New Ulm review. (New Ulm, Brown County, Minn.) 1892-1961, 1903-11-11
HELD BROS. BOOK STORE,

survey expedition. Subsequ ently he
made four separate journeys to Alaska
on coast survey work and thenfollowed
two years of active service in the
South Sea islands. In 1893 he was
appointed inspector of naval work at
the Bethlehem iron works, Bethlehem,
Pa, and for upwards of year super
intended the manufacture of armor
plate for the cruisers and war vessels
then on the stocks. 4..a - s,#
When relieved at Bethlehem he
served for three years upon the battle
ship Texas, the monitor MOnadnOck
and the gunboat Charleston, and was
then returned to the natioanl capital
at Washington to take charge of the
bureau of equipment, fitting out all of
the ships of the navy with their torpedo
stores. The declaration of war with
Spain found him occupying this position
and it is needless to say that he chafed
under what he considered his confne-
ment and inactivity. With other BROTH
er officers who we're similarly situated,
he petitioned repeatedly for duty at the
front but all of their appeals went
unheeded and finally Admiral O'Neill,
chief of the bureau, put a stop to their
opportunities by informing them that
it was as important for him to have
capable officers as the commanders of
the ships, and that he purposed keeping
all of his assistants. -.... raj.
Thus Lieut.. Beecher was deprived Of
particip alton in the naval victories of
the late war but after peace was restored
he was detailed upon very important
service; sent to Philadelphia and given
charge of the construction work upon
several ships being built by the Cramps
in their yards in that city and Whining
ton, Delaware. It was while engaged
in this duty that he formed an intimate
acquaintance with Capt. Carter, of
the army, who was acting as inspector
ofthe Dupont powderworks at Winning
ton. The two officers formed close
attachment and by an odd coincidence
both met tragic deaths, Capt. Carter
losing his life in the explosion of
powder MILL
In command of the Eagle, he sailed
to Cuba in 1899 on a coast survey and
the following year went to Guam as a
member of the commission to locate
naval station. During the previous
winter congress had vote an appropri-
alton to defray the expenses of a
preliminary survey and estimate for a
naval and coaling station on the island
of Guam and the deceased was named
as one Ofthe members ofthe commission,
the others being Major Biddle, chief
engineer of the army of the philippines,
and Admiral Merry, commandant of
the naval station of Honolulu. Upon
their findings congress has since
granted portion of the appropriation
they recommended and work upon the
station has been commenced.
Nearly two years ago Lieut.. Beecher
vas detailed to conduct the wireless
Geography experiments being made by
the naval department and remained so
employed until last spring, when he
was ordered to the new battleship
Maine, as ordinance officer and fourth
in command. His death occurred while
in the discharge of his duties. Last
week Tuesday the Maine steamed out
from Newport, Rhode Island, to engage
in target practice and Lieut.. Beecher
went into the forward turret to inspect
the twelve-inch guns and decentralization
of the turret to see that everything was
in working order for the practice.
While thus employed he stepped into
the open shaft of the ammunition hoist
and fell to the handling room forty
feet below, striking his head against
the steel fooing. The alarm was given
and men fastened below and picked
Lieut.. Beecher up in an unconscious
condition, and he was hastily taken
to the sickroom. The accid happened
about / O'Clock and the medical in
spector of the vessel and his assistant
set to work to render what assistance
was possible, but it was found that he
had fractured his skull and he died at
o'clock without regaining conscious
ness.
The deceased had worked his way
| upward step by 1. step and all of his