Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-06-20
ORECON'S RETURN
Famous Vessel Has Just Reached
San Francisco.
A BIT OF THE BATTLESHIp'S HISTORY
Wonderful Achievements of This Re-
markable Vessel During the Past
Three Years-An OttumWa Boy
Serving on Board.

Aften an absence of thirty-eight
months the battleship Oregon, upon
which Herman Kehm of this city is
serving, arrived in San Francisco last
Wednesday. True to her record, the
famous battleship arrived one day
ahead of her schedule, disarranglng
plans for reception, but the welcome
was all the more hearty because IL
was spontaneous.
The homeward-boun pennant
streamed twice the length of the ship
astern. A magnificent silk flag, the
gift of the citizens of Nagasaki, Japan,
floated over the stern and silk jack
in the bow. Travel-stained and look
ing considerably the worse for wear
the battleship still impressed every
body with it's massive appearance and
the easy, noiseless manner in which
it moved through the water.
A Little History.
The story of the Oregon's achieve
ments in little more than three years
forms a glorious chapter in naval his
tory. Readers will recall the anxious,
thrilling interest with which the ma
ton watched the progress of the Ore
gon down the Pacific coast, through
the straits of Magellan and up the At
lantic, the unfeigned joy that greeted
it's arrival at Jupiter inlet, Florlda,a and
the 'rapturous applause that hailed the
valorous deeds of the bulldog OF the
American navy in the battle of Santi-
ago.
The Oregon sailed from San Fran
cisco, March 10, 1898. 1t was known
that about the time the Oregon left
San Francisco the Spanish torpedo
boat Termerario, the swiftest IN
Spain's navy, had sailed for Montevid-
go, Uruguay, to intercept the Oregon,
either in the straits or on the way
north The anxiety and excitement
for the next ten days were intense.
The former was groundless, however.
The Temerario stayed at Monteyideo
and the Oregon was next heard from
at Rio de Janeiro, which port it reach
ed on April 80. Sailing thence with
the Marietta and the Buffalo, the new
| ly purchased Brazilian cruiser (Nicth-
eroy), it arrived at Bahia, Brazil, May
| s. Again the country was wrought up
over the prospect of the little squad
ron being intercepted by the superior
Spanish fleet which had oeen lying at
/ the Cape Verde islands.
Gets to Key West.
The Spaniards did not choose to seek
an encounter, however, and on May
IA, after touching at Barbodoes on the
way, the Oregon reported to Washing
ton it's arrival atJupiter inlet,near Key
J West, Florida, ready for service. The
marvellous run was made without ar
accident or break in any of its machin
cry, and did not require one cents
worth of repairs. An interesting in
cident of the voyage was that it was
the first American battleship to cross
the equator.
The Oregon averaged for the sixty
4 six DAYS from March 10, when it left
San Francisco, to May "a, when it re
ported for duty to Admiral Sampson
4 at Key West 203 miles per day De
Quoting the thirteen days spent il
coaling and stopping for communica
lions with Washington at Callao, Pun
ia Arenas, Rio Janeiro, Bahia ant
Barbados the running time was fifty
three days and the average per day
4 253 miles.
4 The Oregon covered 2,57S miles be
4 tween Bahia and Barbados In eigh
and a half days, an average of over
4 800 miles per day, and for the twenty
four hours before reaching Bahia the