davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune., 1918-05-19

the trawler was armed with only a
fifty-pound depth bomb, she sig
nailed destroyer. Within a few
minutes the larger craft had circled
above the disabled U-boat and
dropped an "ashcan." A diver
found the submarine lying split
from stem to stern by the force of
the giant explosive.
1t was at this base that we learned
the full import of the destructive
ness of the submarine campaign. If
American seamen accomplished
nothing else, it is worth all the en-
ergy and money which have been ex-
pended for the lives our destrovers
have saved since they entered the
arena of war. More than a thou
sand people have been safely
brought to port by them.
Rescued lnnumerable
O-bOat Victims
In the early narrowing days of
the ruthless warfare scarcely a de-
stroyer came to port without a hu-
man cargo snatched from death in
the sea during their long patrols,
sometimes hundreds Of miles from
land. Men, women and children on
life RATS and oftentimes in leaky
boats have fecbly cheered those
slender, rakish craft speeding out
OF the mist and darkness on their
GRAND Of destruction to end in a
mission Of mercy.
But we learned from the DESTROYER
officers many stories Of sinister nat
ure. There were boats of an oil
tanker picked up one day into which
the attacking U-boat had dropped
shells for amusement after torpedo
ing the ship. In each of the boats
dead and dying men were found.
some with bodies cut in two and
otherwise mangled by the destruc-
tive Hun fire.
In still another instance the boats
Of the survivors had been stripped
of oars, sails, provisions and even
water. Drifting about hopelessly at
the mercy of any sudden rising sea.
they were picked up by an American
destroyer and brought to land from
the very jaws of death. BY no
New-York tribune., 1918-05-19
"Ashcans" Did
Effective Work

Above the harbor we saw the cap-
tive balloon and the dirigible being
employed in their initial capacity at
mine seeking, ana overhead heard
the clatter Of the sea planes start
ing or returning from their cruises
of detection Of the underseas craft.
In that week two U-boats had been
destroyed by our flotilla with the
then still undeveloped invention of
the depth bombs, favoritely called
"ashcans" because of their appear
ance.
When that hotilla first steamed
into their base on July 4, 1917, the
Bay of Biscay was strewn with the
wreckage Of the submarine victims.
In four months these sinkings had
been reduced 80 per cent. The trim
yachts, once famed pleasure craft
of the Western seas, were scarcely
recognizable in their disguise of
camouAage paint, with bowsprits
sawed off, gingerbread" work re-
moved, guns mounted fore and aft,
and plentiful evidences of rough
handling in the proverbial heavy
weather of Biscay Bay.
New-York tribune., 1918-05-19

had made land in mine field sown
on bearings of that CHEEKY light by
submarine the day before. The
Germans had used the f1ashino
friendly beacon to lure the unwarv
to his destruction. The signal came
from patrol boat then sweeping
the deadly horned spheres from,
their anchorage.
An hour or so later we had ell
tered the shelter of the harbor. AS
We slowly approached our berth,
amid glitter of electric signals
the lights of the port twinkled .
welcome in the near distance. The
nelghboring sea and it's lurking
perils lay behind. Another voyage
had ended in safety.
Navy Supply Ship
Target for Enemy
There are no dull times on a nayy
supply ship running the submarine
blockade.
70 add zest to the venture. the
navy supply ship is particularly
marked by the enemy raiders. Upon
this service rests the obligation of
supplying the Allied sea fighting
force in general, and the American
force in particular, with the es-
sentials of life and battle. So their
destruction becomes matter of dou-
bic interest to the enemy, and the
accomplishment of their purpose. an
increasing satisfaction to those who
command, pilot and work them
through the perilous waters of the
war zone.
Probably one of the most interest
ing careers of the supply overseas
feet has been that of our ship, the
L. S. S. Bridge, navy built and navy
manned.
Our voyages began before the full
American occupancy of the Euro
pean bases selected as the headouar-
ters OF our naval campaign, when
the coast of France was protected
ry our armed yachts and when the
pioneer fiotilla of our destroyers was
battling with the Huns about Ire
lands turbulent shores.
These were the halcyon days of
the submarine, before Allied genius
had evolved the present means of
its destruction, which are, sooner
rather than later, to sound the death
knell of it's prowling, underhand
warfare; days when the Hun came
awash in the wake of his sinking
victim to shrapnel the survivors
striving to escape in the small craft
which had lived through the masl-
strom of sudden attack Not that the
U-boat is by any means banished,
but its freedom of the seas is
becoming checked through the eter
nal vigilance of the Allied fleet. It's
ending can only come when the Of
fensive against it is increased pro-
portionately to it's activities.
Many Green Men
Aboard Ship
The Bridge left an American port
on October last for her first run
to European waters. 1t was in the
New-York tribune., 1918-05-19

tack and mine laying. Fritz had
cot the habit of lying off the lights,
and as vessels passed across the
bright area he would launch a tor
pedo with practically no chance of
miss. While changing the lights
has not improved the aids to navi-
cation, it has spoiled one of the en-
emy's favorite pastimes.
Twenty hours before we entered
this base, at IL o'clock the preceding
night, some American vessels had
been sunk just outside it's harbor.
This was one of the first things we
heard on arrival, and it was with
some elation that we swung into our
anchorage with the convoy of six
we had in our charge. There were
fifteen ships in the convoy attacked.
The submarine had come awash in
its very centre and had launched
its torpedoes in rapid succession
with telling effect.
At this base also we heard tho
army gossip of the fervid reception
accorded our troops as they first
landed in France and of that en-
ergy which has characterized our
forces in the field. There we found
American efficiency on the seas had
cut the submarine victims down to
comparatively few.
New-York tribune., 1918-05-19
THE FIGHTING FREIGHTER
Spies Help Kai-
ser's Men and
M a ke Lif e
Doubly Dan
gerOus

bounded along with the coming
tower bobbing in and out of view.
Every time it showed above the
waves a she'll came whizzing past it,
until finally some one within hoisted
white shirt in token of surrender
and the crew came from her matches
with raised hands. Her seams had
been opened by the charges and she
began to settle before the torpedo
boat could range alongside.
The men had just time to get to
the deck of the destroyer before she
sank. One, unable to swim because
Of wounds sustained in the shock.
was rescued by two American sail
ors. who jumped overheard after
him, a marked contrast to the treat
laent accorded the submarine VIC
TINS. He landed safely, but died
shortly after. We passed the de-
stroyer with her prisoners aboard
as we steamed out, but it was not
until later that we knew the imni-
nence of our danger.
Had Been Ordered
To Blow Up Convoy
Kapitan Lieutenant Gustave Am
berger, in command of this U-boat.
stated he had been ordered to attack
our convoy and had lain off the
harbor two days waiting for his
quarry. He had obeyed his instruc-
tions, but had lost his ship in so
doing. 1t was stated we were des-
tined to be his particular prize.
In any event, it was comforting
to US to know that the submarine
was lying on the bottom of the har-
bor and her officers and crew were
in detention camp.
There is sometimes a narrow
margin between safety and peril.
Once our departure from a Eu-
ropean base was delayed half hour
by what appeared an annoying cir
cumstance at the time. But in that
brief time trawler had taken sew
eral mines which had been laid di-
rectly in our path, in the main
channel. The discovery of these
mines was made just about the time
we got underway, and one squarely
in the channel was removed as we
slowly approached the spot. The
other five mines, laid by the coast
ing submarine, were by that time To-
Gated and the trawler was able to
signal a course and direction cna-
bling us to avoid the hidden menace.
On another occasion channel was
mined the night Of the day we left
the base, and such a quantity sown
that the base was declared closed
for several days until the explosives
could be removed from their posi-
tion.
Like the shuttle Of the loom, the
navy supply ship must maintain her
schedule across the seas lest the
thread of communication with the
mighty western base be broken; a
blur of darkness as we steam by
night with all lights extinguished,
and under forced draft by day, we
weave into the fabric of strife the
woof of essential material.
New-York tribune., 1918-05-19

have long sneered at as "parlor radi-
GALS" Eugene V. Debs they call a
"bourgeois." What the Wobblies want
from the Socialists is money for their
defence fund.
Agents Of the organization are seek
ing funds also from the members of the
American Federation Of Labor, whom
they know as Scissors BILL" on the
ground that if the I. W. W. leaders are
sent to Jail it will be blow against all
labor.
But whether you call the I. W. W..
lion or lamb, elephant or gazelle, the
United States government knows very
clearly what it is seeking to convict
the animal of. Here is Mr.. Nebekers
summary Of their alleged crimes as
presented to the jury:
Indictment
Of. w. W.
at will appear from the evidence
that under various pretences and in
different disguises the defendants have
planned numerous methods Of oppos-
ing the war. Sometimes they called
themselves conscientious objectors': at
other times they called themselves
rebels who, If fight they must, would
fight only under the red flag of
treason; at other times they threat
ened, if forced to enter the army or
navy, to practise sabotage in the army
or to lay down their arms in the pres
ence Of the enemy; or, if necessary,
they would tie up the industries of the
country and thus prevent Uncle Sam
from getting lumber for ships or air
planes. copper, lead and other metals
and minerals for munitions, coal for
the factories, food for the soldiers.
At times, they were bold in their
treason; at other times they dissem-
mated sedition clandestineiy by sug-
gestive phrases and innuendo in let
ters. papers and pamphlets.
"Ths evidence will further show that
while these defendants have been en-
joyine the privileges and blessings Of
New-York tribune., 1918-05-19

means, it is believed, have all the
victims of such attacks been found,
and many tragedy has doubtless
been enacted of which the world will
never know, for the oceans sweep
is wide and tiny boat small OBJ
ject on its great expanse.
But the American destroyer fio-
tilla has done even more than save
the lives of the victims of the
U-boats. Due to their prowess
largely, we heard that the subs had
been cleaned out Of several localities,
while in many others the enemy
craft had been forced to change
their sphere Of operation. The
U-boats had been reduced in number
at the rate of nine a month. We
were to learn Of this prowess later
in spectacular manner.
New-York tribune., 1918-05-19
End ofCalls
Told of Ship S End

And as if further to stimulate
that strain of concentration on the
heaving seas, there came at striking
intervals the call Of the ship to
!, the northward telling the progress
Of her battle. Swept by shrapnel,
she was still fighting. Once there
was hasty response, the curt COM
nand to keep it up and the rejoinder
tnat help was coming. We waited
with bated interest for some fur
ther message of her plight, but as
the hours passed asd her radio calls
ceased we realized that another
tragedy had been enacted almost in
our path.
1t was nearing morning when
with strident call the lookout in the
foretop sang out Light ho," We
knew that contact had been made
with land at last. But hardly had
sense OF security swept over the
ship. when signals flashed from dead
ahead to turn sharply south, as we
New-York tribune., 1918-05-19
Took Two Years
OFF Commander s Life

With our identity disguised in a
veritable cubist dream of vari-col-
ored paint, we sailed in convoy
formation to the danger zone,"
where we separated to approach our
port, Base No. -, alluded to
vaguely by the censors as "Somc-
where in France" A heavy mist
aided US in the last hours of our
journey as far as the enemy activity
was concerned, but took two years
off the life of our executive officer
and navigator.
1t was at this base that the lights,
warnings of shore dangers, had been
dlmmed and their characteristics
changed to prevent the U-boats from
using them as means Of night at
New-York tribune., 1918-05-19

gray of early dawn when we
steamed out of the harbor to ioin
the merchant convoy we We're ia
accompany. A heavy fog narrowed
visibility to few hundred wards
distant. But as we left the land
locked waters and met the ground
swell of the ocean the mist dis
persed, and before US lay the long
lines of ships, merchant armada,
headed eastward to replenish the
empty storehouses of our war
pinched Allies. Amid the hysteric
waving of signal flags we took our
position
Like that on many ships hastily
put into commission to meet the
emergency of war, our crew was
largely made up of absolutely green
men, gathered from the reserve or
carnations or recruited to meet
the imperative demand.
To mould this force into a COM
pact fighting unit, to harden it for
the strenuous work ahead, was in
itself task Of no small moment.
Its accomplishment is tribute to
the Bridges officers and to the loy-
atty and patriotism of her crew.
A supply ship must be not only a
fighting unit, but cargo ship as
we'll. Armed for defensive war
fare, its organization must be pro-
ficient equally in repelling attack
and in handling the vast stores
which keep the offensive forces in
motion.
Her destinations are all the bases
established for operations against
the enemy, and the avenues to these
bases are the most diligently
watched by the enemy patrols.
New-York tribune., 1918-05-19
OUR ARMY'S LIFELINE aEfz8a[ THE, F1(
u. S. Supply Ships Run U-Boat
Blockade While Wireless Tells
of Disaster on All Sides and
Mine Fields Add to Dangers.
By transport"

I'VE HAD made a dramatic
w landfall with our shipload
Of supplies for the Ameri-
ran army in France.
Out of the moonlit night, some
sfty miles to the northward, had
come the persistent S 0 S of a
s,ean,er attacked by shell fire from
submarine. South and to the
eastward there literally poured re-
oorts OF the activities of the under
seas craft and the radio informa-
ton that another vessel had been
,arpedoed to her ocean grave.
We were in the midst of the
danger zone-that area marked by
the German Admiralty as open
ground for attack on all vessels
and with full knowledge that every
Fritz captain had our number and
was on the lookout. Throughout
that trying night all hands aboard
had been keyed to the topnotch of
expectancy. And as each watch
vas relieved gun crews and lookouts
vent,. exhausted, to the few hours
rest which interviewed, and refreshed
themselves for renewed endeavor.
There was one watch, however,
that knew no rest. 1t was on the
bridge, where our captain and navi-
eating officer kept ceaseless vigil.
In the pale glare, the tall and
sinewy form of our commanding
officer was distinctly discernible,
omnipresent at his post of duty,
while the shorter, muffled, restless
" pacing black figure was the navi-
gator, in whose care the safe pilot
ing of the ship is vested.
On either side of us there came
and vanished the slender outlines of
our two escort destroyers, alert,
graceful, knifelike, sweeping in and
out Of the field of vision in their cir
cuitous vigilant patrol. Less than a
hundred miles away was our port of
destination. But that last stretch
Of sea was through the mine fields
and the principal hunting grounds
Of the noXiouS enemy craft. Moon
lit nights had become his greatest
ally.
New-York tribune., 1918-05-19
Sailings Known
By German Spies

Our crew, bending to it's task.
made swift work of unloading cargo.
In a week several thousand tons of
foodstuffs and ammunition were dis
charged. Throughout this visit were
persistent stories of the working of
the German spy system. Not ship
left this base but that her sailing
was known to the submarines and
even the identity Of her officers.
1t was on our second departure
from this base that we encountered
one of the most sensational incidents
of our cruising
We sailed at o'clock in the af-
ternoon. Thirty eight minutes later
an American destroyer, sent out to
patrol the harbor in anticipation of
our convoy movement, saw the
Feather" wake of an underseas
ship. Swinging sharply on it's path,
she dropped two "ashcans" Just
ahead of the tiny line of froth.
The conclusion blew off the rud
der of the U-boat, tipped up it's
stern, wrecked half Of it's machinery
and sent it careening downward
in a headon dive. To prevent it
being crushed by the deep sea press
ure all the water ballast tanks
were blown out. This sent it back
to the surface with the same energy
1T had gone bottomward, and it
New-York tribune., 1918-05-19
Many Green Men
Aboard Ship

The Bridge left an American port
on October last for her first run
to European waters. 1t was in the
New-York tribune., 1918-05-19

is more dangerous to government than
open propaganda, when the time comes
for an explosion.
New-York tribune., 1918-05-19

WE HAD made dramatic had in mine field own
ad& win our shpoad on bearings of that CHEEKY
supplies for the Amer- submarine the dav before ~
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-11
FUND INSTRUCTED
ssAs VA s n G

In the matter of escheated Sank de-
posts. Roswell Page. second auditor.
has determined upon the following
assignments, and the department of
Education has been instructed to issue
warrants Upon the literary fund As
follows:
]. Thompson Brown. Adm. AIRING
ton, Va. ss5,2l: j. HerbTt Mercer.
ADM. care J. J. Leake. Attorney.
City. s357.13: Mrs. A. Gordon TAFT
and Sophia Ewing Easter McNutt.
heirs and distributes of T. A. Rruls,
-e3e tirosvenor avenue. West Montreal.
Montreal. Canada, $685.: r. w. Lark.
nendron. Va, $7.44: Kate L. West
700 North Twenty seventh street, city.
s2a. SIS; estate Of DIR. j. b Radford,
care Mrs. Elizabeth c. Adams, White
thorne, Va, sf2: estate of c. c. Wager.
care Mrs. Robert G. Fife. Buffalo, w.
Va. ss5s4 Fl. c. Rucker. attorney.
Buena Vista. $50 as; r. w. Fuaua,
Adm, w A. Durrum, Prospect, seS2a;
Mrs J. r. Francis, agent for I'd
Francis. 33s West Freemason street.
Norfolk. s15.e2: c. NJ. Speese Adm.
+. L. Terry. Roanoke, $20.21; Mrs.
Ialea Goodwin, Ex NJ r Goodwin.
4l5 Finley avenue, Montgomery, Ala.
ss1.4s; r. Rand Wexford. attorney
for estate of r. wassmer. Richmond,
.sf4.s3, Mary Henry Broaddus. dis
trihutee sassigree. 7l2 East Clay
street. Richmond, 1851. H. S. An
derson. Adm. Ashland, Va. SIS. Total,
S1.o3t96.
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-11
II. c. BOYk|N TO HEAD
REQ CROSS ROLL CALL
Personnel OF Committee Includes
Governor Davis and Mayor
Ainslie-Stage Is Set.

The Red Cross Christmas roll call.
or membership campaign. which be-
gins next Monday and lasts for one
week. will be In charge of III. G. Boy
kim. director of the Richmond Red
Cross chapter. SHe will be assisted In
conducting the drive by the roll call
executive committee.
The members IF this committee
were announced last night as follows
lanes Is. Pace Or. Russell Cecil, De
Soto FitzGerald. 10 Lane. Stern, Cole
man Workman. Governor Westmore-
land Davis, Mayor George Ainslie, j.
Taylor Ellyson. Bishop Robert A Glib
son. Bishop y. J. O'Connell and Rabbi
L, y. Calisch.
A house-to- house canvass for mem
hers will be made this year, for the
first time in any Red Cross campaign,
and Mrs. G.. r. w. Kern. OF the wom-
ans auxiliary of the war camp com
munity service. will head the COM
mittee in charge OF the canvass. Plans
have been made to conduct the can
Sass in a systematic manner, with
the city divided into districts and sec
tions. There will be sufficient num-
Der of teams of solicitors engaged in
the work to make It certain that every
house In Rich9 Dnd will ~ visited be-
fore the campaign closes.
Alvin NJ. Smith has been named a.
head of the committee which will con
duct an active canvass for members
among shops. mills and factories. EN-
pfoyes will be afforded an opportunity
to enroll in the Red Cross army for
1919 at noon-day meetings. which
will be conducted at all OF the -ge
manufacturing plants and at other
times
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-11
SALVATION ARMY KETTLES
APPEAR ON STREET TO-DAY

Stories from France brought - the
men returned from overseas tel of
the splendid work of the Salvalipu
ARMY, its members careless OF dan.
ger, giving freely to the men as they
come from the trenches after long,
weary days. One OF the men from
the hospital st Westharapton whom
asked how the Salvation Army treat
ed the soldiers exclaimed: They are
angels. / have seer with my ow n
eyes group OF the women cookin z
free food for us with the shells whizz-
Ing over their heads"
The Salvation Army Christmas
Kettles viii be placed on the streets
today. The money placed II them
by pa@scrshv will go toward making
Christmas a happy time for the poor
families and children in the city.
There will be a free entertainment for
the poor children at Christmas In the
high school building after which toys
and food will be given them. Baskets
Of food viii be given their mothers
The Salvation Army is working at
home as faithfully as overseas
The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-12-11
BALL FOR WOUNDED
At GRAi'S ARMORY

Nrs Robert r. Hudson and Nise
Louie Hilhiser. as chairman and
v,ce-chairrnan respectively. have
charge of arrangements for the big
benefit ball to be given in tho Grnys
armory. at Seventh and Marsflall
streets, tomorrow night to provide
"smokes'' and other good th'ru for
the wounded soldiers convalencang at
Westhampton oaso hospital Music
will be furnished by '.jazx" band
Among the features provided are Z
dance, refreshments and several wan
devflle acts TO be furnished by Man.
aser Charles Rex. Of the Lyric the
atre. The ball promises to ~ one OF
the most pretentious ever held IN this
city.
John Frirschberv. state labor corzs-
missioner, is chair man Of tho commit
tee on arran -ements. Among the pa
tronesses are a number Of Richmond's
most prominent society women.
AS many OF the wounded soldieru 1t
Westh am uton AZ are able to attend
will be on hand. Admission and
everything will be free to them.
Eight hundred MANNED and disabled
soldiers from overseas are duartered
at Westham pton. and It liz to furnish
them with tobacco and other 'treAts~
that tomorrow nights ball In to b
given. The dance LIS scheduled - D.
gin at o'clock f%