Los Angeles daily herald., 1888-07-20
THE CHARLESTON.
Launch of the New Cruiser at Sam
Francisco,

SAN Francisco, July lever v
avenue leading in the direction of the
ship yards of the Union Iron Works,
presented most animated appearance
this evening. Long before 6 o'clock
hundreds Of pedestrians began to wade
through the dusty thoroughfare in the
outskirts OF the city, all eager to witness
the launching of the new cruiser No. 5,
commonly known as the Charleston, the
first Government vessel ever built on the
Pacific Coast. Vehicles of every descrip-
tion hurried along the streets, and SEEM
ed to be joined together in a continuous
mass. Invitations had been issued Law
ishly, and those who were for rtunate
enough to hold these, crowded into the
shipyard and took positions as near the
vessel as possible. But a far greater
number of people contented themselves
with viewing the launching from the
most available ground outside the yard.
Seven-thirty was the hour set for the
slipping of the vessel from the ways, and
by the time that hour had arrived there
was hardly point within the range of
vision that was not occupied.
EAGER SPECTATORS.
The several hills overlooking the yard
swarmed with people, and thousands
stood upon housetops and on the streets
fronting along the bay, while hundreds
of craft, large and small, and all gaily
decorated, stood out from shore and
formed a half circle around the spot
where the vessel would glide into the
water. At about 7 o'clock the Govern
ment Tug General Mcdowell came down
from the Presidio and Mare Island, hav-
ing on board General Howard and staff
and large number of Army officers, and
Commodore Belknap and large repre-.
sentation from the Navy. They were
accompanied by the First Artillery band.
Officers and band assembled small plat
form constructed around the bow of the
vessel. Governor Waterman, Mayor
Pond, the Board of Supervisors, Foreign
Consuls and Federal and State officials,
generally, with a number Of press repre-
sentatives, occupied a position on the
platform.
THE CRUISER CHRIsTENED.
Very little time was lost in prepara-
tions and the ceremony was brief. The
Artillery Band started sweet strains as
Irvine NJ. Scott, General Manager of the
Union Iron Works gave the signal, and
Miss Alice Scott, his daughter, broke a
bottle of wine over the side of the vessel
and christened the new cruiser CHARLES
ton," and amid the booming of the
cannon, screeching of the whistles and
shouts from thousands of throats, the
vessel glided slowly off the ways and
out into the stream. The noise for
few moments was deafening and could be
heard in the most remote parts of the
city. The great crowds soon realized,
however, that the launch had been sue
cessful in every way and that there was
no more to be seen, and with last greet
ing to the new war vessel as she foated
in the Bay, they turned to make their
way back to the city as rapidly as posi-
BILE.
THE VESSEL AND HER ARMAMENT.
The contract for the cruiser Charleston
was signed December 2s, 1886. The bid
of the Union Iron Works was 81 ,017,-
500. Following are the princi-
pal dimensions of the Charleston !:
Length over all, 800 feet !;
length between perpendiculars, 300; ex-
treme breadth, 46 feet; depth, "a feet !;
main draught, 1879 feet; displacement,
$3.50 tons. She is built entirely
of steel and has twin screws.
The ships armament consists of two
eight-inch breech-loading rifles, mounted
on pivot carriages, fore and aft, having a
train of 230 degrees and an effective
range of about eight miles. Three six
inch guns are mounted on each side
There are also ten six-pound Hotchkiss
guns and four Gattling guns.
Coast Culiings.
Chas. Rich, miner. was killed by a
fall of rock in No. tunnel, Sierra Butte