The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1899-05-19
NASHVILLE At ST. LOUIS
The United States Gunboat Nash
Vile Safely Anchored Near
the Eads Bridge.
THE VESSEL SVEN A NOISY WELCOME.
The Isvee. and Every Point OF Van
tage Crowded with People ANY
fous To See aud Greet the Ne~-ci
that Fired the first shot An the
War with spain.

ST. Louis. May 1.-The United
States cunbOai Nashville. Capt May
nard. the vcsesl that fired the .irst
shot in the war between the United
States and Spain. lies anchored in the
Mississippi. just below the Eads
bridge. the first ocean-going warshiP
O. the United States that ever pene-
trated 50 far beyond tide-water.
She was ordered up the river by the
navy department about three weeks
ago on tour OF exhibition and in
rpection.~ She started from New Or
leans April -. and running only dur
ing the daytime she accomplished the
trip without single untoward incl
dent.
Even on the crucial stage OF her jour
nev, that from Cairo 10 st. Louis. her
keel never touched bottom. The near
est she came TO il was al Philadelphia
Point. about % miles above Cairo,
where the soundings of her tender.
Grapevine, showed l3l. feet Of water.
A large fleet went down the river TO
meet the gunboat. The Harbor Boat,
the City OF Providence. the Spread
Eagle. the III. VI. Moxie, the William n
Kayanaugh. the susie Hazard, the Alice
Edna. Busch's boat; the ". I. Haar-
stick and the Illini flagship, Onataga-
The trim little craft arrived At her
anchorage n 1880 p. m. and was
greeted with a noisy welcome from
Y the thousands that lined the leVees On
both sides of the river. with artillery
salutcs and the blowing OF every
whistle on which steam could DC
brought 10 bear.
The local reception committee LETT
a. g:l5 n. m. on the city harDor boat
and met the Nashville just below Jef-
f,rson barracks. returning with her
As soon as the vessel was sighted
below the barracks. word was telc-
rraphed TO every fire-engine house IN
The city. and all OF the bells were sei
ringing 10 announce the approach Of
tie vesesl TO the city. The big bell en-
top Of the city hall. and factory wills
ties throughout the entire city were
also set going and bombs fired TO no
tify the public.
had leisure 10 hurry TO points OF want
ag.. TO watch the approach Of the gun
boat. and when noon came and tn
vessel had not yet arrived. every stree
leading to the lcvee was filed viii
througs who took advantage OF tn
neon hour TO 'see her come in
Coming Around the Bend.
About 1918 scrcech from whisil
on the Illinois shore announced tina
the Nashville was coming around tn
bend. and few minutes later her IVY
tunnels and cut-duwn masts came int
view. and then pandemonium bros
loose and continued until after the re
csption salutes had been exchanged.
The Nashville dropped anchor at III
foot OF Walnut street. and all the al
on.deSpite the threatening wealth
or. thousands made their way TO tn
levee 10 take look at the long-expec'
ed ship
IL IS not known as yet how long
STAY will be made. but il is very Gel
tain that by the time the officers. z
least. will be tired if they participa'
in all the festivities mapped out f
them. and the -men behind the guns
/ will not be overlooked. either. in Il
! dispensing Of hospitality.
Thursday has been proclaimed n hol
day. and one OF the events Of the da
A will be a parade. in which the Office
. and crew of the Nashville will partie
pate
: Every train coming into the city
. bringing crowds Of people anxious
: see what n real fighting ship looks lik
: At : distance il doesn't look vel
!. formidable. but one can see its teet
], and with the knowledge that when q
. guns bark, the bite j. god for i
= miles distant. il becomes quite an
tercsting object.
z Capt. Maynard says he may rema
8 several weeks IL the stage Of wat
- permits.