The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1898-05-31
TIE OREGON'S FAMOUS TRIP.
'THR BIG BATTLRsHtP NOW AT
KRY WEST.

captain CAafk I'll Of the SixtYISix
Days Voyage From San francisco
Passing Through Two Tropics and a
Belt Of Winter-He Was on the Look.
0ut For the S~paniards- The Battleship
IN Fine Condition and Her $50 Men
Well and Happy.
Key WEST, May 90 The United
States battleship Oregon arrived here
on the 2sGh from Jupiter, and is now
at anchor near Sandy Key Light. Cap.
tain Chase Clark, and other officers of
the Oregon, came ashore at 10 o'clock,
and reported all we'll on board and the
ship in good condition. The Oregon
left San Francisco March 19sh, arrived
at Calao April 4sh; left there April 7sh
and passed Sandy Point April 21st,
arriving at Rio Janeiro April SOth.
The battleship reached Bahia May 9Th,
and touched at Barbados May 18th.
At the latter place the warship was
quRrantined but she was only detained
a day. On leaving the Barbados the
Oregon sailed almost directly north,
going to the north of Porto Rico about
$50 miles. The northerly course was
continued until the Bermudas were
sighted, when she headed for the
Florida coast. Captain Clark explains
that the reason for going to Jupiter
inlet, instead Of putting in at Key
West was to enable the Oregon to be
ready to be ready to 60 either to Key
West or Hampton Roads in short order
after getting official information from
Washington. Captain Olard had no
official knowledge of the situation after
leaving Rio Janeiro. During the en-.
tire trip the rev expected momen
tarily to meet the Spanish. Only once,
however, was there q call to arms.
This was shortly after midnight on
leaving Rio Janeiro. AS the Oregon
was ploughing through the black equa.
torial sea, a dark object was discov.
cred ahead, apparently giving chase.
The call to general quarters was
sounded; the men rolled out Of their
berth with the enthusiasm Of boys on
a circus day, and almost instantly
every gun was manned. The Oregon
left her course, and circled around her
black pursuer, only to find it q harm.
less bark, instead Of aSpanish warship.
Back to their berths crept the men with
mutterings of disappointment and
disgust.
At Rio Janeiro Captain Clark was
told that the Spanish torpedo boat
Temerario was following him. This re-
port gave new interest to the trip for a
day and a night, but at the next port
Of call he was informed that the Tenn
erario had gone into dry dock at Rio
Jsneiro, just after the departure of the
Oregon.
The cruise through the Straits of
Magellan was most interesting. It
was at this far southern point Of the
American hemisphere that the crew
expected to receive a visit from the
Spanirds. In many places the chan
mel was very ARROW and crooked,
with hidden bays and coves, and back
of them mountains lowered into the
clouds on either side. Moreover, they
were in the land Of icy winter. For
more than a month they had been sail.
ing under the tropical skies, and now
the cold blasts whistled among the
crags above them and the ice at night
lay on the decks. But the Oregon did
not lag. Captain Clarke had no idea of
giving the Spaniards, if they were
there, q chance to catch him mapping.
II the great battleship was to be caught,
it should be a catch on the wing. The
engines were warmed up to their best
work and wherever it was safe and
possible the Oregon boWled along st
Is knots an hour. The machinery
worked well, and on occasions the
speed was increased three knots in a
few minutes. A stop of three days
was made at Sandy Point, where coal
was taken on and other supplies Sc
cured.
The Oregon's % Ulcers and her crew
of 425 seamen Were we'll and happy
when the ~battleship cast anchor off
Sandy Key lighthouse at $50 o'clock
this morning. The Oregon is in first
class shape and ready for another
cruise as long as the n just ended.
The excellent condition of the men
after their Sc days voyage IS perhaps
even more remarkable. Throughout
the entire trip there we're no cas- Of
serious illness on board, and the men
are as eager for immediate activity as
if they had just come from a vacation
in the mountains.
The Oregon picked up the cruiser
Marietta and the dynamite cruiser
Nichnrov hotwee0 Rio ,TanairO and