause. Our naval officers ara
the equals of any afloat; they are not
to blame; beside, ii is TO the ship that
the hoodoo attaches. The battseship
Texas is a case in point. A fine ship.
well manned and differed, her name is
continually appearing in print asso-
eiated with accidents so apparently
ridiculous that, were they penetrable,
some one should have been cashiered.
The torpedo boat Somers, recently
purchased abroad, viii hardly arrive
here, except as freight. Is any man so
skepticai of superstition that he would
willingly serve in her when she does ar
rive2
The level-headed man, who has never
been cooped within the narrow confines
of snip for months, who has not lain
awake night after night, yainly .cud-
Ceiling brain crammed to bursting
with technical knowledge for remedy
for these things, viii sheer at the silly
superstition, and hint al rascally con-
tractors and yenal government officials.
How about the Maine?
She was built by the government.
The naval board were on their mettIe
IN competition with these same willy
contractors But this splendid ship, the
pride of our navy, was-unlucky.
In August, 1896, she fouled her anchor
in Key West, and bent the plates Of
her port keel. Was that preventable
accident? Evidently not, or it would
not have occurred.
The following February, while at tar
get practice, one-pound shell explod-
ed, injuring three of her crew; vet there
is no one thing which receives more at
fention on board man-of-war than the
care of the ammunition.
1t is not customary to explode shells
among the crew.
In July, '97, to avoid ramming
crowded excursion boat, Can't. Sipsbee
ran her into an East river pier. cutting
a barge loaded with railroad cars near
~ in two.
She was known as an unluckv shin
and this very knowledge contributed to
The uneasiness Of her crew in Havana.
she was on delicate mission; and.
though another ship m ght have been
all right, the unexpected was liable to
happen TO the unlucky Maine at any mo-
mnt.
she capped the climax of her unlucky
career by furnishing an object lesson to
the world of the facility with which
these great steel fighting machines can
oe destroyed--H. c. Hamblen, in Phila-
delphia Press.
A New Mineral Pitch.
"MauJak' is material found in Bar
bldoes IL Is Of hr-;llsnr4 -