Amarillo daily news. [volume] (Amarillo, Tex.) 19??-current, 1912-12-27
ADMIRAL DEWEY
NOW 5EvENTY-f|VE
HERO OF MANILA BAY RE-
CIPIENT OF FLOOD OF
CONGRATULATIONS
OLD FIGHTER IS HEAL THY
PROUD OF HIS GOOD LOOKS AND
OPTIMISTIC AS \ SCHOOL
BOY. RETAINS NIGOR
OF YOUTH

WASHINGTON. u. C.. Dec. 26 -
An almott continuous stream OF
messengers climbed the stone steps
OF a handsome residence at the cor.
ner OF Sixteenth and X streets today.
W hile through the portals OF the big
house there passed al frequent inter
) walls men whose furrowed brows and
tignified bearing stamped there as
diplomats. judges. senators, or high
officers Of the army or navy.
The house, as described by the
megaphone men on the "rubberneck'
wagons. is "thc home OF Admiral
George Dewey. the hero OF the bat
tie Of Manila Bay Admiral Dewey
reached his seveuW-fi'th birthday
anniversary today and W. the rccip-
lent of q flood OF Cuirratulaton7
oral and written from his many
friends in official as Wei as private
life. The Admiral and his family re-
mained az home the greater part OF
the day. and gave a cordial welcome
welcome 20 the many friends who
called 20 pay their respects.
Admiral Dewey is In good health.
considering his years and arduous
services. and Is still able 10 attend
70 his duties as president of the
naval general board lie is rather
proud OF the fact that he is - years
old. for few men have reached his
age retaining their good looks. the
vigor OF mental and physical youth,
and last but not least, the natural
optimism OF a schoolboy.
The Admiral is a nat;ye of Mont
pelier, VI. He began his'remarkable
career early. and could he live his
life over again he says. he would
not change the course Il has taten.
After course ~ the Norwich Mill
tary Academy. experimenting the
valuable personal instruction of his
father. who was one of the best
known physicians OF his cay the fn-
ture sea fighter entered thn Naval
Academy at the age of siytoen.Im-
mediately upon leaving tine academy
four years later. in 1858. hc was or
dercd 20 active service and. lacking
only few months space OF time.
he has now been fifty-eight years in
the navy. For the admiral Is still
on the active list OF The navy and
viii remain So until the end of his
days This Is in virtue OF the act
or congress creating him q FUN adj
miral the only officer of his rank In
the American navy, and which IN
sures him the fun pay Of his grade,
Sl3.500 year. during his lifetime
Admiral Dewey says that, except
ing the too close proximity OF the
bullets, the most interesting train
ing he received after leaving school
was under Admiral Farragut from
1861 10 1868. 10 the Mississippi r,y-
or squadron be happened 20 be- az
his home iu Montpelier Whcu Fort
Sumter was fired upon ono week
later be- obtained his commission as
lieutenant and was ordered t0 'fe
west gulf squadron ADMIRAL Farra-
lut conceived @ great liking for The
dashiuc and coolhoaded young Of
ficer and distinguished him by max
ing him first Lieutenant of one of
his gunboats
The story OF how Captain Dewey
and his squadron OF American war
ships sailed into Manila bay on that
historic SUNDAY morning iu lS9N and
wiped out the Spanish fleet there. is
familiar 20 an 4 fact less general
ly known. however. s that OF Dew
ey's captains" iu fhe Manila hay
engagement. who .n later years
made 10 habit tc Join Boz dinner
as the Admirals guests on the battle
anniversary. the only one sill Twins
IS Rear Admiral Asa Walker whose
home ls n Annapolis
For the past twelve years Admir-
al Dewey has held his present po.
vition as head OF tho general board
the highest Boo tho gift OF the navy
and has made his headquarters ir
Washington Though ~bcking al
ways 20 avoid plbhHty Admiral
Dewey has become familiar Nr
ure Iu the capital fhrouaa Dos daily
drives through tfe parks '1 au omen
oarr.a-e while he .s uot quite --
robust ~ te was before hIs Hines.
Of year AGO he NAV be said to o,
FOO good health. and De- continues tc
perform DIS duties as president o'
fhe general board aith AL keen il
forest as officers YoHre enough fo tl
bis sons HIs position keeps him Dol
touch with all that tho navy does l'
IS work that be- likes. O. keeps hii
faculties sharpeued II gives bin
zest in life