The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-09-11

How the New York Navy Yard Constructor
Fitted Out the Hospital Ship Relief.

How the New York Navy Yard Constructor
Fitted Out the Hospital Ship Relief.
One Of the men who have come out of the
hustle OF war with thin faces but with un-
dimmed ardor is Naval Constructor Bowles.
upon whom fell much Of the work Of fitting
out vessels OF various kinds in u rush at the
New York Navy Yard. The sailors came back
from Cuba looking robust. Constructor
Bowles's appearance would seem to indicate
that he had been in the army rather than in
the navy and that hs had been at the front
rather than in New York during the entire cam
paign. Indeed, Mr.. Bowles did have relations
with the army to some extent. and his friends
say that of all the hurry work he has had to do
in the last four months he is most proud Of
what he did for the army. 1t related to the
fitting out of the army hospital ship Relief.
Along in June Mr.. Bowles received a despatch
from the Navy Department to fit outthe steam
ship John Englis as u hospital ship for the
army. Mr.. Bowles had heard of such a vessel
and.that.is all. Being a man of quick action, he
went to the telephone and found that she was
at a pier in the East River. He then tele-
phoned to the Army Building for some one in
authority TO meet him on board the vessel.
Within Il few hours Mr.. Bowles had inspected
the ship and had decided what changes were
necessary. That night he sat down and made
a rough itemized estimate of the cost Of the
changes that were necessary. They amount
ed to about 100000 One OF the items was
$4,000 for the remova of joiner work and
another was 81. POO for repairs to the engines.
The next day that estimate was in Washington
and had been sent 70 the War Department by
the Navy Department.
Ten days passed and Mr. Bowles heard
nothing more. Thu army needed that ship
and Mr.. Bowles.wanted TO get at the work. He
o.t.al tlA NnuN, sINanu ~ INFANT about ~ EA,,r
days later he received a letter from the War
Department. through the Navy Department,
| saying that the Secretary Of War approved Of
1ae es'e Of eSe item tn q Of fsp iS.Guo T foy the peI re IasSpll
| Of joiner work and $1,000 for repairing the
engines.
Constructor Bowles was stumped. He
couldn't fit out the ship without tearing put
the joiner work. Again he decided on puick
action. He sent n telegram to the Navy De-
partment asking for full authority to go ahead
with the work on his own responsibility. The
and, OF making changes subject. to approval
Of this bureau and that meant q tangle and a
some way. Constructor Bowles's friends do not
say how, the constructor got word TO go ahead.
He PULLED out I'll the Joiner WORK 1m, ;r liked the en- n
twenty DAYS. 1t is SAID TO have been the quick
est piece OF work OF reiltting q vessel com
was finished Mr.. Bowles sent in bills amount
ing TO only about $1,000. the cost Of the re-
Not long, after this Il man came to, Mr..
Bowles's office, and. without introducing him
self. asked how Mr.. Bowles came to get such
fine beds for the Relief. Mr.. Bowles, fenced
for a time. his friends say. and then learned
that his vi>i II had been sent here by the War
Department 20 fit out the Missouri as q hos
pital ship. Mr.. Bowles Is extremely uncom-
municatIye about department business, but
his associates say he was amazed to find
that the visitor had no definite orders about
the Missouri, and that 1t was a sort Of vague
mission the War Department man was on.
Mr., Bowles gave him all the assistance he pos
sibly could, and after u time the Missouri
started out on, her errand. but she was only
half ready tor her work.
\ naval officer in the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
in speaking to a Sun reporter OF MIR. Bowles's
work, said:
There is no.glamour about that kind Of SER
vice to the country. 1t was Just as valuable,
and l don't know but Just as valiant. as work
at the front. Bowles fitted out more than fifty
vessels in a few weeks and mounted no less
than 225 guns. Everything went of without
"A serious hitch, The man who had charge of
such a task. 1t seems to me. is as much enti-
tied to preferment as the man who under the
excitement and stimulus of affairs ut the front
does brave things"
When a ship was sent to the BROOKLYN yard
to be refltted Mr. BowleS and his assistants
Immediately went over her with tapes and
made full measurements. Draughtsmen fire.
quently worked all night. and In most cases
men within twenty-four hours from the time
"A ship arrived in the navy yard to undergo al
But the Job that we are most proud Of
said the naval officer who was speaking TO
THE Sun reporter. was the fitting out of the
Relief. BowleS cut the red tape in beautiful
fashion and many sick soldiers benefited by 1t.