The Portland daily press., 1898-04-02

and Something About the Way They
Are Examined.
The United States naval recruiting
station which has it's headquarters in
Shipping Commissioner Tol-aans Office
on Fore street is a busy place these days.
Lieut.. Hubbard in charge of tine station
has his offices in the custom house where
applicants are examined by DR.. Morris,
assistant surgeon, and certain facts in re-
gard to the men who wish to enlist are
recorded by Yoeman Platts. The shipping
commissioner office, however, Is the
place where the applicant first presents
himself. Here he is cross examined by
Boatswain Smith and his qualifications
passed upon to certain extent. If the
man seems to be desirable applicant Mr..
Smith sends him over to the custom
house where he is further examined by
Lieut.. Hubbard and if deemed all right is
turned over to the surgeon who passes up
on the applicant physically. DR.. Morris
is able to examine about three men an
hour. Only those men who are in excel
lent health and well able to serve Uncle
Sam in the navy are accepted. Once en-
listed. having been accepted by the sur
geon, the applicants return to the ship
ping commissioner office and there re-
mains until enough men have been &C.
cepted to be sent on to New York.
Many of the men who have already en-
listed have come to Portland from other
places and as they do not have very much
money they are forced to take care of
the themselves until they are summoned
to be sent on the receiving ship at New
York. Some of these men have been
lodging at night at the police station
since their enlistment as they do not de-
sire to go home and be obi ged to pay
here to Portland, again. The police
station is overcrowded with dodgers every
night and some of the men who have en-
listed say they have been told by the
police authorities that if they come to the
station again and ask for lodgings they
It seems rather hard upon the recruits to
be forced to sleep out of doors at this time
of year and as Uncle Sam does not make
any provision for the care of these men
who are filing up the navy it does seems
as If Portland might at least give them
a nights lodging.
Up to 8 O'Clock yesterday afternoon
about 80 men had been enlisted in Port
land. Of this number the majority were
from Portland while there were a few
from other cities in the state, Two young
men from Lewiston got here on the boat
yesterday morning from Boston. They
had paid their fare to Boston in the hopes
that they might be able to enlist there in
the navy but finding that they could en-
list in Portland they came back here by
boat. One of these men passed his ex
animation all right but the younger one
was found to be physically unable to pass
and was rejected. He was very much dis
appointed but as he left the surgeons
Office remarked to some of the men out
side that he would yet get chance to
fl ght the SpaniaTds and if the navy
have him he would serve in the
army.
All applicants have been enlisted as
coal passers. They are to receive S22 a
month and one ration. Some of those
who have enlisted will undoubtedly be
transferred to other grades when they
reach the receiving ship in New York, as
among those who have been accepted are
several men who nave been at sea but
who know nothing about a square rugged
ship. Among others who enlisted was a
barber who expects to be able to work at
his trade on board some battleship. Only
one seaman who could pass as an A. B.
has presented himself. This man was an
old man o. wars man and had his dis
charge papers with him. He had served
through two enlistments and was accepted
on presentation of them. There is no
limit to the number of applicants Ship
ping Commissioner Tolman's office is
filed with men waiting their turn to be
cross questioned by Boatswain Smith
They are for the most part young and in
fellows who seem to be about the
best kind of material for the service they
will be called upon to perform.
BY the John Englis tonight Boatswain
Smith will take a squad Of 35 men who