Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1915-09-15
THESElT OF GOVERNMENT
a. l. 'opAN VISITS THE Ma
TpNAL CAPITAL
Takes in my Siehts-0, LIZ.
Grounds a Steamboat Excur-
sioren Old Patomac

g IT, y ~ SeptAS 1915
EDITOR CksoR: A noticA in H.
Star annound6 steamboat e&nrs;nS
from WashiIton to Norfolk, Va !.
was suggeste that take it, AsS :!
on historical round | decided to
sought the cit office, bought a ticke
including root and repaired at oncN
to the wharf nd was soon aboard, and.
as the day wa very hot, soon was chi
the rear deck With many other passen-t
gers. The di Patomae was muddy
but very smodh and we could scarcely I
notice the mobn of the boat. We had
not gone far when the whistle was
heard and we hme to shore seven miles
below the citybt the historical old town
of Alexandria, (which was headquarters
of Gen. Brad4ek during the French
and Indian wal and here it was he
landed two thdsand English regulars
and with all tlt colonial troops he could
muster, start9i on the fatal march
against Fort ibuquesm, and on disre-
gardlng the sdnonishing Of Col. Wash
ington he Lost his life and his army was
almost annihiAted. The old town af-
tergard beea1e the capital of Virginia.
Soon We ardsfloat again and bend
IN the river AMI we are out Of sight of
Washington. The sun has passed be-
low the horizoh and the stars put in an
appearance. al slight breeze is ap1as-
ent but the water is smooth and the
trip delightful BY and by passengers
become more acquainted and some one
starts the piano and 1t is kept going,
mostly with choiee music deity played
on and on, it's late. / retire, but the
music continues Men, women and chii-
dren seem happy. The first we hear
in the morning is an officer threatening
the DRINKS with arrest at the first land
ing if they 90 not go below and stay
there. We consult our watch, it is
emily four O'Clock and we turn in again
but soon the voices of children are
heard, the boat is rocking, the water
is rough, we dress and come out. Some
one said we were out of sight Of land
and about the middle of the bay below
the mouth Of the Rappahannoek, the
same course pursued by the Constitu-
ton which ran into a British feet Of
FIVE frigates and avoiding an immediate
attack and on the 29th Of August, 1872,
I encountered the English frigate CUR
] rire ard after a spirited battle of thir-
" minutes succeeded in wrecking her
antagonist
But on we 60 until we reach Old Point
4 Comfort, where many passengers go
ashore The channel becomes more
narrow and the shores are lined with
many historic towns ard cities and
many merchant vessels are afioat. We
soon are moving but not down stream,
as we have passed the mouth Of the
bay and are now al Hampton Roads,
where the Monitor and the Merrimac
, held their entertainment and where the
infamous Arnold passed in command Of
tsF.s kF..tH Hesffnk he,
James river closely followed by q French
fleet. and only for severe storm the
traitor would have been captured, but
made his escape. We soon pass the
wide mouth of the James and up the
deep inlet and soon arrive at our des-
tination, Norfolk In our search for
. breakfast We got in with a Wisconsin
man who had worked many years for
the Knapp Lumber Company, and who
not only gave Us good accommodations
but piled u with many interesting ques-
tions relating TO our cities and TIE tim
Der business.
Ii is Sunday; We oct onr bearing and
go to the wharf and watch them unload
q large merchant vessel In the after
; noon take car for Ocean View. at the
mouth of the Chesapeake, a new and
beautiful bathing place. Norfolk is a
: richly built city about the size of Des
: fMoines. After passing one of the hot
test nights of my life, breakfast is
called and we meet gentleman from
Massachusetts and after an introduce
tiOn by the host, stating that | came
from his old stamping grounds, he
said he had heard much of Wisconsin
/, as dairy state, also of her good water,
but be feared her cold winters. as that
was one reason he had left Massachu.
sets, but continued to ask questions
about our soil and crops, especially the
growing Of ginseng. 1t was time to
: meet the boat for Portsmouth enroute
4 to the navy yard and he directed me to
, the confederate monument and then
: turn to the right for the wharf. We
cross the river and take car for the.
navy yard, secure a pass and move
along. About the first thing is burst
, cannon of Battleship Pennsylvania, 1851.
Then cannon ard shells from Spanish
cruiser Almeranta 0quindo, destroyed
J in the battle of Santiago, July 8, 1898,
! two torpedoes and torpedo propellers
i from Spanish cruiser Rina Mercedes,
! then Chinese gun captured by u. 5.
Marius at Tien Tsin June, 1900, it is so
small seems a mere toy rather than an
equipment of warfare. Most of shops
we're marked mo admittance." We
did no more than give them passing
glance and pass a coaling auxiliary and
proceed to go aboard the battleship
Vermont, which is fully equipped with
cannon, fore and aft. Here we meet
parties from Ironton, Ohio, anda all were
politely escorted through explaining
how the course was changed by NOV
ing lever at top, which rings bell
below and records the desired change.
Also were permitted TO examine the
large guns, how quickly they could be
fred, also appliances electrical and
aerial TO prevent their becoming hot,
endangering the operators. The seven
inch guns shoot seven miles and can be
discharged every thirty seconds. The
twelve inch shoot twelve miles and may
be discharged every twenty seconds.
We we're shown where the provisions
were prepared, even the hot oven full
of baking pies. The ship is 400 feet
long and her armour is twelve inches