The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1899-05-05

the American fleet. When they came
nearer they neglected to change the
sights, for when the battle was over
many of the guns were found with
sights still set for6,00O yards. For the
first twenty minutes or more it looked
to Capt. Clark as if those spanish YES
sells were going to escape and he re-
marked to an officer that they might
have to go on another search for that
fleet. But the work of destruction had
commenced The Spanish torpedo
boats were destroyed. In 35 minutes
after the battle opened the Maria
Teresa and Oquendo had run ashore
and an hour later the Visacaya.
The Colon was left and the Oregon
and Brooklyn were after it. 1t was a
magnificent chase. Some of the time
the Oregon seemed to be gaining and
then it would seem to fall behind a
little. For two hours the boats were
about five miles apart. The Colon
was called 20 knot cruiser but it had
been out of dock so long it couldn't
make much better than 10. The Ore
gOn seemed to be alive, plowing
through the water at sixteen knots an
hour. 1t was a sight never to be for
COTTON. The Colon was so far ahead
that Capt. Clark didn't want to shoot
but the men in the turrets were get
ting impatient and he finally told an
officer to let go 13-inch shell. The
she'll failed to hit the mark but it was
a great relief to the men. The chief
engineer had just come on deck and
he thanked Capt. Clark for that shot
saying that his men couldn't keep up
work without hearing the roar of the
guns. The temperature in the firing
room was $50 degrees and the poor
fellows there needed some inspiration
to keep them up. They worked brave
ly. From that first shot till the chase
was over they had the music of the
guns to keep them company. Before
that gun had not been fired for near
ly two hours. 1t was terrible place
to work and the men were hard look
ing set when they came on deck.
Capt. Clark was greatly pleased with
his visit to Bradford's school and enjoy
ed his talk with the scholars.
Wednesday afternoon Capt. and Mrs.
Clark and the Captains aunt. Mrs.
George L. Butler, were given a short
ride around the village. Capt Clark
finds the village much improved since,
his last visit here and is sure he never
many of the modern improvements.
OF the beauties of the village and it's
surrounding scenery he could not speak
Doty's house the Captain got out of
the carriage aud took his wife to the
top of little knoll where he said he
had spent many an hour playing. He
pointed out to Mrs. Clark the magnifi-
cent views, Moosilauke, Lafayette and
the other mountains visible from the
knoll. On Back street he pointed out
a house where his father once lived
and told how he attempted to come
down in a parachute from little
square window over the shed. An um-
brella was the parachute and he de-
scended in proper form until gust of
wind turned it wrong side out and let
him suddenly to the ground, inficting
a few bruises upon various parts of his
person. He wasn't so anxious to be a
ballOonist after that experience. When
two or three years old he attempted
one day to go across lots to neigh
boris house through about two feet of
snow. He worked his way to the road
and then became unconscious. Some
one came along and carried him home.
Capt Clark was born Aug. 10, 1S43, in
the little brown house just north of
Griffin's marble shop. Seeing the old
paper mill reminded him of how the
boys used to stand in the road and
throw stones over it, an occasional
one going through a window. 1t was
considered a great feat if one could
throw a stone from the road above the
paper mill over the grist mill bridge.
He wondered that there was any stone
wall left in the vicinity of that old
mill. Meeting Col. John G. Stearns
on the road story or two was swapped.
The Colonel told about a man who
said the only speech he ever made was
to stand up before the court and say
mot guilty" Capt. Clark remarked
that he was ready TO plead guilty most
any time if it would let him out of
making a speech. In everything about
Bradford Capt. Clark is greatly inter
ested and he hopes to see the little
village abundantly prosperous in the
future.
At the reception in the Armory
Wednesday evening 400 or 500 people
were present. The receiving party
consisted of ex.Gov. and Mrs. Farm
ham, Col. and Mrs. John g. Stearns,
Hon. and Mrs. II. G. McDuffee Judge
and Mrs. John H. Watson. The ush-
ers were Hon. j. B. Pickett, Col G. E.
Clark, f. E. Prichard and Henry