Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1899-05-08
TALES OF PLUCK
And ADVENTURE.
Saved the Cruiser Buffalo.
BY REV. D. D. BABcocK.

Bf REV. d. D. BABCoCK.
[This story wins the prize of $50 offered
by the New York Voice for the best true
tale of heroism submitted by preacher. ]
A motherless boy of eighteen OBJ
tanned the reluctant consent of his
father-an advocate OF the peace prin-
ciples OF the Religious Society of
Friends-to enlist for the war to
liberate Cuba. Being a fine shot and
something of q trough rider" he
joined a company OF cavalry. Not
long afterward he made application,
and was transferred to the navy and
given the appointment of assistant
electrician on the cruiser Buffalo,
named after his home city. He had
worked himself through the various
departments of an electrical manu-
factory, and had served some time in
the adjusting room for the finished
products of the factory. So, as
assistant electrician, he had charge in
his watch of the electric lights OF the
six decks and OF the great fash
light.
His boyish imagination had pictured
patriotic company OF young men,
the ships crew with whom he should
find noble fellowship. When he found
them all given to the use of intoxicat-
ing drinks, tobacco, profanity and
obscenity, he suffered keen disap-
pointment, and was much inclined to
let down his standard little to find
sympathy and fellowship. He had
smoked cigars for week, when one
day he stood alone with cigar in his
mouth, thinking of his brothers and
sisters and the sainted mother whom
he could scarcely remember. He took
the cigar from his lips, and, as he
wrote his father, II threw it away and
made up my mind to go thru alone. "
On November 6, 1898, the Buffalo
left New York with crew of $50 men
and 400 extra sailors for Dewey's feet
Mt Manila. When about 600 miles
out, the great November gale struck
them, and about midnight "all hands,
were called out, and the assembled
men were informed that the ship had
received such damage that she was
filling, with the prospect of founder
ing unless some means could be de-
vlsed to stop the leakage.
Most of the men fell into a panic,
and with cries of childish terror many
ran to provide themselves with life
preservers and to secure control of the
ships boats. A few heroic men sci
resolutely about the work of plugging
the leak and repairing the damage
The young electrician looked for @
moment at the strange conduct of the
unthinking mass, and turned away tc
find something to do in the dynamo.
room. AS he reached the hatch the
chief electrician rushed past him cry.
ing frantically, 1.-THE ship is sinking
The ship is sinkingw and disappeared
among the life-preservers.
In the dynamo-room he found the
machinery deserted, and devoted him.
self to the task of keeping up the
ships lights. For twelve anxious
hours he worked on without seeing 9
human being, or hearing from the
workers who were trying to save the
ship. Some time after IL o'clock the
executive officer made visit to the
dynamo-room to thank the electrician
for the splendid service of the lights
which had made it possible to save the
ship with the human freight. Ther
he learned that hungry and sleepy
boy who had determined "to go thru
alone" would like to be relieved.
The electrician was found hiding il
one of the ships cutters, surrounded
by pile of life-preservers, not ye
free from the terror of the night. III
was court-martialed and dismissed
from the service in disgrace. TIL,
Buffalo returned to New York, ant
after repairs in the dry-dock, started
again for Manila.