Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-02-01
Correspondence.
On Board the Prairie.

PoRr ROYAL, e. Jan. :, 1905.
| To the Editor Of The American:
When the boys on the Prairie babe their
friends good bye last summer they knew
| not where they were to go before return
ing-if they ever should return. From
| Bar Hsrbor we were ordered to Gioaces-
ter, and then to Boston to take part IN
the g. A. r. celebration. While there
Whist was thought to be . case OF diph-
thsris broke out, and after the parade no
one except men on duty were allowed
ashore.
This case turned out to be only q sitgh t
case of tonsiiitis, and after the g. A. X.
week celebration We were ordered back to
Gloucester for the trial OF the Colorado.
This, OF course, was . very ane thing to
see. II 1 remember right We we're then
ordered to Hampton Roads, and after
| transferring our lsndsmsn came back for
the trials OF the West Virginia and Penn
syivanis.
All the time there were, the doctors
said, symptoms OF diphtheris aboard, and
after the trial Of the Pennsylvania We
~ere ordered to PhiIsdeiphia for slight
repairs. The doctor went to Washington,
ing there about two weeks the Prairie was
ordered TO proceed to Port Royal. 5. c..
where we were to 90 to fumigats and rid
the ship OF these germs.
We left Philadelphia on Dec. I. aud
when down the Delaware shout twenty
eight miles a case OF smallpox broke out.
We immediately broke our yellow Gag at
the fore, and came to anchor opposite
quarantine ststion.
The patient wss taken on deck wrsppsd
in heavy blanket, and as the quarantine
officers refused TO have anything to do
with bin, we got up snchor and returned
to Philadelphia That day an order was
issued that all hands would De vEccinste1.
When We arrived at The navy yard, the
smallpox patient was sent to the hos
pltsi, snd upon bearing two days later
tue case wss only 6 slight case OF chicken
pox, We gos mp anchor, and p,oessSsd
sgsin for PI,t Royal.
The IA uigsting OF ship and 100 men
Is no snsii undertaking. On Sunday
A-AeA S&A RAAAfA& tES GALl AffA hCO4s 4A&
Of the ships company were told to PACK
up and be ready to get steamed out. Oar
hsmnoeks were steamed first, and were
taken % the spar deck to dry. Then
came the sea bags WITH ali our clothes
/ in. After this wss done q change OF
eios hes wss cris2 and ali of cur .'Sqnosy
oextS xos steamed.
All this took Sp the best part of the
day, and AFTER lsshing oar hammocks.
rspaekiug most of oar esgs, getting our
sotled boxes funtsstsc. ETC., we lsa tes
saip tor the hsrrseks-a b1ildips large
snOugh 10 sceomnods;s about 500 men.
We se-e given sli the fresh water we
wished, snc all of cur clothes were
cleaned, hSmnoeks scrubbed and every
thing pat in frsf class shape THIS being
done they commenced taking the culture
OF sooat ten or 6sts<n Of tbs meas
thro4ts csss tbsss weEs seat 70 snoG her
Building snd rsnnained until going back
10 the ship. whsn this lot we're seat
back the remainder, Numbering about
sare process TIE plan now = 20 lass
sbs culture Of tSeaiy i've threats a Gay,
steam them and send them back TO sAe
ship-
/ ecuid tell great deal more Of our
ball games. minstrel shows, lectures, ar d
tos iu1sras Of eur mascot, ~Bialya the
goat, tut tninsirg I have taken up too
much Of year suses. viii bsiDg This to q
close, hoping Il will De o; interest to some
she HsEhsps nsy be ia erected in the
T. 5. 5 Prasrie and her men.
o. A. EAELs.