Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-10-31

so seldom enacted, OF late years, tnat IL uas oe-
come novelty to us, namely, the launching OF
larged sized new schooner, from the ship
yard. In olden days, when Alexandra had
her three shipyards at work, and her numer-
GUS vessels, ranging 10 size from the magnln'
cent ship to the small bay schooner, sailing the
seas, bringing to our wharves the products OF
every cline, and carrying in return the grain,
-four and tobacco of the surrounding couotry,
events like that of, this morning were OF COM
mon occurrence and excited no more than pass
iug comment. To day, however, 80 novel Was
the event to most of cur people, and partou-
larly to all of the younger portion, that large
crowd, composed of ladies, gentlemen and chill
dren, gathered 10 and around the shipyard of
the Alexandria Marine Railway Company to
witness the iauoch.
The project of building the schooner was
first preached last February by Captain David
r. Strange, of Taunton, Mass, who, noticing
the superior facilities for ship building here,
offered to take one-half Of the stock 10 the YES
sell, provided the other half was raised by the
Marine Railway Company. The company took
the matter 10 hand, aud on canvassng, soon
obtained the necessary subscriptions and the
vessel was commenced. She is built with an
oak frame, and oak aud pine pla0klng; her fas-
Jennings are of copper aud galvanized iron; her
| length of keel, 140 feet; breadth of beam, 50
feet; depth of hold, II feet. She will have
three masts, and her registered tonnage will be
| 63l 500 tons, although her actual carrying Ca
pacity WILL of course, be about one.thlrd more.
| Her cost, when completed, will be about
| $4,000. She has been pronounced BY all
the sea captains and ship builders who have
seen her to be one Of the finest specimens OF
naval architecture ever built. Hel cabins,
masts, rigging aud other minor matters oil
equipment are yet to be completed, but, when
finished, she will be first class vessel 10 every
respect She has been built under the person.
al supervision of Mr.. w. w. Smith, the Super
iutendeDt Of the yard, aud Of Captain Strange
who will be her commander. The time Exec
for the LAUNCH was eleven clock, but long be-
fore that hour numbers of persons began to as
sembed at the yard, where invited guest
and ladies we're met at The gate by the Re
ceptiou Committee, composed of Messrs
E. 4. DowDham, A. H. Smythe, Henri!
Strauss, Lewis Stein, AID Jus,us Schneider
and escorted to their places. In order to avoit
confusion and overcrowdiDg only those holding
invitations we're admitted within the enclosure
and only part of those who had been furnish
ed with special cards were allowed on board tn.
vessel
The namc of the vessel had been kept pro
found secret, aud much curiosity had beef
manifested by the river men and frequenter
of the yard to ascertain it. Some of the shil
carpenters of waggsh sposition had tacket
upon the vessel the pamo Of Sitting Bull,
but that did not satisfy the curiosity Of the en-
quirers and consequently everybody was oil
the tip toe of expectation, awaiting the momen
when the name should be secret no longer.
The arrangements for preserving order ant
regulating the admission Of people to the re
served space and vessel we're perfect b.
twenty minutes before eleven o'clock, as many
persons as we're deemed safe, were on the decl
of the vessel, and the gangway leading up TO i
was knocked away. Among those 90 decx
were the directors of the ship yard. prominen
merchants, coal shippers aud vessel captains
representatives of the PRESS both OF this city
and Washington, and other invited guests
The hills, wnarves and river banks IN the
neighborbood were all crowded with people
and lhe river vas thronged with boats, trou
the large steamers and three masted schooners
crowded with people, TO The little row boat witt
its single occupant. The steamers Arrow anc
City of Alexandria stopped off their regula
trips aud lsyed to off the ship yard. Th'
Coon Killer" was on the ground and beloved
forth from time to time 10 salute to the new
vessel.
AS the hour of eleven drew nigh everybody
was on the tiptoe OF expectation and hush fel
upon the crowd. When the clock struck clever
the props which sustained the vessel had all beer
rem owed and she rested only on her keel snc
the ways upon which she was built. The saw
ipg through of the pauks upon which she rest
ed was then commenced, and at ! Ills o clock sht
eIided gracefully and smoothly off into the Poto
mac amid the shouts and cheers Of the vas
crowd on deck and on shore, and the roar o
the 'coon killer"
AS the schooner struck the water Park Az
new, esq.,. President OF the Marine Railway
Com psuy, standing on her deck, broke q
bottle OF vine over her bows saying: ut is my
pleasure, as we'll as privilege, to name this yes
sel after our enterprsiDg fellow cltizeo, Robert
Purtner, the founder of the yard; and to wish
her many prosperous voyages under her c,urte
Gus commander, Captain David L. Strange.
AS 5000 as the vessel passed outside of the
channe bauk an anchor was let 60, and she
swung gracefully around with her bow uE
stream. The tugs Katie WISE, Belle Haven
and Keystone Immediately came alongside
bringing large addition to the crowd already
on deck. Numerous small boats also put out
and their occupants Were admitted on board.
After everything bad been made snug, the
guests were invited below, where an elegant
lunch, comprising macy substantas, and
washed down by copious draugbts oil lager beer,
was partaken of. At the request ofthe direc-
tors, Albert Stuart, esq.,, attorney for the com
pany, then addressed tie assemblage. congratu-
l IL - II