The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-02-27
TRAINING STATION
AT NEWPORT.
Canton Soldier Is There and
Gives His Experiences.
FIRING THE HEAVY GUNS.
Taking Instructions in Warfare While Get
ting Ready to Enter the Active
Service a Brave Young
American.

In the early part of January, Edward
Williams, 16 years of age, residing with
his parents at 1923 North Market street,
who is well known and held in high es-
TEEN by his former schoolmates, went
to Cleveland for the purpose of enlist
ing as an apprentice in the United
States navy. He returned the evening
of the same day, but did not at once an
nounce to his parents his determination
to enter the service. When an opportu-
nifty afforded he asked whether If he
passed the examination they would
object to his enlisting? The parents
endeavored to dissuade him from taking
the step, but the lad was so earnest in
his pleadings that the parents finally
acquiesced. So the lad, accompanied by
his father, went to Cleveland, where the
parent ascertained that Edward had
passed the physical examination a day
or two before. The parent signed the
customary consent, and the lad was sent
to the training school at Newport r. /.
The parents recently received a very
| interesting letter from their son, which
| reads as follows:
Dear parents: L received your letter
and present this afternoon, and before
this reaches you, you will receive a lon
| ger letter than 1 write tonight. We had
gun practice with the rifle and 1 made
20 points out of a possible % on the
| large target and II out of 25 on the small
| Ter one. L have not had many lessons
yet, but l am very attentive when the
| schoolmaster explains the different
parts of the big rapid fire guns and the
6 Founders. He also explains the use
of gun powder and gun cotton, and de-
| scribed how torpedoes and shells were
| made. We have a large number OF
| shells here from the one FOUNDER to the
| 13 inch gun. We also have some a
pound cannon used on the war vessels in
the year 1862
| Now some of you people never heard
a 6 FOUNDER or 13 inch gun fired. II
| nearly causes a person to sit down, es.
pecially when they use smokeless pow.
der. There is torpedo station across
the bay and you ought to see the torpe.
do boats as they go past the island.
| large fort is also situated across the
bay. We can see all the ocean liners
pass as they go to and from New York
or Fall River and Providence All the
Fall River line boats are anchored near
There are a great many officers of higi
rank here, and it keeps a fellow busy tC
salute them all. My only wish now il
that 1 could put my feet under mother
table and have one good square meal
This does not mean that 1 do not ge
enough to eat, for 1 do, but don't likt
the style in which it is cooked. w,
don't have very many fancy dishes. Pi,
every Tuesday, Friday and Sunday
three cookies every day for supper
Meat warm and cold every day excep
Friday, when we have fish; beans Sun
day and Wednesday mornings, and ic
cream for Sunday dinner.
l must close for this time, as we hav
a lecture this evening and must writ
a few more letters
EDWARD WILLIAMS,
United States Naval Training Station
Newport, r. I.
"P. 81 saw Red McGrew. He jus
came from Philadelphia"
The McGrew referred to is a son o
Ticket Agent S. S. c. McGrew, of tn
Cleveland, Terminal and Valley railroad
| of this city.