Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1904-03-26

solved the steering problem on the
monitors and other war vessels was
an Old soldier and that he lives in
Chicago He does. and saw him yes
terday When the Miantonomoh re-
turned rom the George Peabody OBJ
sequies az Portland in January, 1870.
she was ordered 20 Boston. When MIR,
Peabody died in London. YOU will re-
member. the British government sent
the remains across the Atlantic on the
warsbip Monarch. aud Admiral Farra
gut with his fleet met the Monarch at
sea, escorted her TO Portland, ami par
ticipated Il the funeral exercises
Then. as ! have said, the Man
tonomon proceeded to Boston. where
we expected L. remain for some weeks.
Scarcely had We dropped anchor. how
ever, when :. W Murray. Il quiet gen
tlemHl FROM the West came aboard
with an order from Admiral Porter in
stgut ting The officers 10 give The bearer
every facility fer applying and testing
nnV steering gear which he had Is.
vented
THE Admiral, assuming that MIR.
Murray would reach the vessel before
we anchored, directed Captain II W
Shufcldt To give tine Miantonomoh
turn or TWO 10 show the working of
her machinery As the officers were
dressed for shore this order was not
regarded favorahly. but Mr. Murray
said il was not necessary for him to
see the machinery in motion, as he
was familiar with the usual steering
apparatus. What he wanted was TO
look over the engines and decide where
/ the new ones should he located.
AT this MIR Xeigler. the chief en-
gineer. smiled and took MIR Murray
below, where the latter admitted that
he could see no place for more machin-
cry But q place was found, two new
engines 10 work the steering gear were
put in, and in a few weeks there was
test Of the new apparatus very sur
] prising and gratifying 10 the naval
! engineers. The new gearing worked
/ smoothly. and whereas with the old
gearing. il required minute and II
half 10 turn the rud1er, with the new
/ il required only six seconds.
4 This steering gear was afterward
applied TO all the monitors and other
4 heavy vessels and is IN use to-day My
4 recollection Ia that the Miantonomoh
WAS the FIRST war vessel to Use the i'm
1 proved gear. IL ] am wrong some
K one can correct me This new steer
ing gear ena bled vessels 10 turn more
rapidly, TO maneuver to better ad.
vantage. ana NY its use a vessel could
he steercd In ease Of fire from any part
Of he ship.
II surprised us, however. that such
an important Improvement should lie
( made by a man who served in the IN
fantry during the war and moi BY a
man bred 10 the sea. ! learned later
that Murray had been steamboatman
on the lakes and had contrived his ap-
paratus on Lake Michigan. aud when
II was perfected had gone 10 Admiral
/ Porter. who ordered the test nj Boston.
You amt tell what an Old soldier will
do
THAT il true" said The Major. Soy
eral years ago | was travelling i'm
Mexico and went on long prospect
ing tour over the mountains west from
chihuahua. ont In the wilderness
our guides and guards came in con
fict with other guides and guards and
there was danger OF serious trouble. !
went among the strangers hoping 10
make myself understood in explana-
tion. and said TO friend i don't
suppose one Of these greasers can an
derstand 8 word or English
Instantly came from The command
er OF the hostile squad Not q single
word Cap. Not single word How
do you do:' For moment ! was EN-
barrassed, but / caught iwinkling
Of recognition IN the eyes, Of the
speaker and after few minutes
placed him rs n tcanSter in our regi-
lnent who 81 Chickamauga drove an
ammunition wagon a a gallop 10 our
line Of battle, retiring because Of
empty cartridge boxes
His mules were shot IN ten min.
utes. but be distributed Ike anlmuni.
ton SO rapidly that when the rebels
got the wagon there was little in it,
When Tie mules went down Jack took
a rife from his wagon and Joined the
men in line. He remained with the
company al through the siege Of Clint
taDooGa saying that tcaming was too
burned risky Tor him. and | came 80
know him quite well. Here he was
HOW u charge % pack train loaded
with silver and. as he remarked. too
suspicious TO see straight A word
from hin cleared the atmosphere and
oar party went on unmOlrsfed
'Spca king ~ Transfers" said the
Captain. did any of the boys Of the
Fifth Michigan ever tel sou Of Mike
in the Wilderness? One day Captain
BIsrhipan received orders ~ send two
wagons 10 he front for wounded.
Mike was The driver Of one Of the
wagons and he didn't want to 20. lie
rayorfpd 10 H}acEmau that his mules