The Opelousas courier. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1852-1910, 1899-01-14
The Scorpions Trip.

After bufT1,lES monster waves
and encou -tering terrific storms
which threatened to engulf the
gallant little ship, the United
State 4 steamship Scorpion, reach
ed NV York last Thursday even
i lee: Captain Tu1n.r commanded
the vessel, and aboard of her were
Ensigns Watt I. Cluverius, Of
New Orleans. and Eolden, both
of whome were on board the bat
tle-ship Maine which was blown
up in Havana harbor last Feb
ruary.
The Scorpion was formerly the
steam racing yacht Sovereign,
owned by Millionaire Borden, OF
New York, and when she was
purchased by the government at
the outbreak Of the war with
Spain for torpedo boat and gun
boat service, she was to outward
appearances greatl Y altered. The
two tall. graceful spars. with
their maze of rigging, were taken
down and a short military mast
substituted. The Scorpion saw q
great deal of active service, but
never during the entire war was
the vessel so near going to Davy
Jones locker as during her last
trip from Havana to New York.
Captain Turner took command
Of the Scorpion at Port Antonio,
Jamaica, and the vessel was then
ordered to Havana to bear Adni-
raj Simpsons flag. On the 9th
of November last the Scorpion
was ordered ito New York and
was caught in the great hurricane
which swept down the Atlantic
coast. The heavy armament, four
5-inch rapid-tire guns, six 6-pound-
ers and two Colt S automatic guns,
which she carried, detracted from
the merits of the Scorpion as a
seaboat, and she remained hove
to for two days, and then sought
harbor at Port Royal, N. G.
The vessel reached there with
little coal left, and after coaling
the vessel left Port Royal on Dec.
3, for New York. The very next
day the Scorpion encountered an
other gale. heavier than the first,
and it lasted for thirty-six hours.
4 wooden stern-which had
been built in lieu of the one which
was smashed in q collision with
the United States steamship Pan
ther-was demolished, and the Of
ticers and crew had an exceedingly
!, difficult time keeping the vessel
afloat.
To add to the danger, fire was
discovered in the coal bunkers,
and between fighting the three
elements-wind, fire and water
the men had a very hard eXper
/, fence indeed. The pumps woulc
not work, the hand wheel wrench.
. ed off and the steam steering gea1
broke. The officers quarters
: the fire and engine-rooms, anc
the crews quarters forward were
1 flooded with water, and the vesse
rolled and pitched terribly.
A bucket brigade was organized
= to keep the tire-room clear of wa
ter. and a temporary wheel lashe(
to the hub of the hand wheel.
!, Men were lashed to the bul
, warks to pass the orders to th'
4 men at the wheel, and finally thu
Scorpion was hove to after Il des
perate battle of twenty hours will
G fire. wind and water. The Scorp
e ion returned to Port Royal OIL
$ Dec. 6, and after affecting repairs
left again for New York on th'
18th. The vessel encountered {
dense fog bank and had to rul
very cautiously, and on Thursda,,
:. last reached her anchorage, looklni
almost like wreck and anything
! but the trim-built, elegant yach
y. she was less than year ago.
l All on board, including Ensigl
Cluverius, are we'll, and but littl
a the worse for their terrible eS
perience.-N. 0. Picayune, Jan. :
= This is the vessel on which an
: other Opelousas boy, James |
Shute, has been serving since tn
beginning of the war with Spain
: several of whose interesting letter
5 we have publishedin the COURIER
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