Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1898-06-23

ander Returns to hey West to Await
Assignment to Another Ship-Has a
Suit of Clothing Stolen-Heat Hard on
Northerner.
Frantz Haverstick, of this city. now
a sailor in the Unites States navy, is
back at Key West again awaiting re-
ass gnment, the Puritan. to which
he was originally assigned having
been damaged to such an extent that
she will not be operated on the high
seas for the present at least. Mr..
Haverstick describes her last perilous
trip in the appended interesting let
ter to his brother Ralph Haverstick:
U. 5. S. Lancaster. June Is. Dear
Brother Ralph have been trans
ferred from the Puritan back to the
receiving ship Lancaster again for an
assignment to some other vessel, for
which | am glad. The heat down
here for northern man is something
fierce, and | shccumbed, with several
others Gold seamen), last SATURDAY..
After coaling all dav-a terrible lob.
as was down in the hold-we started
for Cuba. That night | stood anchor
watch from II to 2. and. as heavy
gale was blowing. became sick. but
did not report it. The wind blew all
next day off Havanaand at night grew
so rough that the steering gear was
broker, forcing us to return to Kew
West for repairs. The return was
simply awful.
The heat is intolerable below decks
and above, and the waves wash over
everything, SO that sleep is entirely
out of the question. As | am rated
as seaman. | was Obliged to take two
shifts al the wheel. from 10 to II and
again from 1 to Il. IN. The heat
away down below next to the keel.
with all the matches closed, proved
too much for me during the second
watch. but instead of letting me off.
| was put on look out on the
bridge. 1t was grand way up there
to see the huge pillows roll COM
pletely over us, even though it
drenched one to the bone, and the
inky black clouds open at times for
the moon to peep through. Sand Key
| light, off Key West, was a welcome
| sight, however, and now the Puritan
has nothing to tell the tale of that
terrible night but Il lost steam launch
land wrecked captains gig. The in
jury to the steam steering gear is SO
| great that she is obliged to either re-
main here guarding the harbor or &c
to Philadelphia for repairs. | am
| glad, therefore, to leave her The
officers treat the men ignobly and the
reserves are target for every I'M
secmlv remark. | am much tanned
calloused and dirty. Salt water can.
not he used for cleansing purposes and
| fresh water must be stolen.
His Clothes Were Stolen.
MY blanket, one hat and q suit OF
| clothes have been stolen. But with
all this there is a fascination to a sea.
faring life and quite few of the sailors
are true men. The government
obliges one to purchase nearly $50 of
clothes at eNorbitant prices, and in
order to secure Il change from hard
tack and coffee, we pay 81 to S. extra
monthly. The use of beer is en-
couraged, but it is horrible stuff down
here. So lpass it up. Potatoes are
$l.9O per bushel at Key West, and
eggs 80 cents per dozen, packed
Some one told the ships writer here
| was typewriter, SO today the lieu.
tenant had me doing a little work.
Anything to get away from scrubbine
decks, gun drill, spreading awnings.
etc, suits me.
There are dozen of gunboat,
at anchor here all the time apparent,
with nothing to do. The war will
doubtless drift along in this desultory
way for months, regardless of the
landing Of troops. The contractor,
are fattening on it. FRANTz.