The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-12-30
Strange Uses to Which Oid Ships
Have Been Put at End of Service

co, stating that salvage operations
would shortly be begun with an idea
of getting the unchanged hull of the
Osiris into deep water, so that she
might her peregrinations along
the Pacific coast.
Can you conceive the misery Of the
mayor. who saw his streets deprived
OF their glowing decorations and en-
blems Of progress? Can you conceive
the misery of the padre. who beheld
his church bereft of one of it's most
striking ornaments? Can You yer
fancy the agony of soul of the citizens
who anticipated their return to depen-
dence on Kerosene. with all the pie
oeian smelliness which 1t entailed?
It mas been almost too great a bur-
den Of disappointment for Ocos to
bear. They have seen their source of
illumination cut off. the salvage crew
at work on the lighting plants regen-
eratton; presently, they will even be
Obliged to witness its actual departure.
In tow Of the wr%ecking-tug. it will
grow smaller and smaller on the face
Of the waters. until at last it will dis
appear over the horizon in the direc-
ton of the Estados Unidos del Norte.
where every one has electric light, and
the Osiris will cease to occupy the
sublime position of a forerunner of
civilization and become an humble
ocean-tramp.
Again. it should he iterated. this is
a true story. And let any contracting
company that doubts the assertion
send one of its cleverest young men
to Oeos. Guatemala-which is about
J $50 miles from the terminus of the
Tehuantepec railxay-with instruc-
tions to see the mayor and the padre
and every citizen OF tire place. There
IL nothing like promoting s. habit to
inducing a belief in the necessity If
luxuries.- The ineandescents of Docs
gleam lifeless: the reek Of lier osene
fills the streets at. night. And Ocos
Mcurns its descent. from che proud
position of the municipality boasting
an electric light and. power company
to q rn ere huddle Of hurs behind Il
ramshackle wharf,
Although the story of the Osiris
stands alone for tragic interest. there
are other instances on record of ships
carried ashore and. used for purposes
ing waters practically unhurt. The
other American vessel. was smashed
to flinders.
1t was soon seen that it was impos-
sible to get the Wateree off; it would
have cost far more than the vessel was
worth. SO she was abandoned by the
crew. and sold for old junk. But in
stead OF breaking her up, the CHILEAN
who bought her had imagination
enough to see what a splendid chance
he had to make really big money IL
Of her as a curiosity. So he fitted the
Wateree up as a hotel. cafe and res
taurant, leaving her hull lust as 1t
was. however. and his quaint estah-
lishment soon became a recognized
pilgrimage for all pleasure-seekers in
the vicinity.
foreign to the builders intentions.
Perhaps the most noted case is that
OF the United States steam sloop-of-
war Wateree, which was washed
ashore by a tidal wave at africa. Chill.
under circumstances almost identical
to those attending the wrecking of the
Osiris. 1t was in August. 1868. that
the Watree and another American
man-o'-war were lying off africa. A
tremendous earthquake was succeeded
by a tidal wave bigger than any other
recorded in history. save perhaps that
which inundated Lisbon. and the Wa
teree, carried on the crest of the great
wave, was taken half a mile inland.
and two miles to the north of the
town. and deposited between two sand
hills. where she was left by the reced-