Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1899-09-15
OUR NEW YORK LETTER.
Talk of Which the Intrepid Hero
of Manila is the Subject.

NEW AOhhJ sept. II. -loptSldi'l Au-
miral George Dewey, whose approaching
home coming has driven New York into
state of tremendous excitement and an
ticipation, isn't very old man as yet,
but he may be spoken Of as surviving
man with perfect proprety. For of all
the members Of his class at Annapolis
only scant handful remain in the naval
service of Uncle Sam.
The class wasn't large one upon grad
uation, in 1854, to begin with. At the
start off there were Il, but before the
close of the course 40 had resigned and
been dismissed, so that only % were
with him when he was made a full
hedged naval officer.
How His Comrades DvindIed.
OF the %, soon afterward left the
service and before one of them had adj
vanced a single grade in rank. One re-
signed before the civil war was begun,
two were killed while it was in progress,
three died and others dropped out
from time to time before the beginning
of the war with Spain. There were
then only four, besides Dewey, of the
whole class left. They were Commodore
John Howell, the torpedo man; Commo-
dore Henry /. Howison, Commodore AL
fred Kautz and Commodore Norman II.
Farquhar. These are all in active serv-
ice today, though none Of them will be
long. Even should death by disease and
disaster be spared to them they will all
be due to retire soon.
The presence here now of any one Of
the survivors of this class would be a
veritable godsend to the reporters who
are being sent out from time to time to
CT nj laNN
Such stories, to tell the truth, are mighty
scarce. No stories of consequence were
ever printed about him before he start
ed for Manila, for, although he behaved
with great ,gullantry in the civil war he
was youngster then, and the stories of
that struggle were told about older OH
GERS mostly. Some stray anecdotes had
been picked up here and there and print
ed before the victory of Manila bay, but
the big demand didn't come until the
commodore of the oriental squadron had
done his splendid work. Then the de-
mand began; for a few weeks there was
a fair supply, including variations and
amplifed versions, and then the fountain
ran dry.
In the present circumstances the space
writer who should land in New York
with Il pocket full, yes a gripsack full, of
good new stories about Dewey would
find an immediate market for every page
of his manuscript, besides making such
a standing for himself that he would
never want for future opportunities to
sell his writings on general topics.
Dewey's Son.
Deweys son, George Goodwin Dewey,
has made the copy chasers more trouble
than most men could. He was sought
out by whole raft of reporters immedi-
ately after the Manila affair. He saw
some OF them, and some of them he
didn't. To those he saw he said some
things that showed how much he esteems
his father, and he also consented to tell
the circumstances Of their parting just
before he sailed for Hongkong, whence
he was to pursue the Spanish boats, but
that was as far as he would CO. He
wouldn't enter into the business of spin
ming out yarns about the commodore, as
he was then, in any circumstances, even
IL paid well for it, as one or two Of the
papers offered, and, above all, he
wouldn't consent to be exploited himself.
Some persons, both in newspaper cir
cles and out. have criticised young Dew
ey somewhat for his reticence and won
dered at his refusing TO take good, cold
cash for his intimate knowledge of the
naval hero, but no one can deny that the
young man showed excellent taste in his
course. There is a rumor that he was
approached by capitalists of a certain
grade as well as by newspaper men, the
proposition being made to him that he
might receive certain quantities of stock
in divers more or less promising enter
prises il he would lend the use Of his
name to the capitalists. That was a more
specious proposal on the face Of it, and
the turning of it down tends to exhibit
his character in an excellent light.
1t would be curious TO learn how many
fat, squalling boy babies have been
named after Dewey.
Some time ago an ingenious investiga-
tor got a lot of city directories together
and set about the task of counting the
Deweys in each. As he makes it, Chicago
leads all other towns, the name of Dewey
appearing therein more than 200 times.
Furthermore, according to another in
vestigator, working in Chicago, the ma
jority OF all the Deweys there are de-
scended from Thomas Dewey, the Revo-
lutionary character. The name appears
less than half as many times in the d.
rectories of Greater New York. Boston's
Deweys number less than a dozen and
there are less Deweys still in Philadel-
phia. Many persons have forgot it since
the fact was brought out last year, but
the Deweys did great things in the fight
for independence. From Connecticut
alone 20 Of the name shouldered their
muskets and fought the red coats.
Dewey In New York.
Dewey has a lot of friends in New
York, not only among the navy men but,
and especially, among the University club
men, Of whose exclusive social organiza-
ton no Is a member and has been for
years. He may find it possible to be as
oftish about accepting social invitations
In extenso here as we are led to expect,
but 1t will not be an easy job for him by
any means, since almost numberless din
ners and other entertainments are being
planned for him. Possibly he will derive
advantage from this very circumstance,
In case he wishes to be reasonably quiet,
for 1t will give him an excellent oppor-
tunity to hold that, since he cannot ac-
cept all the courtesies extended, he need
accept only those of the very first i'm
portance. The probable necessity of go
ing to Washington very soon after his
arrival here will also help him to main
tain certain amount of reserve, no
doubt
But whatever Admiral Dewey may do
1t is certain that he will be greeted with
one of the most remarkable outpourings
of people on record, and with the most
gorgeous display of bunting, fireworks