Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 205, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 August 1913 — Page 3

UNCLE SAM'S SCHOOL FOR SEAMEN

UNCLE SAM. is a schoolmaster of the old typo. He neither spares the rod nor spoils the child. He has many pupils, those who enter his service in the government departments and the army and the navy. His course of training in the navy is rather severe, for he requires every man who enlists for service under the Stars and Stripes on sea to become a skilled artisan. Probably the most interests ing of all of Uncle Sam’s trade schools Is the school for seaman gunners, at the navy yard in Washington. It is here that the men who aim and fire the great guns learn their principle and mechanism so thoroughly that the efficiency of the (United States navy is unequaled by any navy in the world. There are more than 125 men in the seaman gunners’ class at the present time, enrolled for six months of the hardest kind of study in the shops and in the classroom. Every one of these mesa is picked, and in the service it-is considered a great honor to be chosen to join the class. Only men who have been in the service four years are eligible, and then only when their conduct and service record are exceptionally good. Graduates of the school are the backbone of the navy. Here the men are taught the only really distinctive naval trade, and it is hero that the men who load, train and fire the immense guns are made. Requires Much Btudy. ' They learn the making of the large and small guns. They lean! by practical experience how to take them down and assemble them again. The breech mechanrem, everything to do with the practical part of ordnance, the manufacture of Bhells, fuses and powder and torpedoes all require thorough and extensive study. , The work Is equally divided between the naval gun factory shops and the classroom, where they have instruction at the hands of skilled ordnance experts and special instructors. In addition to the ordnance they are required to become proficient in the science of metallography and skilled in the manufacture and principle of the storage battery. Work on the big guns start from the raw casting. This huge, 75-ton cylinder of steel is bpred out, trimmed and grooved. The casing, another huge cylinder of steel, is bored out, heated white hot and shrunk onto the grooved lining. The. manufacture of this part of the monster 14-inch rifles takes about four weeks. ! Then the gunnery force enters the forge and hammer shops, where they remain for two weeks. After this the class is divided into small squads, some of them going into the blacksmith shop, others to the machinists’ bench, the carpenter shop, the tinsmith, the coppersmith and the plumber for instruction; Each man must hammer and turn out from raw metal every piece of steel which goes Into the complicated breech block mechanism and the firing devices. Projectiles and smokeless powder also get a great deal of attention, this last phase of the work taking the school to Indian Head, Md., for several weeks’ work. ' When these men graduate and leave Washington for the various ships of the Atlantic fleet to thdm falls the duty of keeping in repair every portion of the ship's armament. If during battle practice a spring or bit of mechanism breaks, these seaman gunners must enter the ship’s machine shop and forge or turn out a new piece. The gunner is in absolute command of his gun. He.haß under him an assistant. in the big dreadnaughts of today, there are six turrets, with two guns to each turret. Each turret is supplied with ammunition for two magazines. Also there is a gunner in charge of the magazines. Besides these, there are smaller five-inch rifles, six and one-pounders located on various portions of the ship. To these smaller guns the recently graduated class is always sent In time they are promoted and placed in charge of a big gun or even a whole turret. Sevei'e With Btudents. Uncle Sam is exceedingly severe with his students. They must turn out promptly at 6 o'clock in the mornigg, roll up their hammocks, sweep out their quarters and be washed, shaved and cleanly clothed for breakfast at 7 o'clock. At 8 o’clock they enter the shops of- the naval gun fae-

tory for their various duties. At 11:30 o’clock the students “knock off” for lunch, but promptly at 1 o’clock they are again' in the shops or in the lecture room hard at work. At 4:30 an hour’s drill under arms Is held. This takes place on the drill ground of the'navy yard and keeps the men for three-quarters of an hour. At 5 o’clock comes the event of the day, dinner. Dinner to the seaman gunner’s class is always something to look forward to. The menu is large and the food, although simple, is the best that money can buy. The class has a caterer who makes it his business to see that the same dishes are not served too often and that the food is of the best quality. From dinner until 10:30 o’clock the men are at leisure to come and go as they please. They may “go ashore" or visit friends in Washington, or they may remain in quarters., and study their lesSons for the next day. The men are allowed to. use ciyiliar clothes. For the most part, the students restrict their liberties to not more tbhn two nights a week and all day Sunday. It is so great an honor to be sent to the school and the advancement, after graduating, is so rapid that none of the lucky oneß care to risk their chances/of being dismissed and returned to the service under their old rank. Then, as many written problems are required, and several oral recitations occur each week, they burn a great deal of midnight oil. A visitor to the navy ward any night except Saturday will find forty or fifty clean-cut young men working out ordnance problems, studying from a dozen text books, and quizzing each other on the questions that the officerinstructor iB sure to ask them the next day. Josephus Daniels, secretary of the navy, is particularly fond of the seaman gunners’ class. To Tils mind, the rushing dreadnought and the crash of mighty guns are not all that go to make up a perfect naval service. He believes that a four-year course in the navy should be equal to « four-year course in the best vocational school in the country. As far as tbs seaman gunners’ class is' concerned, they get an excellent vocational training in just six months. A graduate of this wonderful school can take raw metal and turn out the most complicated steel mechanism; turn sheet copper into symmetrical pipe and ducts; make and charge a storage battery; wire a turret for electricity; make a set of plans for about anything, and make and use smokeless powder.

Plant Grows Under Snow.

The Alpine flower called the sol danella, produces heat sufficient so that it grows even under a consider able' covering of snow. If the snow is not too deep the plant sends its stem up through the snow, which ia melted, by the heat If the snow ia deeper the heat melts a little hollow chamber out about the plant, thus giving it room to expand and blossom. It has been found that some of the plants of the arum family, which are common in the Mediterranean region, develop a temperature of as high as 100 degrees when their buds are opening. To a less degree probably all plants furnish their own heat under certain conditions, but ordinarily vegetation, being by nature adapted to its surroundings, gets the heat it needs fro pi the soil, air and sun. Animals are of a higher order than plants partly because they are more Independent 9f their surroundings.—r The Pathfinder.

Ducks an Important Food Supply.

Concerning certain features of Eskimo life (along the north coast of Alaska, the account written by Yllhjalmar Stefrfnsson says: “In the spring and summer ducks and geese, especially the former, are an Important item of diet. They are pursued in kayaks when molting and killed with clubs, and large numbers of them are also secured by bolas throwing, for the migrant route of the ducks along the coast Is so definitely known that a man can stand all day and rely on it that three out of every four ducks will fly within throwing distance. So thickly do the birds come that nowadays a competent man with a shotgun has been known to secure as many as 600 ducks In a day."

*HE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RENSSELAER, IND.

BRAVERY NOT ALIKE

Girl Puts Lovers to Test; One Afraid of Fire* Other of Water. :

By CLAUDINE SISSON.

“Oh, I had forgotten to tell you.* “My stars —wh-at.” Mr. Allison, the banker, was writing letters in his library when his daughter Maude entered, and finding him busy she curled up in one of the big chairs and was half asleep when he'laid aside fate pen and spoke to her. “There is to be war with Timbucto." “Gracious!” - - * “And every young man in the country over eighteen will have to go.” “That’s awful!" “I was figuring this afternoon on the effect it would have on you.” \ “On me? Why, father, girls don’t go to war!" ' “But their beaux do.” "Oh, you were only teasing!* laughed Maude as her color heightened. * “I figured that you would lose your seventeen young men and have to substitute bachelors and widowers." “Only sixteen, papa!” . •■■■■-' / “Well, I’m expecting three or four of them here tonight to ask my consent If you don’t wttnt to get mixed up in the row you’d better be (going.” "Stop joking and aßk me where I want to go this summer.” —— “Well?" “To the seashore. They are going to open a new hotel at Rosamond Beach.” “I knew that a fortnight algo, and our arrangements are all made.” “You dear, good man!” “Our board will cost us nothing. I jet $2 per week apiece for the young men who will follow you up there. Twice 16 is 32 and there you are.” Miss Maude Allison didn’t have 16 beaux. She didn’t have half that number. There were only five who called, and three of them made their calls as formal as if visiting an orphan asylum. The race lay between Walter Davis and Hugh Lee. That is, they imagined It did. Just what Miss Maude imagined was a different thing. Neither young man could complain that she showed die other any preference. The father might have had one, but he was not mixing in. There are plenty of men, young and sld, who have been in doubt for a time as to which of two girls or widows to make their wife. The agricultural department, at Washington haa statistics showing that men have courted no leas than four women at one and the tame time, and ended by not marrying any one of them. Therefore, it would aot.be fair to charge Miss Maude with being flirtatious. Sixteen young l men did not appear at Rosamond Beach the next day after the Allisons were installed. Fourteen could not get away but two could and did. Of course, they were Walter Davis and Hugh Lee. Of course, they were greatly surprised to meet each other at the depot. Of course, they did not refer to this Allisons. Of course, each one was going up for a day or two to see what the new hotel looked like. Their respective starts of surprise at Beeing Miss Maude on the verandi* would have insured them Salaries of sl6 per in the old days of the dime museums. Miss Maude also gave a start of surprise. She explained that she had no more thought of seeing them up there than she had of meeting the man in the moon. How on earth did they know where to come? She was glad to see them, of course, very, very glad, (their hearts bounded) but why hadn’t they thought to bring Billy Sims and Kyle Harris? (Their hearts shrank like cabbage leaves in- an August day.) Maude’s father caught her words and smiled. She wasn’t giving * her hand away very much. One afternoon after three or four days had passed, the talk among six or eight people on the veranda in a group turned on bravery. Of course it was man’s bravery. No one expects a woman to dash in front of a raging lion to save a crippled child or a decrepit old man. Every one but Miss Maude had had his say, and when she was asked for her opinion she replied: "I may never marry at all, but if I should, and my husband proved to be a coward, I should hate him and leave him!" That was plump from the shoulder, and Messrs. Da via and Lee sat up and took notice. * Each longed for something to happen that he might show his bravery. Would a tidal wave sweep in? . Would a cyclone take the roof off the hotel? Would a mad dog appear on the beach gnd present his throat that he might be choked to death? Qugerly enough, the opportunity was on the way and close at hand. A lighted cigarette thrown down a hall started a blaze, and there was immediate confusion. A score of men dashed in with pails of water, and after a lively fight they got the bettor of thf flames and saved tod hotel Young Walter Davis was one of the foremost, and had a budding mustache singed beyond repair, but where was young Hugh Lee? Mies Maude knew, and happened to be the only one that did- At the first alarm he had turned as white as flour, and while the others crowded forward he had skulked behind. When the excitement was over he had no experience to ( relate. He was keeping very quiet when he caught a look from the girl that told him he was betrayed. It was a cold, contemptuous look that chilled him to the marrow. Thereafter she spoke to him

before people only when necessary, and there were ho more walks. “What’s wrong with Leer asked the banker after a couple of days. “Got a soft com, maybe,” was the laughing answer. “Dont* be too hard on him. I think him a rather nice boy.” “So did I until—until t&e fire the other day.” “What of the flrer “He ran away from it!” "Whew! I thought he was with us.* "He was not. He skulked away at the first shout and hid behind the women! Father, he’s a coward and has lost my respect!” “Um! Um! I want to think this over. You he skulked away, and yet he was in no danger. Rather funny.” —-7^ ——: —' ~~~ Miss Maude wanted to be alone and still not be ehut up in her room. Therefore she watched for a chance to reach the beach unobserved. Half a mile off the sands was a big rock. At low tide it stood up like a house; at high tide the salty water swept its crest. The fishermen had been predicting a gale, and there were signs that it was Bear. There was a boat drawn up on the. beach, and what did the girl who wanted to be alone do but launch it and take the oars for a row? She couldn’t help notice the swell and that the tide was coming in, but she was fair at the oars and strong in the arms and she headed sor t the rock afad reached it. She had been sitting there for a quarter of an hour when she was noticed from the hotel and an alarm given. It was time and past time. The gale broke with a loud rdoan as the tide turned, and five minutes later the white caps were danbing and the spray flying. All the boats except the one she took were in the creek, a mile below, but"had they been at hand there was no one to launch them. "There isn’t a man on the coast who can row against the gale and tide," said the father of the fishers; and the others looked across at the girl and shook their heads. Neither a father’s money nor the tears of a mother would drive them to face the peril. The gale took on new strength, and the oncoming waves drove the halfcrazed people back and when there came a break in the flying spray and driving clouds all eyes went to the rock and there were groans and murmurs. The rock might be swept clear of human life the next view they got "What is it! What is it!" fifty voices demanded as a fisherman ran down into the surf and peered towards the rock under the shajtp of his hand. "It’s a boat, but they’ll never make It!" “Where! Where!" “Don’t look! Don’t see them drown!" Some turned their backs, and some sat down and covered their faces with their hands. Then through foam and spume, and riding a great roller, a boat came driving in and was caught and run high on the beach—Hugh Lee at the steering oar and Maude Allison crouched on the bottom boards. He had brought her back when old fishermen had said that the stoutest skiff and the best oarsman could not live. “You see,” said the father to his weeping daughter that night, “every man’s bravery ie not alike. One may fight a lion and run from the hoot of an owl; he may fight fire and dread water; he may run away in battle and have no fear of robbers. Better take young Le? back into your good graces . and give me a son-in-law." And that’s what she did. (Copyright, 1913, by the McClure Newspaper Syndicate.)

Mysterious Stranger.

“Something mighty queer about a feller that was here last week,” related the landlord of the Turgidtown tavern. “He never kicked about his room, eat with apparent relish what was set before him, didn’t try to flirt with the waitresses, and when I asked him if he was looking for land or seeking health or canvassing for something he politely replied that he wasn’t. He went to bed and got up at reasonable hours, walked sedately about town, bought 10-cent cigars as if he was used to ’em, answered civilly the remarks of practically every.promInenLoittzen In town about toe weather./He stayed three days, and then paid hjs bill without crumbling, bade me a courteous good-by and went away with as little flutter as be bad come. And on account of the consistent manner in which he minded his own business and let other people’s affairs alone there has bfeen a good deal of speculation about him ever since, the consensus of opinion being that he was either a famous detective, some kind of a slick swindler or a crazy man.” —Kansas City Star.

Eligibles In Danger.

W. E. Hosac of the Chicago Dressmakers’ club was condemning the slashed skirt on the sedre of its suggestiveness. Relaxing for a moment from his serious vein, Mr. Hosac said: “Man, poor man, baa it hard enough on his seashore vacation as it is. If the slashed skirt is to be used against him ” “ ‘I was very much astonished,’ said one man to another, ’to hear that Blanc, the rich old bachelor, had married the Widow Starr at Atlantic City. I thought he was only flirting with her.” “‘He thought so, too,* 1 -was the reply. “And this,” said Mr. Hosac, “was in pre-slash days, mind you!"

They Were.

“I thought you said Kelly and Casey were quite calm and collected after the explosion?" “So I did. Kelly was calm and Casey—collected"

AH the world looks dews ea a man who is no such thing. Kn.Wlndov'i Booming Syrup foe CliTMi—teething, aoftena the guma, reduces tlon.ellnye pel wind eoltc^BcnboteteiO A woman is unpopular with her neighbors if she never does anything that they can gossip about.

Parcel Post

"Is a bulldog mailable?" “Yes; but not in this maS. Cats and pigs go In this mail."

As He Took It

Glee Club Man —How do you like that refrain? Unappreciative Friend —The more you refrain the better I like tt.

Summer Clothes.

Mildred Lawson, a pretty American dancing girl, made her debut in London last, month, and the English critics, while admiring her dances, complained a good deal about the scantiness of her costumes. Miss Lawson sent some of these English criticisms to a New York agent toe other day, and in a letter accompanying them she said: “You’ll notice that they kick a lot about my dresses. But what’s the use, say I—what’s the use of making such a fuss about nothing, or almost nothing?" .

ifCHING TERRIBLE ON LIMB R. F. D. No. 8, Clarkfleld. Minn.-; "My trouble was of long standing. It started with some small red and yellow spots about the size of a pin head On thy leg and. every morning there was a dry scale on top covering the affected part and when those scales* were falling off the itching was more than I could stand at times. The first year I did not mind it so much as it was only Itching very badly at times, but the second year it advanced all around my leg and the itching was terrible. I had to be very careful to have my clothing around the affected part very loose. At night time I often happened to scratch the sore in my sleep. Then I had to stand up, get out of bed and walk the floor till the spell was over. '1 bought lots of salves and tried many different kinds of medicine but without any success. I got a cake of Cutlcura Soap and a fifty-cent box of Cuticura Ointment and when I had used them I was nearly over the itching. But I kept on with the Cutlcura Soap for six weeks and the cure was complete." (Signed) 8. O. Gordon, Nov. 20, 1912. Cuticura Soap and Ointment sold throughout the world. Sample of each free,with 32-p. Skin Book. Address postcard “Cuticura, Dept. L, Boston."—Adv.

Insult Added to Injury.

"When I bought this horse from you, you told me he was as bold as a lion, and he shies at a straw." “No; I told yon he waa like a lion. Ain't he a roarer?"

Here’s Walter Johnson can League) one of the speediest pitchers H y M 'I I jgfte him them; but WrSffmf training— m The Successful Uf 111 Jijjjl jgJi Just as Easy! 1 m if 1 Preserving is now a plea*. |||| W. 11l r IA |L_'B ore—-thanks to ParowaxJ Hg ■ I t W vr^Maß Mafod with Paiowut ifi I f v'V- inaenmteiy retain wear !§ ural flavor. And their seal- f|| irlhiP lIS ** “ ** 0111 |H bottle* in meUed Paixmax. Orpowr M! j-faJivvyr ■ '‘‘"rZFiilffftrii. this pure paraffine directly 00 top of Egl *** —a perfect air-tight.monld-proot seal /i g jp paper covers need be used. K; i Sictton of by tandard 03 Compaip^aH

Always Kick.

*Hsd a guest ones,* remarked to 4 landlord of a summer hotel, “who wail satisfied with toe meals, the rooms* the rates, the scenery and toe temperature." * “Then be had no complaint M make?* “Tee, he had. The suaeets were not up to hie expectations.*

What Did She Mean?

He—Something’s preying on myi mind. She —It must be pretty hungry.

Difad Bai MnisAk Hjrlwy SmW •nd Wt* * choice Barer that yam w> (task •erwe com. Iry o»a wrvea lu BK vjK M I —-J»- j: — —— J . ,-jA «t Ti in u tuj siu'i, xxrsa wnn crceucueo mhmi 4HBO wwymteCeaSr’.ViMaia'Wai.ciialtaC , with odm aficec* bread, &t*xb to*rtb«. A*, nagtoapwe, prye puiMbeo with cumt ■ wtta/t* Libby, MCNein ALibby, CUnml DAISY FLY KILLER STSJ S mpwteUMinMa s—*, mwn. «*- ohMp. last* all aaaiaa. Made o« BP-mgmetal, aujtuplllortl* or«ri win not will op Injure anything. “tBBsHHHP All dealers °r*mae aipriaa paid totgjh KAJtOU> Souzas, U» MUlk dia, SMaklja. *. X. The Hot Weather Corsets I U«ld—3ty«a—cJ-TimMuuMi MONEY AND BLESSING* ARE BEFORE YOU tram » minutes doealt. Pamphlets on laqae*. Sett tbamsetres with oar plan. Ton gat yuan frta I). S. UTILITIES Mlfß. CO. "gS!g* AUTOMOBILE BARGAINS talesmen Wanted to BaU Caad Owe. Higher! oecd Bloctrlcoars tablet eMrhentMl Chicago Blactrlo Motw Peg Coipenr, 9700 Michigan Ate. m.