The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1898-06-09

watches tho steamers crew helping out
tho shore r0ustab0uts c0nl ship from
lighters Thln spectacle has an lrr0siBt-
ablo fascination Tor Tho blu6jackot tray-
cling per steamer, after ms time IN the
navy In out, aud ~ look at him whllo he
IN In tho act Of watching other deep soh
men "pltchf0rklnR coal" you would never
dream mat hG know the difference bee
tween 10 ton NJ conl ana u cargo VI coch-
meal
Tho wfllrr wishes 10 bo abBolycd ~
lho outset from nny accusation that hp
prDiHyH ihr soldiers of the United states
uH ID wild lot The wfItor knows ibnt the
noldlors Of the United states army are
nB good soldiers nH over walked No. !
pDHl In 10 lonR.rnfrd manner whrn th1
commanding 0filoor NJ tho post happened
10 be- coming down the Walk. llo knows
H. having been one NJ them hlmHif-hnd
this ought 10 clnch tho matter Bui, Win
reference ~ me yOyhRlng soldiers On
troop ships. comparisons HH 10 The rcli-
iiyo degrees NJ RODdncsa ~ soldiers in
var0gh services cannot very wen Do
made FOR the simple ana truthful fcn-
run that ni soldiers arc more Dr Jess un-
manageable aboard troop ships. Boldioh
can't bo HH reliable. ioycl-hcadod ana
ROody.gqpd na their ofiicors pretend. only
proi,nd-thry would lko them 10 be
when under way Tor new post, either
over land or across suaH For purposes
~ illustration, the voyage NJ two batter
lra u tho Fifth United States artillery
from Astoria. ore. 10 Han FrnnciHco on
tho steamer Columbia. about four years
nEo. VIII DO. The writer knows homc-
thing about this voyage. In which mere
wha nothing unusual. except mat u
Was n Characteristic movement ~ soldiers
hy rcl.
Thrau Two batteries of heavy artillery
wrro ordered from Fort CANDY wash.
10 Alcntraz Island In the harbor of Ban
FrnncScO. The men Of tho two batteries
were good average soldiers Of the rcgu'
Tar army -obolloni men ln garrison, ana
rather Hn unusually sober and trust
worthy lot. They had br'n rHptctlng the
order % move from the unspeakaDIy
droiry Candy down 30 tho hlrbor of
San Francisco for long time When the
order came. they Wcrr ON cigc with joy,
ana moved ln platoDnB across Tho three
mile. hchr-infcsicd trail 20 the little 81
wash town % liwuco. Whcro thcy light
horrdiy raz-d iow aupcrnuous uhackH
tu ihr ground and otherwise swan iu "a
might n lOy Tho chain guard doubled
up with the post guard and brought tho
platDons back from nwuco after a day
ur so. ana thon the batteries began to
b.
Job that the men went through Ike Tro-
laur. flr they wanted 90 bo H-muyo. Be-
Cor, the start was made every man hI1
A months pay 20 his poke Tho bate
terry luggage was dumped aboard thr
Nttlr steamer ti the Fort CANDY dock.
and the men embarked for the thirteen
milo trip across The mouth VI The Co'um-
bit river ur th, iowa Of Astoria. whence
thr Portland steamer was TO ship them
fpr tho trip down tir coast 60 San Fran
ciau, Tho post guard was taken aboard
thc liftlc Asioril-b1und stoumsr ana the
m,mb,rs 90 that guard had plenty io d1.
ThrrrsqWlricrA uf the mon of the two
batteries had. b,forv the start Mss made,
toasted each other at cantc,n not
wisely but too we'll. and by the time the
utur steamer pulled alongside the dock
az Astoria, where the big steamer was
TO tlc up tho next day ana take the sol-
dicrn aboard. this comfortable 20 per cent
~ tho ou,ht was ponncd up Ia corner
~ tho lower deck. examining tho CLINT OF
tho guards blyoncts. They were AN
turned loose when the little boat arrived
at Astoria, and put 10 work with the rest
~ the meu IN unloading the luggage OF
the batteries. when this Job was done,
ihr men formed and marched into the
long pier shed where they were TO pass
the night That iH. where q was sup
posed they were TO pass the night A
strong guard. cumpos u ot the men who
hadn't toasted each other a, the cantecn
ln For, Candy. was put on the entrance
tp the pier shed Tho guard was not cor
rupubly-bui ihc members of the guard
were Just as anxious 20 see Astoria by
ou liEht AS were the members of the
batteries pcnncd up In the pier shed.
Tho officers We're determined. however.
,hat lhcro should be- no liberties granted,
and their determination didn't ooxr out az
ALL nut the men did. They ooEed ou,
la the most mysterious manner The pier
shed was nllcd with merchandise that
WAS to be loaded aboard the Frisco