The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-09-21
SAVING TBE OREGON
One Who Was Aboard Tells
How 1t Was Done.
IMPALEDON SUNKEN ROCKS
How 1t Feels to Run Aground
in a Fog.

The Oregon, bulldog of the American
navy, monster sea fighter, famous the
world over for her record trip from
the Golden Gate around Cape Horn to
smash Cervera, will soon be her own
noble self.
that night of June 29, when the great
battIeship thrilled from end to end.
more shocked by contact with a feef
in Chinese waters than ever she had
been in all the rain of shells that had
been poured upon her from Spanish
guns.
It was a calm night, heavy with fog.
We We're passing along easily and
slowly. We had passed into the 1el-
low Sea, on our way from Hong Kong
and all was well.
We had kept up to our average Of
eleven knots an hour Now we slack
ened up bit under the heavy fog.
We were in rhose waters three miles
south of How-Ke light, designated on
the map as the Gulf of Pechili.
Perhaps we were a bit more silent
than usual Even to the sea-farlng
man there is a certain depression about
a sea wra ct in fog. In a storm there
are elements one can fight. He can
steer clear of the wind, he can lash
himself to a, mast and sing merrily Of
the sweetheart he left behind, he can
wrap himself from head to foot in rub
Der against a downpour of water, what
ever it's strength, take a sip OF grog
and feel as merry as a king. But
against fog he's powerless except for
his compass, and he knows it.
We were in those waters that have
been called the graveyard OF ships -
Some OF US had heard the saying and
remembered it.
The Graveyard of Ships!"
1t hasn't pretty sound to those that
know what it means. To the average
land-lu5aoer it might sound like fool
ish superstition, such as he credits us
with as regards sailing on Friday OF
carrying a corpse. But there's mighty
little superstition left when one knows
he is in shallow waters where the
rocks are as plentiful as the fish.
However, we weren't thinking about
danger. Cur crew was the biggest we
had had on board for many a long day
In addition to our regulars We had 1874
sailors and marines brought to Hong
Kong from Manila by the Zafiro.
We knew that we were bound for
Taku. We had been out six days and
were near enough to be thinking of
casting anchor at the scene of hostil-
tiles
There were plenty of lighthouses
aboutus. We all knew that, though
we couldn't see much of them because
of the fog.
So we went on, each one of us as
busy with his thoughts as if smoking
a cigar at some summer resort, where
the mosquitoes were as thick as our fog.
But not as dangerous.
The mist lay on our faces in great
| thick drops Twice during the day we
! had sent out boats to take soundngs
Word had come back that all was
we'll
Which of us felt any cause for fear
on that monster battleship renowned
! alike for speed and strength?
Not a man of us but would have
/ pooh-poohed the idea, when
Great God of the sea, If some one
/ had told me that the Spaniards were
upon US once more, returned to life
I'd hae believed it more likely than
| that we should have been stove in by
any reef
/ We heard, all of sudden, grind
| Ing, crushing noise. the kind that will
freeze the blood Of sailor worse than
| all the winds that ever blew. or all the
storms that ever threatened. It might
| he nkened more than anything else ]
| can think of to a grating sound as
though a great load were being pulled
over a rough surface.
1t curdled the blood of every man or
board.
One thought was in every mind, and
yet none dare speak of it.
I doubt If out OF all our crew and tht
extra crowd Of sailors and marines Il
one gave a thought to himself and hi.
own safety.
The greatest battleship in all Amer.
lea was in danger, powerless with hel
sixteen great furnaces. her double Sc
of engines, her two rropellers. he1
I 10000 horse power. the seventeen-incl
armor on her barbettes her batter,
and her hreeCh-loadiGg rifles against Z
reef in the sea.
The oment Of that realization wa!
terrible.
Each one % Us rose to his feet. !
he wasn't already on them. impelle1 T,
do neutrality-suspicious.
, The ship tossed and struck anc
tossed again.
J Every time IT struck II was like
/. knife in our hearts. We knew tina
each blow might mean destruction T.
the greatest and best beloved Of nav,
bulldogs
All night we hoped and praved
Meanwhile We worked and investigated
, Collision quarters had been sounded
and every man was ar his station q
quietly as if az drill No one left from
below until forced UP by the food.
All the water-tight doors had beer
, closed Immediately. but. as is FREQUENT
y the case, very few held water. I,
less time than ii takes 10 write +;
every compartment forward Of the fir
room bulkhead was flooded. The srea
) hattleship had settled down on IN
o / rock as Il on he'd 81 down.
4 Investigation had shown US aren't 4
: her bottom. on the port side. fun
d twenty-five feet long and about tire
: wide
The water was Up 70 the berth decl
. and We had a list 10 starboard o
about ten degrees.
We began TO pump against a fat
70 that seemed inevitable. We had eigh
pumps in action. throwing six-inc
streams. and two main circulator
: throwing eight-iach streams
Imagine the scene, ID 20 our knee
5 in water. every man OF Us We worke
I all night fighting destruction.
e Each enc Of Us h1ckled on life BEL