The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-07-08
ECHOES OF THE WAR.

Hobart Jones, yeoman on the auxiliary
cruiser St. Paul, was at his home in BinG-
hamton while the St. Paul was in New
York the last few days. TO Il Bingham
ton Republican man Jones said that it
has so happened that each time the ST.
Paul has taken an active part in the
melee ii has been his watch off. so that
all that he had to do was to stand at
quarters on deck and watch the fun.
When the st. Paul had her miX-up with
the torpedo boat destroyer Terror and
the Isabella II in front of San Juan the
other day he said that the nearest that
they were able to get to the enemy was
about six miles. and it was at that dis
tance that the 5-inch shell from the ST.
Paul played havoc with the internal ar
rangemCnts of the Terror. The nearest
that the Spaniards could get their shots
to the St. Paul. he said was about three
quarters Of mile In the first smashing
of the works in Guantanamo harbor the
st. Paul was more in the thick of it, hav-
ing position only about loo yards in
the rear of the other warships, but the
vessel was moi hit, although the shells
came all around her. When asked con-
Cerning the effect chat the firing of the
guns has upon the men on board Mr.
Jones said that for the first few times
it seemed as If a fellows ears were beng
hammered to pieces. but that person
soon gets used to il so that he does not
mind. The ship itself is not Jared very
much. nor does a person directly beneath
the guns feel the shock very badly.
When the Nesuvius first tried her hand
at throwing earthquakes" at Morro
castle, the St. Paul stood out about ten
miles from the shore, but the action of
the "earthquaker' could be easily seen,
Mr.. Jones said: at looked as If the little
vessel was fastened to a string and every
time after she had thrown a charge CT
gun cotton the string was used to pull ner
back, SO rapid We're her movements. She
lodged around like man fighting, so
that the enemy's guns could not get her
range, and the machinery of the vessel IS
so arranged that she can be handled ana
reversed with the greatest rapidity. All
that We could see was that she would
dart in as close as possible toward the
fort, and when she had reached certain
point she would remain stationary for a
few seconds and We could tell that she
was sending in another charge, although
of course we could not hear anything. A
moment later we could see a great cloli
of dust from some part of the hillside
that looked as If it might be. an earth
quake, and then the vessel would be
turned and coming out again. After a
few seconds we could hear the roar of
the explosion. After she was through
with her work the St. Paul stood In close"
to shore, and we We're able to see where
the gun cotton charges had torn great
holes in the hillside and the fort. one
corner of the fort was entirely torn
away, and | am surprised to learn that
the guns from there are still at work, as
the dispatches say is the case"
George Douglass, formerly of WIKI as
Barre, was seriously injured Friday while
storming the trenches before Santiago.
lie is only IL years old, but comes from a
family that has distinguished itself on
the field of battle. He was injured 10y
being run over by Il heavy cannon. Young
Douglass is son of Mrs. Henry Doug
lass, who Is daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
S. f. Bossard, of IL South River street,
Wilkes-Barre. Since the news of her
sons injuries reached her she has been
confined to her room from shock. He is
member of the Tenth United States in
| fantry, The captain of the company of
which he was Il member John Drum. was
| killed in the battle. The young soldiers
| father, Henry Douglass, was in the mill
| tary service for forty-cight years and
| served for many years as colonel of the
| regiment OF which his son is a member
| lie was a graduate of West Point and
| had an cnviable record as a fighter
| Douglass was at school at Suspension
! Bridge n, Y, when the war broke out
| and asked his mothers consent to go to
| the front, She could not hold a deaf ear
| to her sons entreaties. His regiment
| was one of the first to embark for Cuba,
Before leaving Tampa Captain Drum who
is reported killed, wrote Mrs. Douglass
| telling her Il at her son would be properly
| cared for and that she need not worry.
Flag Lieutenant James Sears of the