The National tribune., 1908-08-27

Farragut. Admiral Farragut was Com
mandant of the Portsmouth Navy Yard
at the time of his death.
Following the ceremonies at Ports
mouth Admiral Dewey will attend q
meeting of the General Board of the
Navy. of which he is the official head
at Newport, r. I.
In conformity with the law regulat-
ing such things, the President has or
dered that several torpedo-boat de-
stroyers now under construction be
named after heroes of naval battles
which the United States had had to
fight in the brief years of her history.
Torpedo-boat destroyer No. II to be
named for Lieut. Joseph B. Smith. U.
S. N, Commander of the .rigate Con-
greSs, sunk in Hampton Roads by the
Confederate ironclad Merrimac. March
is, 1862; Mo- IS, for Lieut.. Roswell H.
Lamson. u. S. N, highly recommended
for bravery during tho ciril war; No.
10, Lieut.. Samuel w. Preston, U. S. N,
conspicuous for bravery in attacks on
Fort Fisher; No. 20. Commander Chas
w. Flusser, u. S. N. distinguished for
service in sounds of North Carolina:
No. 81. Capt. Samuel c. Reid, u. s. N.
who drove off boats from three British
men-of-war in harbor of Fayal, Sept.
16, 1914.
What is considered a remarkable feat
was performed in Washington last E'ri-
day. Charles Street, the Washington
catcher. won a bet of $500 by catching
ball dropped out of the small upper
windows of the Washington Monument
1t was a sheer drop of 594 feet AMI
has been often attempted. but never
before accomplished. Mr.. Street is
backstop for the Washington team, ard
did not let his manager know that he
intended to do such a thing, as II is
well known that it might have famed
him seriously. The consent pf the Su-
perintendent of Public Buildings and
Grounds. Col. Charles Bromveil vas
obtained. His refusal to have the mon
ument used for experiments would have
put stop to the proceedings Then HI
basket of baseballs was secured. and
the ascent of the man who was to drop
the ball was made.
Ten balls were dropped by NJ. Glib
son out of a chute six feet long on the
south side of the monument in the sum
light, but the wind carried them all sol
close to the structure that it was an |
possible for Street to see them. Three
of the balls were blown back against
the marble. and the terrific speed at
which they were falling cut the covers. |
Dut. to.llIdiy " tAptttdlloiS, tilbSt
which hit the ground were not seriously
fiattened, and showed little effects oi
the terrific impact beyond heavy stain |
from the ground where they hit
Finding the wind and sun a bar on
the south side, Mr.. Gibson moved
around to the northside. which was
and in the shade. Instead of
dropping the balls out of the chute, he
held them in his hand and let them go.
rfran ofn En f1a. .,
first three balls, but they all went be-
hind him, as he could not resist the in
clination to run forward and wait for
the ball on its indicated instead of its
true course, the true course being de-
termined by the wind. which caused
the ball to drop in parabolic curve
. Ganiey finally suggested that Street
get back about 90 feet and wait longer
before attempting TO get under the ball
This advice was followed on the 14th
ball, and with very little sidesteppingI
he got under it. The ball was received
n the mitt while Street was in a
position.
Street said he was satisfied with his
and would not care to un-
iertake it again except for big money,
is the ball was hard to gauge, and the
principal danger was in having it strike
orce, which is variously estimated from
'S5 to 161 feet per second. making the
weight about 200 pounds, would have
rushed the bones.
The balls used in the experiment were
'egulation balls used in the American
league. The rules prescribe that these
must weigh not less than five nor more
han five and a quarter ounces. and bel
Tot less than nine nor more than ninel
md a quarter inches in circumference.
lie used the regulation catchers' mitt.
Street is said to be the first man who
ver caught ball from the monument
harley Snyder, Charley Bennett, Paul
lines and other famous players tried
at various times, but We're baked by
he difficulty in gauging the descendingl
phere, as was Street. 1t is noticeable
hat Street caught the first ball hel
ould get his hands on, and that wasI
nough to last him long time. A
atcher at Yale University is said toI
AVE caught ball from the top of theI
monument about 10 years ago.