The age-herald., 1902-01-20
Capt CIarkis Chance
Got First Oppor tonitY
 on the Oregon.

was put upon the bridge of the finest bat tleship the navy possesses, with orders to do something no other captain before him was ever told to do.
 The only new fact that has been learned in all the months since the Oregon was sighted off Jupiter Inlet. on the east coast of Florida, that bright day in May over three years ago. Is that on the whole voy- age up the east side of South America, Clark was praying that he would fall in with the Spanish squadron. The navy de- partment was praying that he would not. Every message received by the captain contained the admonition to be careful and keep out of the way of the dreaded Spaniard. The newspapers of the day were filled with alarming speculations as to how 1t would be possible for Clark to avoid one of those torpedo boats that had put in at Montevideo or one of the other ports down that way.
 During the Schley inquiry 1t was brought out incidentally but clearly. that Clark was lying awake at nights fig uring out a course that would bring him across the path of the vessels that were giving the department and the timid up in New England so many shivers. He ap- parently had none of that panicky fear of torpedo boats that filled the hearts of many brave officers.
 Nearly every man who achieves fame or notoriety in the army or navy has a nick name, but if Clark has one now or ever had one among the enlisted men of the navy they have been careful to keep it to themselves.
 Since that trip of the Oregon a few of the men who were on her at the time have been calling him ''Freshwater" Clark, but the name will not "go." The reason for it's existence Is to be found in the fact that on that long voyage not one of the officers or the men had drink of fresh water while on the ship unless he stole it. Soon after starting Clark put out an order that only distilled water should be used for drinking and toilet purposes. The water that had not been salt was needed for what, to Clark, was a more important purpose. He needed it
 
 boilers it went. That did not serve to make the captain popular, but 1t made it possible for the Oregon 10 go on duty with Sampson without going into dry dock to have her boilers overhauled. No ship ever made such long voyage, and was able to go out and make almost as great speed as she did on her trial trip.
 The captain also made the men in the engine rooms do a lot of hard work on that famous cruise for which he received many a curse while the ship was going under forced draught through the tropics. But after it was all over there was no crew that had more hearty good will for Oregon had for the man who has been ordered to put on his finest clothes and get himself up in the limelight that is thrown around the throne of the British Empire just at the time when the prover- bial glare will be the fiercest.
 
 fort and colony was located and founded 200 years ago.
 The Daughters of the American Revo- lution Colonial Dames and Daughters of the Confederacy will give reception Thursday night.
 All that is now left of the former fort is an old well, and small portion of brick work that enclosed the original powder magazine