The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1898-12-29
GETTING THE OREGON READY.
The Splendid Battleship Prepared for
Her Voyage Round South America.

The Splendid Battleship Prepared for
Her Voyage Round South America.
Before the battleship "Maine'' was
sent to the harbor of Havana, the more
prudent statesmen at Washington had
begun to make plans for a possible war
with Spain. They had looked over
their maps and books to determine
wher the ships of war should be sta
toned, and how they were to be
brought where needed. The Oregon
a battleship of the best type, like the
Indiana" Iowa" and "Massachu-
sets" was known to be in Puget Sound
at the extreme northwestern corner of
the United States; and it was believed
that it might be wise to have her join
the feet in the Atlantic Ocean. The
Oregon was the first batt1eship built on
the Pacific coast, and had never been
in the Atlantic. She was launched at
the Union Iron Works, San Francisco,
in October, 1893, and was ready for
service July Is, 1896. Though the fast
est of battleships, and a %seaworthy
boat, it had been found that she rolled
too much, and to correct this fault
she was sent to the dry-dock in Puget
Sound to have extra keels-"bilge-
~keels"-fitted to prevent the rolling
motion. When news came OF the sink
ing OF the Maine during the night Of
February Is, it was at nee decided to
replace her by an even stronger man
of-war; and next morning, when the
Oregon left her dry-dock, she was met
by a lighthouse-tender, that brought
orders to rush her coaling, and pro-
coed at once to San. Francisco" In
three days after leaving Puget Sound
she had covered the 100 miles, and ar
rived in San Francisco on March 9.
The sailors worked day and night fol-
the next ten days, and loaded the Ore
gon with a years provisions and about
1900 tons Of coal. BY this time the
captain knew of the great voyage he
was to make, and everything was dono
to put the ship in perfect condition.
Saturday, March 10, at s in the morn
ing, the Oregon steamed out of the
Golden Gate to begin the greatest voy-
age ever made by a battleship. 1t
must be remembered that these yes
sells are built for coast defense, and
are not considered adapted for ocean
voyages. Indeed, one of u congress
men not long ago predicted that mo
battleship could ever cross the Atlantic
OCEAN Many believed that these
neavy iron monsters would turn tur-
tle''-that is, capsize-when in a heavy
sea. But if any men in this world
know their business, the American
navy know theirs, and every officer and
engineer and sailor and stoker on the
Oregon rejoiced at the long voyage be-
fore them. When the president was
sending word to congress that he could
do no more with the Spanish govern
ment by peaceful means, and while the
commission of naval officers was learn
ing that the Maine was destroyed by a
mine placed below her keel, the Oregon
was steaming ever southwark through
the Pacific, with a V of glistening foam
parting at her white bow. For sixteen
DAYS her screws whirled her along,
while the sun grew hotter, and the heat
in the fire-rooms, where her men were
| feeding her furnaces full, increased I'M
| til the thermometer read ISL degrees!
| Only one man was Frustrated by the
heat; and no sooner was he revived
than he begged to be allowed to return
to the scorc"ing work. Indeed Captain
Clark says that all the men were eager
to work overtime, and would never ad-
nit they were overcome by their du-
ties.