The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-05-21
DOESN'T LIKE DEWEY
Fireman of the Cruiser
Baltimore Tells Why,
FIVE HUNDRED SAILORS
Quit the Manila Service in
March.
FIVE HUNDRED SAILORS

C. Promme Of Sedgwick, who went into
the U. S. navy service three years ago and
was with Dewey at the big fight in Ma
Mia bay one year ago as fireman on the
cruiser Baltimore, came in yesterday hav-
ing left Manila on the 23d of March. His
time Of enlistment had expired. He doesn't
ike Dewey.
There were 500 of US who left in
March," he said. DO you suppose we
would have quit if we had thought well
Of the commander. guess he must have
reciprocated our feeling. for he wouldn't
allow US to come to san Francisco and
across land home He wouldn't o. K. our
transportation overland from San Fran
cisco and lot Of US wanted to come that
way. He made US come away around by
the Suez canal and New York City just
because he happened to have enough room
on the transport at that time. He could
as easily nave sent up by San Francisco,
and it would have accommodated Us. OF
course there was nothing 50 very hateful
about that, but it showed you the dispo-
S-ilOu u ldiC IlId4l anu sOU CdLA Sc INV q
lot Of men could get to disIiking him.
Then another thing: Most Of US had been
doing overtime. Our time had expired
long before, but we stayed so that they
could get experienced men to replace US,
and when we did quit, Dewey didn't al
low the boys WHO remained, rating in the
service in filling the 500 vacancies. He
allowed men who had never been to sea
before to be put in our places and over
men who had been out a year. Do you
suppose q lot of men doing the hard work
in the coal bins and boiler rooms and en-
CINE rooms would like a man for that
kind OF disregard. How long would a pub
lie man in America, dealing with laboring
men in any capacity, last showing that
sort Of disregard for their service? Don't
understand me to be knocking on Dewey
Tn not doing that. He's got to be the
biggest man IN the world. according to
newspaper talk. But a hero to all the
world is hardly ever a hero to the man
who waits on him and is commanded per-
sonalIy by him. Don't you see how you
would learn 10 dislike a man when he is
of a different disposition from your own
and you've got to swallow his peculiar
personal characteristics day after day.
He IS IN command and there is not many
men unlike yourself who can run their
ideas over you and still maintain your re-
spect. Well, we didn't like Dewey and
that's the reason we left. We didn't think
he treated US right. Captain Dyer of the
Baltimore, is going to quit"
Ibid you see the Manila fight?"
yes. We went into the harbor that
morning and cast the figure eight in front
Of the Spanish feet, getting nearer all the
time. After an hour It was reported that
we were short Of ammunition and that's
why we sailed out before finishing. Oh,
10, we didn't go out on purpose to get
breakfast. We were little afraid TO go
in and any man who says he wasn't is a
liar, that's all. And we wouldn't have
cult just for breakfast when we'd got to
lick that Spanish fleet. We'd have liked
TO come clear home when those Spanish |
shells came laundering square on the Bal /
ttmore. But when we got outside and I
found we had plenty of ammunition. we (
went back and finished the job Well, we
felt good because the fight was over but 1
the first news We had that the world /
thought we had done anything so very |
big was obtained from a copy of the Eagle /
sent me by the cashier Of the bank at
Sedgwick City"
Mr.. Promme said a great many Of the I
volunteers were going into business in Ma /
Mia. mostly saloon and restaurant
There were none but Spanish restaur- I
ants there when we went and we couldn't |
get anything We could eat Lots of Ameri- /
cans and Europeans are coming into Ma (
Mia and it will Guido Hong Kong before /
long. But I wouldn't like to stay there. /
The main street Of the town IS not any
wider than this walk Con East Douglas I
avenue). 1t won't average more than If .
teen feet wide and all the streets are
crooked. It's big place, 800 600. and you .
can set lost very easily If You can't speak /
Spanish"