Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-12-03
INTO OCEANS ARMS.
['he New Cruiser New York Launch ed ct
 Philadelphia Yesterday.


 Philadelphia Yesterday.
 PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 3-Tho Unite1 States armored crui ser New York was laa1n ched yesterday afternoon from the yard of the Cramp Ship Building Com papy, in the prese nee of 15, 900 people. The Vice-President and Mrs. Morton, and Secretaries Tracy and NuAlo were on the Washington train, and among those who came over with them were Senator Gray of Delaware and Mrs. Gray, Senator Higgins of Delaware, and many others.
 As the visitors entered the yards the great red and white hull of the New York stood directly in front of them. Ranged in a row beside it were the other vessels of the new navy, which the Cramps have under construction. There WAS much hustle and confusion through out the yard, and especially about the hull, where fully 800 mon were at work. On the platform at the ships bow an alter had been constructed. It was de- corated with bunting. Within it's horse shoe rail Miss Helen Page, of New Y ork, was to stand to break the customary bottle of champagne over the bow at the moment that the vessel started on its first voyage.
 When the hour of two o'clock arrived the workmen under the hulls began to
 
 served as props at the vessels sides.
 Among the christening party gather ed on the platform was Harry w. Cramp, who was in personal charge Of the arrangements. In his pos session was the bottle of champagne which Miss Page was to break over the New York's bow. It reposed in am-colored case. Around it had been woven an exquisite net work of gold cord from which hung cream colored ribbons fastened by a tassel of gold. From the neck of the bottle hung three streamers. One of them of pure white had the name of the New York printed on it in letters of gold. The others were blue, with narrow border strips of red and white On one of them was printed Miss Page's name, on the other the date of the ceremony. During all this time the noise had been almost deafening The incessant pounding, the chatter of falling timbers 1 and the shouts of the workmen had filled 1 the air.
 The foreman gave last look up and l down the line of workmen under the ! hull. The work seemed omplete. He i looked up for the signal. MT. Cramp | nodded. The next minute the big saws i began to move backward and forward, cutting narrow paths through the tim bers. The noise of the saws sounded :, clear and distinct through the breath l less stiffness.
 Miss Page stood with the bottle up lifted, almost touching the steel A | third quick mo vement came, fast on it's heels a fourth nd fifth and then sud denly the huge hull started on itE voyage to the river. Suddenly, but n ot too suddenly for the christenin g party
 ''Now,' said MT. Cramp in a whisper and responding to the signal Miss Pag. broke the bottle of wine against the fast receding prow and in a clear distinct tone said: ''I christen thee New York. '' AS her keel struck the water the shrill whistle of tug boat rent the air A hundred others answered it in every tone of the scale while from engines on the coal trestles of the Reading Railroad beyond came a discordant, deafenin& answer.
 Faster and faster moved the grea hull, until to the accompaniment Of tn shrll whistling chorus and the wavin! of thousand hats and handkerchiefs, i glded in to the water. As the hull en , tered the water the current caught i and turned it almost broadside on t the shore. There was rattle of chain and splash on each side of the bow The big black anchors had been dropped had caught on the riverbed, and befor the ship had begun to feel her freedom she was once more a prisoner, floatin idly and cumbrously on the tide.