New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-02
FLEET ENGINEERS HONORED
ENTERTAINED BY TIE ENGINEERS CLUB
AT ITS HOME IN FIFTH-AVE

oREGoN's FAMOUS RACE no THE EAST.
The engineer officers Of Admiral SIMPSONS and
Admiral Schey's fleets entertained at dinner
last night by the Engineers Cub at tho atters
clubhouse, No. 374 Ffth-ave. The guests were Chief
Engineer John l.. Hannum, OF the Brooklyn; Chief
Engineer a. H. Bates. Of the Texas: Chief Engineer
K W. Mligan, OF the Oregon: Chief Engineer
Charles W Rae. Of the Iowa: Chief Engineer w.
g. Hayiey. of ,ha Massachusetts,: Passed Assistant
Engineer T. NJ. Bennett. Of the NewYork; Passed
Assistant Engineer X. McAlpin. Of the Texas;
Passed Assistant Engineer Patton. of the New
YORK; Pissed Assistant Engineer Leahy. Of the
Oregon; Passed Assistant Engineer Walter Fall. OF
the New-York. and Chief Engineer Alexander Hen
derson. United States Navy. retired. Of Washing
ton. The 0ininS-room decorated with the Ma
tional colors and many palms Two orchestrns in
adjoining rooms alternatcd In furnishing some ap-
propriate musical selections Because Of the un-
comfortably high temperature speeches were dis
penscd with.
President John Thompson OF the club. the
chairman Of the evening. The dinner was arranged
by Passed Assistant Engineer j. c. Kafer. United
States Navy. retired the chairman of the House
Committee. During the Cuban war Engineer kafcr
was called back into the service and was detailed
10 supervise the construction of the torpedo-boat
Bailey. at Morris Heights He was assisted In MS
work Of arranging the dinner by other members OF
the House Committee.
Others present were ". w. Reddlng, vice-pres-
dent Of the Morgan Iron Works: r ~ Ely. OF the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company; Major Joseph NJ
Knapp, commander of the Knapp Battery; John
Fritz. Of the Bethlehem Iron and Steel Works: l.
l.. Buck chief engineer Of the East River Bridge
Commission; s. w. Baldwin. vice-president or the
Pennsylvania Steel Company; G. T.. Weed, piesi
dent OF the Morgan Iron Works: w. II. Bailey
OF the American Tube Works; G. NJ. Wales. OF the
Cleveland Forge and Iron Company; b H. Warren
vcc-preaidcnt Of the Westinghouse Company: ii.
4. pro-, Of i(.flu Colonel IL. a.
Stevens Of Hoboken: Ii. T. Scott. president Of the
Union Iron Works; Colonel II. c. Meyer NJ T.
Davidson u. H. Wells. Charles NJ Everest and
W. H. fletcher.
Although 1t was announced that there would he
no speeches. chief Ergirec7 Milligan OF the ore
gon was importupcd TO iell Of the famous run OF
the Oregon from San Francisco 20 Key West. and
he was prevailed upon to give an account OF the
engineering force OF the vessel during the trip.
when we left San Francisco with orders for
Caao." said Engineer Milligan. mo one on poard
had any idea tina. the Oregon would make the trip
10 the East coast. In the messroom bets were
made that AT Callao would find orders taking
us back 10 San Francisco. But when we got to
Caao We got orders 10 come 10 the East const-
al least. the order said Rc-as quickly as possoic
We found coal on barges ready for us. ana atter
slight repairs 20 the engines started away
AT times our machinists worked twenty-four ana
twenty-six consecutive hours, and as the engineer
force Of the Oregon a peace footing that
is about three fourths OF what we needed In tiine
OF wa all were greatly overworked on the trip
AT one port Captain Clark told me he wanted TO
make the port In ten hours. NJ fourteen KNOTS
an hour told him didn't think the mon could
stand the strain. Soon afterward found there
was meeting among the assistant engineers. they
insisting that they could make the port In ten
hours. and we did. The men stood three watches
al the engines and TWO In the hreroom' MOST OF
our men are Pacific slope men, and they wear
about the same kind OF clothes the year around
out there In tho tropics We suffered severely from
the heat, although the hrerooH Is usua''' 1T -''
degrees all the time.
Getting around into the Atlantic We heard that
the Spanish torpedo-boa Temerario was waiting
for us. II we had mot her she would have mao inc
advantage Of knowing whether war had peeh
declared and so Captain Clark decided that II she
came anywhere us We would act as u war
had been declared and We knew all about H.
(Applause)
AT RIO we heard first that war Ind been DO
clared and that Dewey Ind met the Span'ards we
also got telegram from the Navy Department
saying that four Spanish cruisers and three sea-
going torpedo boats had left Spain and perhaps
were looking for The telegram said that II they
met US the Department hoped we would whip
them 7, seemed 10 me a good deal TO hope Tor;
his plans if we met that fleet. He meant to turn
end run for the oregon can fight running away as
well as any other way. We have lots OF guns 10
bring 10 bear asiern. Captain Clark said he meant
10 string them in .onR 10 do the fastest
torpedo boats first then the fastest cruisers, ana
then 20 back 10 fRht Cervera himself think INC
occurrences Of July showed his good Judgment.
for not all the Spanish feet had the same speed.
and from wha: cav then think his plan would
have succeeded.
"a, TarbadOes the authorities would not allow
US 10 communicate with the Navy Department FOR
tWentv-four hours after our arrival. so we left Tor
Jupi,er Inlet There got n telegram 20 go 10
Kny West II ia hghtng trim. and 10
HAMPTON Roads II needed repairs The next
the bonn har d m and the battle OF July 3. We
did the best could. and got through as soon as
We could. . ~
ITO show YOU what sort Of ship the Oregon Is
I'll ,e YOU that there not spcck or salt IN her
boilers after the run. Usually the condensers leak
a little bit and salt water gets into the boilers and
eyoporates leaving the salt but there was no
such leakage aboard the oregon. The workman
ship OF the vessel the foundation OF our sue
cess
chief Fngineer MiIllgan also told Of the coal
used and how he kent extra bunkers ready Tor
an emergency At San Francisco the oregon
loa ded coal which made 40 knots 10 the ton where
the chief engineer expected 10 make but or rs
knots Some 81 this coal put In bunkors that
handling other coal obtained on the Atlantic
made but two and fraction knots ton on
July there wss some OF that Frisco coal In those
esv bunkers and In fifteen minutes the oregon
oh. aimed her maximum speed There - some on
board yet Engineer Mlgan added.
When the orchestra played The Star-SpanRicn
Tanner" every sang. and with such splrlt
tina, there were flushed faces and sparkling eyes
among the diners. There were cheers for Chief
Engineer Milliean and then TOT the other Officers
Of the other ships.