USS Prairie (AD-5)
USS ''Prairie'' (AD-5), formerly Morgan Liner SS ''El Sol'', was built in 1890 by William Cramp & Sons, Philadelphia. She was purchased by the United States Navy on 6 April 1898 from the Southern Pacific Company, and commissioned two days later at New York, Commander Charles J. Train in command. History ''Prairie'' was converted into an auxiliary cruiser and assigned at first to the Northern Patrol Squadron and later to the North Atlantic Fleet. During the Spanish–American War, she served in Cuban waters July and August 1898. On 25 August she stranded in dense fog 3 miles east of the Amagansett, New York Life saving Station. The United States Life Saving Service ferried 216 troops to shore. She was pulled off the next day by the tug ''Brittania''. She returned to Fore River, Massachusetts on 28 August. She decommissioned on 15 March 1899 at Philadelphia. ''Prairie'' was placed in reserve commission on 23 March 1899 and cruised with the naval militia off the Atlantic coast ...
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William Cramp & Sons
William Cramp & Sons Shipbuilding Company (also known as William Cramp & Sons Ship & Engine Building Company) of Philadelphia was founded in 1830 by William Cramp, and was the preeminent U.S. iron shipbuilder of the late 19th century. Company history William Cramp was born in Kensington, Philadelphia in 1807. In 1855, his sons Charles Henry (born 1828) and William C., became partners with their father. In 1872, his other sons Samuel H., Jacob C. and Theodore were taken into the firm. The company was incorporated under the name "The William Cramp and Sons' Iron Shipbuilding and Engineering Company." The pilot boat ''Thomas Howard'' was built by the Cramp shipyard in 1870 for the Delaware Bay & River pilots. She was one of the Philadelphia port's fastest pilot boats. In 1890 the company built the battleships USS ''Indiana'' and USS ''Massachusetts'', armored cruiser USS ''New York'', and protected cruiser USS ''Columbia''. Three of these ships took a part in the battle with ...
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