The evening times., 1911-07-26
THE silver SERVICE
TENT A SCHOOL OF
EDUCATION
Visitors Hear the Real Life of
a Sailor Told By Captain
Hellmich

The North Dakota silver service tent
where is displayed the magnificent gift
which North Dakotans will present
to the battleship, North Dakota, and
where visitors are privileged to drink
delicious cool frappe from the same
mammoth solid silver punch bowl
from which the royalty Of all nations
will drink in years to come is truly
tho one wonderful sight at the North
Dakota state fair 1t is probably the
only state. in a great many years at
least, that has been given such a rare
privilege, that of seeing and drinking
from the silver service which any
state presents to the battleship named
in its honor, and in years to come
those who have drunk from the punch
bowl will watch with a special pride
and interest the maneuverings of the
North Dakota.
Three of the city's charming young
ladies, Miss Helen Hayes, Miss Nell
McGraw and Miss May Cumming, are
acting as hostesses at the exhibit and
yesterday they were the first to drink
a toast to the ship, while Turret Cap
tain Otto Hellmich who is as we'll
informed and eloquent on things that
demand the admiration of the fair sex
as on the building and operating of
the great battleship spoke the first
toast, tribute to the three hostesses.
Captain Hellmich is the petty officer
sent out with the model of the North
Dakota to give the visitors lectures
on the construction of the gigantic
boat, and he is filling this capacity
to perfection, being ready to answer
every one of the hundreds of questions
which are put to him every minute of
the day.
The Silver Service.
About 500 visited the tent Tuesday
afternoon and twice or treble that
number will undoubtedly be totalled
before this day is over. The pieces
OF the service are arranged with ex-
cellent taste on the long table and all
anyone can say is, isn't it gorgeous"
did you ever see anything quite so
magnificent" and II had no idea the
service could be SO perfectly elegant"
However, these seem to be the words
that best describe the feeling that
comes over one as they look at the
massive punch bowl with it's great
buffalo heads, its spread eagle, its
great seals of the nation, navy and
state, its wheat wild rose and every
thing possible that is significant of
the prairie state The engraved bat
tleship is identical with the model
shown in the big glass case and on
tne other side the scene representing
pioneer days with buffaloes, Indians,
nd S~-
progress to wheat fields and steam
threshers and from that to traction
engine ploWing is one that holds the
attention OF visitors for hours.
When told that the big punch bowl
was hammered from one great lump
OF solid silver, visitors asked more
questions and then when told that that
one piece is valued at $500, they be-
gin to appreciate the fact that the
citizens of the state are doing some-
thing really fine for their battleship.
The other pieces of the set includ-
ing the two gorgeous candelabra, each
with seven light cups provided with
electric attachments, the beautiful
waiter as large as the top of a parlor
table, the meat and fish trays, the
coffee urn the water service, the COB.
lets, the two dozen punch cups, the
salad bowl, the fruit dish and each one
as elaborately and artistically decor
ated as the punch bowl, are truly
beautiful beyond description and must
be seen to be appreciated.
The girls in charge have all the
information on the service at tongues
end and among other things will tell
you that in each of the small punch
cups there is $3.50 worth of pure sill
yer while in each candelabra there
is $1,000 worth. The little North Da-
kota buttons and the frappe are sold
for the purpose of raising the heavy
expense of bringing the two exhibits
here and the proceeds at the door are
to be used in making up the deficiency
for the payment of the silver service.
Captain Hellmich's Talks.
Captain Hellmich was until recently
on the battleship Vermont, and is
seaman gunner. In describing the
construction of the North Dakota from
the model on display he gives the Wis
itors Il course in naval education that
is invaluable. He is not only exceed
ingly we'll posted on everything per-
tanning to the navy and battleships
but he has had experience and tells
many stories of the happy but busy
life of the government sailor in his
own interesting and characteristic
way that makes it hard to tear away.
His stories are illustrated by num-
ber of pictures of naval cadet and
actual service life which he has
brought with him and which adorn
the walls of the tent. ~;
These pictures prove Captain He'll
mich's statements that the life of the
sailor is pleasant one despite the
fact that they have to toe the mark
and be ready any minute for war,
storms or saving the lives of those on
wrecked ships. He shows pictures of
the battleship crew of 1000 or more
in their Sunday attire of pure white
sailor suits. Then he tells of the I'M
mense North Dakota battleship band
which gives concerts for the sailors
three times week, of the dances they
have and of the hundred or more other
pleasures which are thrown in with
their everyday life. During six months
of special study in the government
schools in Washington where his in
o. 1&vvk h~