Smyrna times., 1903-09-30

we reached our anchorage below the
st. Louis bridge on the east side.
Took Part 10 Defeating St. Louis Exposition.
The Both of April we took part in the
Louisiana Purchase Exposition .Dedi-
cation Parade, in which all the high
officials took part and about $4,000
men representing every branch of the
service. Everybody in the parade
was cheered, but the blue jackets from
the Monitor Arkansas were cheered
the most of any. We left st. Louis on
the 5th of May and by this time the
water was getting very low; we got as
far as st. Genevieve and we had to
anchor on account of the sand bar
tnat was about two miles ahead of u.s.
The water kept falling, so we were
unable toget neither up nor down so
we had to stay there for fourteen days
at which time the water rose. Off
from where we anchored was large
stone quarry and we used to watch
the men blasting the rocks all day
long. The first bank that Jesse
James ever robbed still stands at st.
Genevieve with an iron fence around
it. This is a very old town and at one
time the people of st. Louis were fur
nished with provisions from this
place. We left here on the 10Th of
May and arrived at Commerce the
next day, here it fained almost con-
tiuually during our stay. We went
on down the river stopping at the fol-
lowing places: Cairo, where we coaled
ship, Helena, Frairs Point and Ar
kansas City, where we were presented
with silver service from the little
town of Arkansas City. Passing on
down we came to Vicksburg and then
New Orleans, thence to Key West,
here we coaled ship putting on 26O
tons. Leaving here we arrived at
Hampton Roads the 21st of June, and
then our trip was over. The people
up the river talk a great deal like ne
groes and they have some very funny
expressions, such as, Where you all
going?" "When you all coming
back?" "Where you all going to stop
next?" "What time did you all get
to St. Louise" Everything they say
has ''yOu ALL in 1t.
Arkansas at Norfolk Udder going Repairs.
One day at Vicksburg our mail or
derly went ashore for the mail and
some one said to him, Jackie, where
you all going?" He looked around
and found he was the only one present
and then said, 81 am going to the
postoffice, don't know where the rest
are going" And some of the people
up the river thought our guns were
smokestacks and some of them asked
how long it took for a small gun to
grow as large as big one, and what
we did with them when they got too
large. We told them when they got
too large We transferred them to a
larger ship. With all the sailors
hardships we were all treated we'll
and had a fine time. Soon after we
arrived at Hampton Roads we received
orders from the Navy Department to
test our - guns, in doing so we dis
abled our turret and roller pads which
the turret revolves on, SO we were
sent to the Navy Yard at Norfolk for
extensive repairs and will probably be
here until Christmas.
will conclude by saying that this
is one of the most interesting tr ips
made during ray stay with Uncle
Sam and 1 hope that those who may
care to read it will not feel that my
efforts have been in vain in describing
this eventful voyage with the U. S. S.
| Arkansas.
W. G. GoOTEE,
Apprentice U. S. Navy.