Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1909-07-27
A DAY IN CHARLESTON.
Mr.. w. D. erist Tells What He Saw
and Heard While Waiting For 4
Steamer.
Dsndeoce Of the Yorkyills Enquirss.


Charleston, July 24.-Having q
sailing Of the Arapahoe tomorrow, /
have been putting IN the time very
pleasantly calling on a number Of
friends and seeing some Of the sights
Of the city. M
Under the piIotsge Of Mr.. Robert
Latham, city editor Of the News and
Courier, went out to the navy yard
this morning, and saw much that is
Of interest. On the occasion Of my
first and last previous Visit to the
navy yard about three years ago,
was impressed with the magnitude OF
the operations then under way, the
buildings. Today 1t looks like q fin-
ished job-certainly finished COM
pared with what 1t was then; but as
a matter Of fact the work has only
commenced There is as much In
prospect as there was three years
ago.
The navy yard is located about six
miles from the Battery, the point
from which all distances are measur-
ed on the Cooper river, and is busy
center Of the ship repairing industry.
There are number Of handsome, ex-
pensive and thoroughly equipped ma
chinery buildings and whole village
of residences for officers, marines,
machinists and other employees; The
principal feature of the yard, Of
course, is the great stone dry dock.
the largest in America south OF Phil
adelphia and one Of the finest in the
world. 1t is not quite big enough to
accommodate the Lusitania or the
Mauretania; but 1t Is ample for the
needs Of the largest battleships afoat,
and 1t Is not likely that 1t will have
to be enlarged on account of the
growing dimensions Of warships for
years to come.
At the present time there are I'm
the dry dock the hospital ship Solace,
now being converted into transport,
and a small torpedo boat undergoing
repairs. The Solace is about 400 feet
long, and the torpedo boat is at least
in the dock, end to end, there is room
to spare.
The Charleston navy yard is now
the headquarters Of torpedo fleet.
There are a half dozen or more Of
the murderous little vessels here, and
with them their parent ship, the At
lanta. Although ship Of war, the
Atlanta Is not exactly a warship. It
approaches an ocean liner In size, and
is a wonderfully interesting vessel;
but its business Is mainly to furnish
for the officers who
would otherwise be cramped and
baked in the torpedo boats. Except
in action or in very serious times the
junior officers, while the command
ing officers make themselves more
comfortable on the big parent ship.
The Atlanta lies In the road at the
navy yard under banked fires, with
hundreds Of men lolling about doing
little else than to keep her clean; but
this they do to perfection.
But easily the most interesting
sight In the navy yard roadstead is
the old battleship Texas, now station
ed here as guardship. The Texas
1t will be remembered, was one OF
the American terrors at the battle Of
put out Of business. She was in COM
mand Of Captain Jack Philip, since
deceased; but whose noble and heroic
conduct on that and other occasions
are matters Of history. The Texas
fought like a demon until the battle
was won, and after 1t was over the
called his men forward and
led them in a prayer of thanks to God
for the victory He is the man who
when the vanquished SpaniardS were
roasting Ia their burning and sinking
vessels restrained his jubilant and
triumphant men with: Don't cheer
boys, they're dying" But the old
Texas is done for. Though still arm
ed and equipped for battle, she Is
back number. She would hardly be
more serviceable in a scrap with one
Of the big ships Of today than IL she
were armed with only squirt guns. In
her capacity as guardship she Is
merely complying with regulations as
a matter Of form, to keep up appear
ances.
While I was at the navy yard
some $50 or 800 men were turned
loose on leave until Monday. They
are splendid looking specimens Of
stout, healthy, physical manhood,
But am told that the average Jackie
does not show up well on leave. They
come into the city, fill up on booze.
fight among themselves, and many OF
them have to be hauled back to the
yard in wagons. Among these sailor
men, however, are not few who
know how to appreciate rational
and who go back to their