Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-12-03
sUocEssFuL Ia UNoH.
A Pretty Ceremony at the shipyard o
the jackson a. Sharn Cnmnanx.

$50 Oothaoh ~ lhbNP
The mammoth wooden steamship John
g. Christopher, building by the Jackson d
Sharp Company for the Merchants Trans
portation Company, was successfully
launched yesterday at o'clock, p. m. .She
was christened by Mrs. John G. Chris
TOPPER, who performed the christening
ceremony by breaking bottle of cham
payne over the vessels prov Just as the
latter glided into the Christiana.
A mishap of the launch was the knock
ing overheard of Benjamin Cleaves. 1t
was caused by him being struck by line
tightening.
The vessel was decorated with flags and
about 20 spectators were present. On the
deck of the boat were the following guests:
General Manager and Mrs. Christopher
q. l.. Trobridge, Pierce ]. Smith, W. A.
Hazard Charles g.. Streets and Robert
CHRISTIE OF New York. Captain Crawford
Of Jacksonville, Fla, Colonel James,
Creamer ii. L. Forrest of the Tacony Iron
Works, Andrew Gray and Captain ]. L.
Woodland of Philadelphia, and G. T. Sisco,
Mr.. and Mrs. L. b. Hunting, Miss Lola
Hunting, Mr.. and Mrs. William Irelan
and Miss Stella Hunting of Baltimore.
There were also on the craft number
of Wilmingtonians. After the big ship
Company's wharf delicious luncheon
was served aboard by w. G. Farra.
The vessel is a propeller. Her dimen-
sions are; Length over all, PIG feet: length
on keel, 208 feet; beam, SO feet; depth of
hold la feet. She is built of Delaware
white oak and yellow pine. She has two
decks besides small hurricane deck. The
deck of Oregon pine. The ceiling between
decks is b inches thick and the clamps
are inches. She has 8 and inch frames
of white oak She has all beams (no car
nngsl and feet centres. The lower hold
hanging knees are 9 inches thick, sided,
and those between decks are inches. Her
lower deck waterway is 10xi2 inches. She
also has two intermediate waterways each
SKI inches. Her standing streak is 10xl2
inches and her bilge streaks are 10 inches,
taperlng to inches at the lower deck. She
will be schooner rugged and will have two
masts, each 81 feet high. The masts and spars
Will be of Oregon pine. Her displacement
will be l. 700 tons and she will be capable
OF carrying 1000 tons of freight. She will
have two boilers and triple expansion
engine with cylinders 16, "a and Al inches
in diameter and 30 inches stroke. The
engine room and FIRE room are forward on
the main deck and on each side there are
seven commodious state rooms for the Off
GERS. The engine room is 1Sx14 feet and
the fire room 2ix14 feet. The captains
room and the pilot house are on the hurri-
cane deck. The several state rooms will be
handsomely, fitted up. The crews quarters
are forward under the forecastle. Her
machinery will be put in by Neafie & Levy
of Philadelphia. She will cost about
500, 900 and will be completed the last of
this month.
She is the largest wooden ship ever built
in this State and one of the handsomest
and staunchest vessels of Wilmington man
gfacture; She is named in honor Of John q.
Christopher, the general manager of the
Merchants Transportation Company, and
is the first boat built for that corporation.
The company is new concern and oper-
ates freight line between New York and
Jacksonville, Florida. The vessel will
carry prir cipally fruit and lumber. Cap
tain w. A. Crawford of Jacksonville will
be her commander and her crew will
number p men.