The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1907-08-31
JUST PLAIN AMERICANS.
Beautiful Tribute to the Manly Men of tho
Greatest Nation in the World-In-
stances of Their Bravery
and Patriotism.

TTG8BSSJ SAAO
stances Of Their Bravery
and Patriotism.
Death, and tragedy, and terrible dis
aster are sometimes almost worth
while in the thrilling examples of
heroism and self-sacrifce they furnish
as inspiration to the living who are
left behind
A few days ago a burning charge of
great gun powder exploded in the
turret of the battleship Georgia. Two
common sailors, plain men of the
ranks, without commissions, whose
identity have not been ascertained,
stood at the breech of the other gun in
the turret when the cry came that the
first charge was smouldering and
would explode in an instant. These
two men themselves had charge OF
powder in their hands-had showed it
almost in the breech OF their gune
There was only an instant, twink
ling of an eye in which to act. There
were two things to do. One was to
throw themselves on the floor and al
low the force of the explosion to go
over their heads, and yet expose that
second charge to danger and the ship
to a worse disaster while possibly
saving themselves The other, was
to stand up, close the breech of their
own gun, make certain the safety OF
the ship, but meet terrible death them
Selves
Aud these two common sailors, mere
lads. Bowery rats or farm boys as
they might have been-never hesitated.
They died, scared to death in the
powder flames, with their hands on
the breech mechanism they just sue
ceeded in closing.
And their names, when they are as
certained, will go on the honor roll OF
the American navy with those of the
men and the officers since 1775 who
have held duty and discipline first and
self and safety far distant second.
These two men, and the ten others who
died with them, are i'll to be spared
yet who knows but that their memory,
in some smoke-clouded battle day OF
the future, may nerve a little band of
American sailors to stand to terrible
death between their country and fatal
defeat.
And only three days ago coast
wise steamer on the Pacific coast went
down after a collision, sinking as the
Burgoyne sank, swiftly, at midnight,
after crashing into an unknown and
unbound other vessel. But. the Co.
lumbia's crew and the Columbia
passengers leave no such memory Of
disgrace as follows the Burgoyne.
There was no panic.
There was no disorder.
There seems almost to have been no
fear.
From pitiful, bare-footed scullion
to heart broken @captain, discipline,
courage, self-sacrifce ruled.
The American men on board put
life-preserVers on the women.
The crew put the passengers in the
boats.
The captain gave his orders from
the bridge, with his first officer by his
cir nd
filled, the last life raft crowded, and
the rem aiming throng on the helpless
vessel snatched for timbers and boards
for safety, these two American sailors,
"masters of their fate waved a
good bye" and called ''God bless
you!' and went down with their ship
as sailors should.
Two brave lives needlessly thrown
away? say you.
But in the years TO come, think of
the thousands who Ego down to the
sea in ships" in the care of American
sailor-men, who know that captains
and first officers and common sailors
have pledged their own lives in hos
tage for their safety and will sur
render the bond without a murmur
when the Storm-King or the freak of
fate makes the call.
s'Just plain Americans" these, of
the sort who face the midnight and the
sun at the locomotive throttle, who
grip the spokes of the wheel on river
steamboats,, who man the ships and
fill the ranks of the army and navy.
Just plain Americans" who are
sent to death by steel trusts that man
ufaeture faulty rails, and owners who
seek to evade boiler inspections or
seek to mulct insurance companies;
whose children are slaughtered by pat
ent medicines; whose wives are infected
with tuberculosis in illy-ventilated
and miserably cared for tenements.
''Just plain Americans and thank
God they are in the majority in this
nation of eighty i've -Shreve-
port Times.
Investigating Celestial Visitor.
DR.. J. A. Moore, professor of as