Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1898-08-18
From The California Camp.
CAMP MERRIAM. Cali

FORNIA, August IL, '9S.
slant at hand. | am we'll and was glad to
hear that all our friends around Oakfield
and Brayton are we'll and are doing we'll.
the dark as ever. However, there are some
pointers in that direction and we may
leave Tor there yet this month. went out
he is nice. friendly fellow, and then he is
very attentive to business. He is hospital
Steward, you know, so has plenty to do.
On August 18th George Elliott, of Company
&C" died of pneumonia. He is the first
man to die in our Company i went to
wood and went over to Fort Point where
we spent nearly the whole afternoon
at the old and new forts. While going
breakers. Ellwood got a fence board,
which had nails in the end, and when the
waves rolled out we managed to get hold
OF the white object with the board and, af-
ter dragging it away from the waves, we
found found it to be flying fish which had been
| perhaps a sword fish. 1t measured two
and half feet across totthe tops of its fly
ing ms, and was about three and one-half
feet long, weight about forty pounds, and
resembled a great bat as much as any
thing could think of. The next thing we
came to OF interest on our way to the fort
was great pyramids of old cast iron shells
out OF date and worthless as war material,
and then there were two long rows of old
dlsmounted rusty ten and twelye-inch
these guns and could put my hat in the
muzzle of it without bending the rim of
the hat l nean.) From here we climbed
the cliffs, walking on an old Sluice way.
We saw the signal station after we passed
the life boat house, and then walked a
draw bridge onto the walls of old Fort
G Gid NOT dhey had ;ato out sign
fort but contented myself by walking
around the outer wall and seeing all that
ed over the earthworks of new Fort Point
which is only visible at short distance
away on the land side where we entered.
But facing the bay are strong walls and
the water in manner to make one think
them able to sink almost any ship
that tina t game to this NECK of the great
to the inside, of this fort and had
quite a talk with one of the artilerymen.
Then we looked over the shot rooms which
are built back under the earth and have
great iron doors and are walled with inn
nense blocks of granite We took view
of the seaside of this fort where the disap-
pearing guns are mounted, but they had
guards posted here who would not let us
go within thirty feet of the guns. Howev-
er, watching my chance, | climbed the
carefully, going all around it. and l think
| understood ali the workings of this gun
before came down. They are about the
finest machines ever saw. as there seems
to be no lack of expense or workmanship
about them. They are fired by electric
contact wires from room under the walls
Several of the steel projectiles were living
there ready for use and l examined those
also, which was great pleasure to me,
assure you. Ellwood contented himself
with what he could see from the walk be-
low, but you know / could not be content
ed with distant view of those old bo-
peep guns, and if they ever do spring UP
and play peek-a-boo with some great iron
war ship, at the gateway of the harbor. /
think we shall hear of an addition to the
submarine monsters of the deep, soon
after. l also examined two great thirteen
and fourteen-inCh disappearing guns; they
are splendid guns but do not disappear
"hen nred. Then we went over to the two
great dynamite guns which are fired by
compressed air. | have read so much
about these gnns that, although The sen
tinel came and made us get away from
them, l got very good view. think |
have learned as much today as ever did
in one day. Then we strolled back to camD
through the timber, stopping at the edge
where we could see Golden Gate on one
side, with Fort Point in the foreground
while Oakland was just discernable
tWenty-elght miles away in the opposite
direction, with the bay directly in front of
us. bordered by the mountains rising in
blue cones from the opposite shore. It's a
grand sight, and we stood there sometime
ana talked about what strange sights we
shall probably see if we go to Manila. Ell
wood and expect to go and look over the
transports the first chance we get and
then ! will write you all about them, /
VIII close by asking you to remember me
to all our old friends
AS ever, your loving son,
WARD Is. SMITH.