The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-19
THIS WARSH|P IS
WHITE ELEPHANT
Owner Gets Many Offers for 1t,
but Real Money Is
Lacking

New York. February ls-If you have
never had warship for sale. you have
no idea of the demand there is for
| fighting craft or how much stag.
. money there Is in the world, accord.
Ing TO EdEe- +. Luckenbach. a ship
ping man OF 6 Bridge Street About
year ago Mr.. LucKenDhcn bought al
sale III Boston the unlttu StLtes cruis-
er Detroit. and SO nc feels qualified TO
speak on the subject.
In tao time ne mas mad her the news
papers have reported ner sold in turn
10 Mexico, Turkey and other Central
and South American countries and
| ISLAND goNrnments where revolution
IS always iermentins and where dis
| putes with ne!ghpur4ng countries con-
! tlnualIy occupy The public attention.
| inc reported Sales in some cases were
| not without toundauon. out tnay Gis
ways cnued wnea tnv stage money was
| prOuuceu ana the prelI!ii!naries DeSan.
| - nero is demand TOR Vessel ike
the Detroit, Salu Mr.. Luckenpaca re-
| Gently, and such demand mat you
wOnucr that there is so much trouble
| always ready to break out in the
world. and you have To take a new
grip on your belief in the coming OF
International peace"
| MI. LuShtnDdCn mas Deen approached
| by dark-mus tacned men, who have told
| him. coniidentially. oil course. that they
J represented General So-and so. who IN
/ turn represented Senior ThiS-and- L hat
and al the end of their devious verdi
age II came out they wanted to buy
| lne Detroit
Is the vessel wanted for the country
| E%ecrationsl No. Then more execra-
IONS and the confidence that the yes
| Sc! Is wanted for the great cause Of
liberty. What money can you psy2"
IS tne test question.
An! the big hearted Senior Lucken-
bach The cause is poor. but in the
! days 10 come thare will be money roll
| Ing IN. and then would the Senior reap
the harvest. In some cases bonds OF
1 me government that Is to be, perhaps,
| nave been offered IN part payment FOR
I the craft He has been reasoned with.
and 1t has been pointed out what good
ne could do 10 humanity.
oiters nave come from small coun-
tries whsre not only ia prosperity at
a low ebh, but internal strife is rife.
shd In theSe instances the stage money
mas inquired. CONFIDENTIAL buyers have
| aPpeaFeu VINO were equally as mys-
ferrous about the purpose for which
the Detroit Is wanted as the source
from which 4. to come the real money.
nave been offered the most HAT
n ee,ring shares IN government enter
Pdtses' SAID Mt. Luckenbach. "and I
nave hae equally as Gathering offers
OF generous payments to be mads in
me future, bu, of real money there
Seems ~srnS 10 be scarcity. The buyers Of
,norauP s 90 NOT seem TO be in ready
money just now. and conseouently
mere Is tightness in the battleship
what government made offers Mr..
i,uckenoaeh would not say, and he wna
JUST al silent on tho subject Of what
rSVoiutiohs.S bodies wanted TO MIR.
Snnse nis vessel In the meantime the
tSto OF the Detroit is uncertain and
kne may again ride tho waters ne n
hsntlhg vessel or end her days as n
barge boobing up and down the COAST
N humble capacity at the end of
many fathomS Of hawser. N -
After an honorable career In ~,
CniSed states Navy. the Detroit was
tonusnned and sold at auction al POS
Ton IN the latter part OF 1910. Sho
TO this port u ofo"gh'