The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1898-03-17
PREPARING FOR WAR.
Great Activity at the Different Forts and
Navy Yards.
The Miantonomah, Katahdin, Minneapolis
and Columbia About Ready for Busl-
ness-Pushing the Work on Big Guns
and Steel Pro ojectiies- Recruiting.

: and Steel Pro Notwithstanding.
PENSACOLA, Fla, March i4.-For
, Pickens, which guards the entrance t
the harbor on the east side is the seen
! of great activity just now. 1t is con
: sidered one of the strongest of the oil,
style of forts in the country. New 81:
and eight-inch rife guns will be mount
I ed on it and if lot of vessels shoul,
: succeed in passing the heavy batterie
OF disappearing guns and mortars OF
Santa Rosa island, the fort will be abl,
| to do effective work when they reacl
the channel. The big disappearing
guns are now in position and it il
learned that the troops at For
Barrancas are under orders to prepar,
for practice with them, which is ex
pected to begin within the next ter
days Large quantities of ammuni
tion have been received at the fort anc
more is on the way. The Pensacola
division of the naval militia have just
received from the government splen
did Hotchkiss rapid-6re gun and full
outfit of cutlasses, ammunition, etc.
and they are ready TO begin practice.
TALLAHASSEE, Fla, March l4.-From
all reports coming into the adjutant
generals Office here and letters from
commanders of companies, it is learned
that the Florida state troops are now
recruited up to the full legal standard,
with offers of enough men to put 3, 900
more in the field in week. In Tampa
and Jacksonville especially the war
fever is strong and the commanders
of com panies there, both infantry and
artillery, report offers of hundreds
| beyond their needs.
SAN ANTONIO, Tex, March 14.-Light
Battery X, First artillery. was Sunday
recalled from the target range at Kerr
vile and ordered to Galveston. The
battery had just reached the range
after march of three days, and with
out giving the men or horses more
than days rest. has started on the
return. The order was issued by Gen.
Graham, commander of the depart
ment, on instructions received from
Washington Sunday.
SAN ANTONIO, Tex, March 14-J. w.
Greer, mechanical engineer of this
city, is now negotiating with the war
department for the purchase of an au-
tomato machine gun for Notifications
and floating batteries which he has in
vented and patented. The depart
ment is now making test
with gun constructed on the
lines of Mr. Greer's patent which will
shoot 300 three-inch projectiles per
minute, the fastest machine gun here
tofore invented throwing but IL three
inch shots per minute. The Greer au-
tomato machine gun can be construct
ed for still heavier ammunition and
will shoot four-inch projectiles at the
rate of $50 per minute.
A feature of the gun which recon-
mends it at this time is that the inven-
tion can be employed on the guns now
in use by the department and can be
manufactured in very short time.
READING, Pa, March 1.-The prom
ise OF a contract for projectiles
amounting to 81, l,OOO,OO to the Carpen.
ter steel works kept the entire plant
in unusual activity Sunday. Work
was pushed all along the line on pro.
jectiies in the main plant; on the erec-
tion of the three new buildings be.
gun Saturday, and in getting |
the Diamond Steel Co.'S works,
which have been re-leased) into run
ming order. Masons, carpenters, ma
chinists, steel melters and makers and
a score of other classes of workmen
were on duty and in two weeks the
will have an increased plant
to double the present capacity and will
probably employ $50 men. More ship
ments will be made Monday by order
of government officials.
PHILADELPHIA, March 14-There was
A general absence at League Island
navy yard Sunday of the unusual ac-
ivity which prevailed last Sunday and
he Sunday previous. A few workmen
we're busy about the yard and aboard
he ships, but their work was of finish
ng up character The Miantonomah,
iatahdin, Minneapolis and Columbia
are now all but ready to sail within a
lay or two if so ordered, and what
'ver additional repairs may be neces-
airy can be attended to en- route. A
ew more men are needed for the
Iatahdin and Minneapolis, and de-
achment of marines under Lieut.
'uller are expected shortly to
the Columbia's compile
lent All the warships are now
oaled and have most OF their
torres aboard, and about all that
emains to be done now is to replenish
heir stock of ammunition This will
e done at the government magazine,
short distance below the navy yard.
nd all the vessels will then be ready
Or sailing at moments notice. The Z
is anchored in the river and
S soon as her marines arrive will y
team to the magazine.
WILMINGTON, Del, March 14.-The
owder works of the z. |. Dupont il
e Memours Co. is now working day 4
I'D night on a government order for I
exagonal powder for the big guns. Z
ntil a day or two ago only the day I
'rce was at work, but il is said that l.
'ders from Washington necessitated a
'e employment of a night force. c.
addition some of the build. h
gs are being enlarged and n
ore machinery is being put in. h
Cooperate Commonwealth Colony
TACOMA, Wash. March 1.-The co.