Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1922-03-29
SEA CAREER OF
ST. LOUIS CLOSED
FIRsT-cLAss CRUISER WITH AN
INTERESTING HISTORY rs
OUT OF COMMISSION.
FRUSTRATED A GERMAN PLOT
How Her Crew Prevented the De-
struetiOn Of the Interned ounboat
osier at ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Many
American Troops to Europe.
BY EDWARD 3. CLARK


Washingtun.-pn OF the former
prides OF the United States navy has
iust ended her long career at sea. The
cruiser 81. Louis. until recently Gag-
ship in Turkish waters. has been
placed out of commission at the Phila-
delphia navy yard.
The 81. Louis Is a protected cruiser
OF the nrst-class type. with a displace-
ment 81 1880 tons. A number OF
suns were removed 10 make way for
frunp spaces. but originally the cruis-
ers main battery consisted OF II six
inch 5o-caiiber guns and secondary
battery ~ J S tlree-iuch 5O-caliber guns.
She was NAMED fr the city 81 81.
Louis. She was launched 40 Philn-
delphia on May g. 1905. She was first
commissioned uu August lS. 1896 az
the Philadelphia navy yard. League
island. Pa. with Commander Nathan
iel =. Usher in command
After visiting Brazil. Chile. Peru
snd either porls along the Atlantic
and Pacific coasts SHE arrived at san
Francisco GA September q. 1907. Be
fore tile war with Germany was dee
clared the ~. Louis entered Ga her log
au account ~ Wuriike service in frus-
tratiug a German plot and saving the
vhares and shipping Of Honolulu
from destruction.
On February I. 1917. the German
guubuat Geier. which was interned at
Honolulu lu August. 1914. started fire
lea her boilers aud a column of smoke
was seen rising from her stacks. and
tire actions 81 the crew about the
decks were suspicious.
Ready to Fire on German.
The -. Louis. then 90 the harbor.
cleared Tor action and party showed
on a. board the Geier. Two OF her
officers went aboard and Informed her
German commander that they had
come TO take possession ~ the gun
beat and eXtinguish the blaze for the
protection 81 the water front.
one section Of tie party sent % Sc
cure the magazines found shrapnel
fuses scattered about ammunition
huIsgs Cismumtled and Eood cocks bat
tered into useieSsIess. with sen valves
closed. a fire ~ wund aud oil-soaked
waste had been started under dry
boiler. The decks above AMI woodwork
were abl~zp. and the danger 90 eN-
riufIug the dry boiler made it impus-
slUla Go use wafer in extiuguishing the
FIRE.
The crew 81 the 81. Louis used lines
from bow go stern 20 tlie zunhoat and
waIrrl her across tu another pier,
where She was more accessible 90 the
chemical engines 10 Che fire depart
ueut and Jess menace Go adjacent
shipping. After ga all-lay fight with
.Ee blaze ID was tXtlu-ui~hed without
damage Go other property.
The 81. Louis WAS a-an commits
stoned uu April g. 1917. ANA = hours
after war was declared. ieft her peace
tiln. station af Honolulu for q Pacific
tn-AfIantIr voyage. Artcr passing
through the Panama cana. she visited
Guauianamu. cuba. Co take on board
none fhan 4CU marines and went o.
tile philadelphia navy yard. She
steamed more tiaa 100000 miles dur
me- her two years 90 war service. par
tfrlratiuE lu eight outgoing conveys
. which accompanied transports aud ear
20 ships carrying thousands of troops
ana vast amounts of supplies.
She trained more than 100 men
ANA "a officers for the armed guard
AMI other duty.
New Calendar Is Urged.
Can you tell what month IS
Our months vary from IS 10 81
davs-u Ter cent difference. Yet
tlle same monthly salaries aud rents
are inequitably paid. Monthly bnsi-
ness charges for maintenance. depre-
rlafion. etc. are In that crude way I'M
fairly proportional; camouii.Cing
r,.ufblv pronts a. though each nNnih
was uroductively one-twelfth OF the
vear-a failacy refuted by March OF
this yerr. which has u per cent more
earning power than February when
is only one-thirteenth 81 the year
These are but a few 81 the argu-
mems Of proponents ~ the plan 81
calendar reform embodied In the biu
recently introduced by Representative
srbau OF Minnesota. Numerous other
reasons are presented 10y the adVo-
Gates 10 support the need Tor suhs'-
tuition ~ the present time calendar by
dividing the year into - months OF :
days each.
The Liberty Calendar Association Of
America. which recently held con
vent.on in Washington. Is supporting
IN. liberty calendar h.i'. which wouin
mt the new time schedule INT" el-
feet In lg2S. as aTording STANDARD
time schedule every year when W"U'u
definitely tx Tor all time the dates OF
every DAY ~ the week by the UNIFORM
sS-dsv month division and thus dis
DenSe with the need % yearly eaien-
lars aud end the Inconvenience Of haV-
Ing 10 refer e. these tc establish the
coincidence 81 days and dates.
.Ne,x Year Day" 90 Stand Alone