Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-06-14
shot from the best guns of the enemy.
These men are heroes.


will remember that when the Bancroft
went to work to batter the walls of
San Juan, for some reason she had to
slip out of action, and her place was
taken by the little gunboat Castine,
which without delay opened her bat
teries upon the fort.
Very few people, even on the vessel
herself, know what close shave she
and her crew had Of paying perma-
nent visit to the dreaded haven Of
Davy Jones.
The Castine carried on board three
of these boilermakers already referred
to, Fish, another, and one Huntley, of
Norfolk, Va. The Castine went into
action under full steam, her triple
screws revolving at the fullest speed,
her 2, 199 horse power could make them
spin, and her battery of eight guns
started her quivering with excitement
and the fierce delight of battle. The
furnaces were heated almost to white
heat, and the forced draught was urg-
ing the flames to greater heat, the boil,
ing water to the higher production of
steam, the engines to increasing revo-
lutions. Suddenly, without expecta-
ton, without warning, far down in the
furnace hole, unheard by officer or
mar amid the din of battle, the thun-
dering reverberations of exploding
gunpowder, there arose fierce Kissing
noise right inside one of the furnaces,
and those who heard it trembled as no
guns or shot or shell had power to
make them tremble.
A socket bolt in the back connec-
ton at the very farthest interior ex.
tremity of the furnace had become
loose. A leak had been sprung the
steam was pouring in upon the fire,
threatening in a few moments to put
it out and stop the progress of the yes.
sci, if it did not have the more awful
effect of causing terrible explosion
annihilation
The faces of the men below, at that
moment of terrible suspense, blanched
beneath the CRIME that covered them.
None knew what to do save wait the
awful coming of the shock they knew
must come.
None Nay, but there was one
The first to pull himself together, the
first to whom returned the fear.driven
senses was Boilermaker Huutley. His
name does not appear on the navy list.
Even his first name was unknown to
his conferee, Fish. Only Boilermaker
Huntley, of Norfolk, Va. But that is
enough, and his deed should be suffi
eient to find for him niche in the an
mails of fame whenever and wherever
the story of the United States and her
navy is told.
One instant of startled horror then,
without hesitation, without trepida-
ton, with stern-set jaws and fierce,
devoted determination on every line OF
face and form.
"Turn off the forced draught!" he
cried.
"Goodness, Huntley, what are you
going TO do?"
"Bank the fire. Quick !"
ats certain death |"
"For one-unless for all ! Turn OIL
the draught, bank the fire."
The orders were carried out fever
ishly.
"Now plank !"
And before they could stop him this
hero had flung the plank into the fur.
mace, right on top of the black coal
with which it was banked, and had
himself climbed and crawled over the
raging mass, far back TO where the
steam was rushing like some Kissing
devil from the loosened socket.
For three minutes he remained inside
that fearful place, and then the work
was done-the ship was saved-anG
his friends drew him out of the door.
The forced draught went to its work
again, and in an instant the furnace
was once more raging.
But what of Hmtley! !" Scorched,
scalded, insensible, well.nigh dead, he
lay upon the iron floor of the furnace
TOOu, Wullc dIOuuu uliu oeoou LILO hie@'S
dousing him with water and using ev-
cry known means for his resuscitation.
He did not die. And when once more
he opened his eyes, and was able to be
carefully lifted into daylight, there
arose such cheers from the throats Of
those dirty, grimy mates as never
greeted taking of city or sinking of
fleet.
The story is briefly chronicled in the
log of the Castine, and Huntley simply
claims that he "did his duty" But
while the United States remains a
nation, so long as the banner bearing
the silver stars on the field of blue
above alternate stripes of red and
white remains the symbol of purity,
bravery and patriotism to American
hearts the whole world over, so long
when her heroes are spoken of one
name should never be omitted-that
of Boilermaker Huntley, of Norfolk,
Va.-Toledo Blade.