The evening times., 1899-09-05
SUPPLIES TO GO SOUTH
The United States Transport Wright
Reaches Baltimore.
The Ship VIII Take on Board the Do
nations Made by the Citizens of
Washington for the Relief of the
Victims OF the Hurricane in
Porto Rfco-History of the Vessel.

BALTIMORE, Sept. 5.-The United
States Army transport Wright arrived in
Baltimore yesterday from New York. and
on Wednesday it is intended that she will
sail for San Juan Porto Rico with the
contributions of food and clothing made by
Marylanders and Washingtonians for the
victims of the hurricane which swept over
that island early in August.
Although coming under a strange name.
the Wright is not a stranger TO Baltimore.
AS the Bowden she traded between this
port and Port Antonio, Jamaica, in the
fruit trade running in the line controlled
by the Buckman Fruit Company. but now
known as the United States Fruit Compa-
ny. She was built in Scotland and is a
vessel of about GOO TONS She came to the
United States as the steamer Marmion. un-
der which name she was chartered by the
Boston Fruit Company, and later on pur-
chased by that company. when her name
was changed to the Bowden, and she was
placed under the American flag
When the Spanish American war broke
out the Bowden was purchased by the State
of Massachusetts, and was fitted out as
hospital ship for its troops, and was christ
ened the Bay State. At the conclusion of
the war she was purchased by the Quar-
termaster's Department of the army and
transferred to the Medical Department.
which then named her the Aid and used
her from last November until the end of
the following March as a hospital ship. The
Medical Department considered her too
small for the purposes and transferred her
back to the Quartermaster's Department,
when she was fitted up for their REQUIRE
ments and named the Wright, in honor of
General Wright, distinguished officer of
the army.
The Wright's orders are that after TAX
ing the provisions from Baltimore to Por-
to Rico she shall go to Santiago and re-
port for duty under the orders OF Gen.
Leonard Wood, the Military Governor of
that province. She has been fitted with
accommodations suitable for the comfort
of a military commander of high rank.
and viii be used by General Wood as
despatch boat. She is also having placed
aboard on the berth decks beds which will
give accommodation for 100 soldiers. Ow-
ing to the Wright's light draft it is likely
she will be used by General Wood for Wis.,
iting Cuban ports which deep-craft vessels
would be unable TO enter.
capt Jonn l. trout Is her sailing mas
ter. He has the record of being the Sc
nicr sailing master OF Government trans
ports in the service Of the army He was
the commander of the transport Hooker.
which was formerly the Spanish steamer
Panama, being one of the first prizes cap
tured by the navy. She was purchased by
the Quartermaster's Department of the
army and named in honor of Hon. Joseph
Hooker.
The officer representing the War Depart
ment on board is Capt. Lawrence c. Baker.
a volunteer officer of the Quartermaster's
Department, in whose custody all of the
Wright's cargo will be. Captain Baker is
from Comstock n. Y, and was on the staff
of General McKibbin, at Augusta, Ca, last
year, when the First Maryland Regiment
was encamped there. He made the ac-
quaintance Of many officers of the Maryland
regiment. The surgeon is DR.. Ira Aver, Of
New York, who has the rank Of acting. as
sistant surgeon under contract with the
Government. He Is New Yorker, and
has on his staff for the care of the sick an