Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1898-06-02
THE OREGON'S TRIP HOME.
Thrilling Account of the Journey
from Magellan's Straits
to Jupiter, Fla.
CAUTIOUS PASSAGE OF THE STRAITS.
Constantly on the Lookout for the Spanish
Fleet, Which Prudence Said to Avoid,
but VaIOr Wished to Encounter-WouId
Have Made Their Destruction a Dear
Victory for Spain.

Victory for Spain.
KEY WEST, Fla, May 26.-Capt. Chas.
E. Clark and other officers of the Ore
gon came ashore at ten o'clock and re-
ported all well on board and the ship
in good condition.
The Oregon left San Francisco on
March 10, arrived at Callao April 4, left
there on April Z, and passed
Sandy Point on April 81, arriving at
Rio Janeiro on April 80. The bat
tleship reached Bahia on May g.,
At the latter place the war ship was
quarantined, but she was only detained
one day.
The battleship arrived off Jupiter
light on May "a, and then communicated
with Washington.
The Oregon picked up the cruiser
Marietta and the dynamite cruiser
Nictheroy between Rio Janeiro and
Bahia, but she parted company with
them after a few hundred miles.
Capt. Clark said the crew of the Ore
gon had suffered from the heat in pass
ing twice through the tropics.
''All the way along" he added, ''we
were wondering where the Spaniards
were, and we never ascertained that
fact until we reached here"
do you know now?" Capt. Clark
was asked.
WELL" he replied, II imagine we
can make very accurate guess"
The Oregon coaled four times on her
trip-at Callao, Sandy Point, Rio ia
Metro and Barbados and reached;here
with plenty of coal and water on board.
The first news the officers and crew
of the Oregon had of the Manila vic
tory was at Rio Janeiro, where Capt.
Clark received telegram from Wash
ington.
On leaving the Barbados the Ore
gon sailed almost directly north, go
ing to the north of Porto Rico, about
$50 miles. The northerly course was
continued until the Bermudas were
sighted, when she sailed. for the east
coast of Florida.
Capt Clark explains that the rea.
son for going to Jupiter inlet, instead
of putting in at Key West, was to en-
able the Oregon to be ready to go
either to Key West or Hampton Roads
in short order after getting informa-
ton from Washington. Capt. Clark
had no official knowledge of the situa-
tion after leaving Rio Janeiro, April 20.
During the entire trip the crew eX.
pected momentarily to meet the Span
iards. Only once, however, was there
call to arms. This was shortly after
midnight on leaving Rio Janeiro. AS
the Oregon was blowing through the
black equatorial sea a dark object was
discovered ahead. The call to quarters
was sounded, the men rolled out of
their berths with the enthusiasm of
boys on a circus day, and almost in
stantly every gun was manned.
The Oregon left her course and cir
cled around the black pursuer, only to
find it a harmless bark, instead of a
Spanish war ship.
At Rio de Janeiro Capt. Clark was
told that the Spanish torpedo boat
Temerario was following him. The
report gave new interest to the trip
for day and night, but at the next port
| of call he was informed that the Teme-
rario had gone into dry dock at Rio
Janeiro just after the departure of the
| Oregon.
The cruise through the straits of
| Magellan was most interesting. 1t
was at this far southern point of the
| American hemisphere that the crew
| expected to receive a visit from the
| Spaniards. In many places the chan
| mel is very narrow and crooked, with
| hidden bays and coves, and back of
| them mountains towering into the
clouds on either side. Moreover, they
were in the land of icy winter. For
more than month they had been sail
| ing under tropical skies, and now the
blasts of December whistled among the
| crags above them, and ice at night lay
! on the decks.
But the Oregon did not lag. Capt.
Clark had no idea of giving the Span
| iards, if they were there a chance to
catch him mapping. If the great bat
tleship were 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 at Is knots
an hour. The machinery worked we'll
| and on occasions the speed was in
creased three knots in few minute
A stop of three days was made at
| Sandy Point, where coal was taken on
and other supplies secured.
The Oregon's % officers and crew of
425 seamen were well and happy when
the battleship cast anchor off Sand
Key lighthouse at $50 yesterday morn
| ing. The vessel is in tirst-claSs shape
and ready for another cruise as long
as the one just ended. The excellent
condition of the men after their &c
days is perhaps even more remarkable.
Throughout the entire trip there were
no cases of serious illness on board.