The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-09-21

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heard the storm. as it was meant they
should, and when the captain swore by
the birthstone OF the Lord that he was
not going TO take his ship 10 Belle Isle
Strait or any other blank place where ice
was drifting until that flaw had been re-
paired, neither the crew nor the mates
were surprised. The chief officer. over
awed by the tempest. suggested Portland
as place where repairs might be made
The gunpowdery captain again went on
with bang and swore there was but one
place in America to repair a ship with
out being robbed. and that he was going
to take her there. That place was New
York, and without more ado the Ra-
VIENNA was headed for this port
More trouble Looking over the papers
of the ship, the captain hail come across
plan on which was marked in red ink
a caution not to stow combustibles in
certain compartment. as through its
proximity To the freroom IT was liable
TO take fire at any moment. A hurried
examination showed that there was
enough powder slowed in that compart-
ment to blow the ship 70 atoms. There
was little time for consideration. as the
bulkheads were then clustering with heat.
A gang OF men was hurriedly set at
work removing the powder and were eau
toned 70 be careful with the heated
boxes. the captain explaining that the
contents were fragile and might be easily
broken.
Land at last hove in sight, and on the
evening of May 20 the vessel dropped
anchor inside the Hook and on the fol-
lowing morning came up the bay and
went to a berth off Liberty Island. The
captain hurried ashore and made an ex-
cuse of taking the lieutenant along with
him. The vessel and her cargo were safe
in American waters then. but it was still
necessary TO keep up deception, as the
secret of the voyage might have leaked
out and international complications
might have ensued. Lieutenant Hazel
tine, as soon as he had been landed. hur-
ried to the cable office and sent fake
cablegram TO London saying that the Ra-
VIENNA had put in in distress and asking
orders. The men in London understood
and promptly filed a reply which had
been written days before. II read:
Sorry distress-glad made New York in
stead of Montreal, as ship sold there.
DISCHARGE crew
Then the lieutenant communicated with
the navy department and returned TO the
ship. accompanied by the captain. The
cable was shown to the officers. and the
men were ordered to get their dunnage
and stand by to go ashore. A tug came
alongside and the crew was put on board,
where they went before the British con-
sui, accompanied by the captain and re-
ceived their discharges and their pay.
Hazeltine and the chief engineer re-
manned on board the ship along with
custom house officer who had boarded her
off quarantine Some of the compart-
ments were locked, and the customs Of
ficer demanded Of Hazeltine the keys.
The lieutenant promptly refused2 and the
inspector said things. "Why, you scare
crow. you stowaway of a ship keeper,
I'm a United States customs officer"
And T. said Hazeltine quietly, and
looking the man in the face, "am
United States naval officer"
Before the custom house man could re-
cover from his establishment a navy yard
tug came alongside. the Ravenna's an
Choir was gotten up. the chief engineer
putting steam on the steam capstGn. and
the ship was lowed to the navy yard.
The indignant customs man went imme-
diatey to see Admiral Bunce, the com
mandant of the yard. There was some
telephone talk between the commandant
and the collector of the port and at the
end of It the customs official walked
meekly back to New York and has held
his peace ever since.
BY recommendation of Secretary Long.
Lieutenant Hazeltine was promoted Cor
his excellent work in getting that valu-
able cargo here safely and in a manner
that baflled all curiosity until he himself
chose 10 tell about it. He was subse-
quently assigned TO the Hist as that yes
sells executive officer, and took part in
the battle Of Nanzanillo. where he was
conspicuous by his GOODNESS and gallan-
try
The Ravenna was renamed the Sciyi3
and IS now at the New York navy yard,
where she has been ever since her ap-
pearance here. She was sold a few days
ago to the Luckenbachs. who. under IN
vitation from the navy department sent
in sealed bids for her purchase Now IL
appears that there will be some Huga-
ton under the sale, as the ship has no
registry. Now that her history is known
it Will be interesting to see how she VIII
obtain one. ". s n.
To Pueblo Colorado Springs and Den
yer without change Of cars via the Ms
souri, Pacific railway. Through Sleeper
Z - IL.