Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-04-21
ARE EAGER TO ENLIST.
Refuse to Ship For the Season So Long as
There Are Prospects of war-Not to BE
Tempted by Good Berths - First Class
Men Apply.

There Are Prospects of War-Not to BE
Tempted by Good Berths = First Glass
Men Apply.
The enlisting Of naval recruits from
points on the great lakes is causing no
small amount Of worry on the part Of
shippers of vessels now in port in Chi
cago as many Of the best foremost
hands, engineers and mechanics refuse
under any consideration to take berths
as long as there is chance of serving
Uncle Sam in brush with Spain.
Recruits have not been enlisted in
Chicago as yet, but Lieutenant Simon
Cook of the photographic office is now
making a tour Of great lake points, with
other officers in the government service,
reserving Chicago for the last station.
1t is expected that enlisting men for the
navy will begin in Chicago in the course
of few weeks, when the other avail
able points have been drained Of their
eligible sailors. The knowledge of this
fact has spread among the yourge- and
more enthusiastio element, and large
proportion of the fresh water tars is
impatiently waiting for the chance to
step up and be measured and numbered
among the crews on the nations battle
ships.
Confronted by the two irreccncilable
facts that the season is earlier and
promises to be bigger than ever and
that the best men cannot be induced to
sign, the shippers of the ships tied up
along the Chicago river are beginning
to drift from pleading to profanity.
One sturdy young fellow stood lean
ing over the rail that skirts the rivers
edge near the Dearborn street bridge
and turned deaf ear to the gray beard
ed man who was exhorting him from
the deck of tight looking little craft
that was evidently all ready for the
word to sail.
Come on, Bill" pleaded the man
on the deck, didn't / treat you all right
last year?"
'Finer'n silk, but can I come now, ("
was the rejoinder.
"Oh, bosh You're a sucker fer
standin in your own light. Come aboard
an sign, an Ill give you the mate 8
berth"
For an instant the young fellow hest.
tated, but he finally said after gulp:
81 couldn't do it-nqt even for your
own berth, cap'n. I'd rather scrap in
the navy than own the best craft in the
harbor. +"
Then he turned on his heel and walk
ed away, as if to get out of reach of the
captains mesmeric power, while the
man on the deck discharged volley of
explosives that contained condensed
and fiery opinion Of all government re-
cruiting officers.
Captains up and down the lines Of
ships along the river indicate that the
same experience is being generally met,
and that the best men are obdurate in
holding out or are only brought over by
the inducement of promotion or larger
pay.
There are always plenty Of green
hands to be had, and there is no danger
of running out Of common sailors who
have little experience on the lake, but
vessels cannot be entirely manned by
such as these, and If the recruiting in
Chicago proves as heavy as anticipated
it will take the cream of the profession
from both the steam and sailing vessels.
The officials in the photographic
office are delighted with the class Of
men applying for positions in the navy,
and Lieutenant Wilson prophesies that
when his superior officer returns there
will be several hundred first class sail
ors ready to have their names enrolled
This list will include mechanics, car
penters and engineers, who get more
pay i'll the navy than ordinary seamen
A large number applied before the gov
eminent decided to establish recruiting
stations on the lakes. They were refer
red to the regular recruiting stations il
the east and left much disappointed
later signing with captains of Chicago
vessels.
81 know one first class engineer, ;
said Lieutenant Wilson, 'twho has ,
billet on fine vessel that is scheduled
to sail in short time. He has thrown
up his position and is patiently waiting
! until he can take his examinations fol
government service. l know of similaI
instances, and from the class of mer
applying here l have no doubt that thu
recruiting is going to make quite diff
,, ference in the crews of the Lake vessels. ;
! Local government authorities comba
the statement that lake sailors are O
little use in ocean service. They poin
to the fact that the government wa
greatly pleased with the men secured
last summer when q recruiting station
was temporarily established at the ar
o mory of the naval militia, 20 Michigan
avenue. Lake sailors of the better elias
d are fully equipped for sea experience
, and coon render as good an account O
t themselves as the recruits from Glouces
t ter, Mass, who are regarded as idea
g from the standpoint Of the enlistin
r officers Chicago Times Herald.