The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-03-17
THE Ell SUD LAUNCHED.
cREAr D4r ron NEWPORT NEWS.
,,.,y prominent People from Richmond
and Northern cities Saw tho Great
vessel Plunge Into the Water.

The most important event in the history Of
N.woor News was the launching Of the
,,erchantman Fl Sud. built 10y the New
'.-t News Ship Building and Dry-Dock Com
,,any. which took place Yesterday. The event
Ia been heralded by the daily press all over
ne country FOR weeks past. and the fact that
,ts biggest steamer over built on American
,.,ros was 70 be set aiioat attracted the curl
,.., of all interested in ship building and a
,,ol many hundreds Of people besides Had
!. rot been for the fact tia, the day was very
i-.'eaent and that binding snow storm had
,-e,aied during the previous day IN all tho
s,-thorn points from where the influx OF peo-
re wa, expected the attendance would have
hscn much larger. As IL was, about 5000
rs.n'e witnessed the greatest day in the
nautical history OF Virginia.
SrFcIAL TRAIN.
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad Com
many bad scheduled a special train 70 accom-
m .ato those who were anxious 70 see the
Great event from this city aud from stations
below Richmond
Besides there was a car reserved for the
members Of the Corn Exchange. who had
f.rro1 ont IN great numbers. another car was
Company. he party was IN charge of Mr.. j..
" Hopkins. coal and fuel agent OF the COM
psny. and comprised the following gentle
men MAJOR Phil. Wexford. Treasurer i. q.
Barbour Surgeon G. W. +. Brock, General
Counsel II. II. Wickham. Assistant Superin-
ieulent G. G. Walker. Division Passenger
AGENT John u. Potts Travelling Passenger
Agent j. C. Dame, Assistant Counsel Ii. lay
lo. OF the Chesapeake and Ohio, President
M r. Iricg Of the Richmond Locomotive
ard Machine Works. President Arthur B:
clarke of tho Old Dominion Iron and Nail
Works. Major c. ID. langhorne, Major ID.
seldom Dr. Charles Brock. Jr.. Major y. New
ioa and Colonel G.. OBJ. COwardin.
Ou theway quite number OF passengers
were picked MP and IN Williamsburg q large
delegation Of students of William and Mary
College joined the excursionists.
Al NEWPORT NEWS.
The train reached Newport News on
srhodule time. and was az once taken 10 the
sh.pyard where the passengers alighted at
ns0A. NJ A fine but steady RAIN and snow
was pouring down 40 the time. but the crowd
did not heed 10. Everybody was patiently
waiting for tie great event. 4 platform had
been erected on the let Of the dock.
which harbored the I'll Sud. There was
do spare room on the right. for the
sister ship III N0rre IS laying there on her
keel 20 be gotten ready for a launch that IS
o. take place M about six weeks Several
hundred people went on board of the FL Sud
t0partcipate in the first dip in the wet ele-
ment Those who could not find room on the
platform secured positions on the timber
piled up IN the ship-yard. and al had fine
view Of the launching.
IHR IL SUD.
The steamer FL Sud Is an iron freight
vessel u 400 tons register. and $50 feet
length between stem and aiterside of prOpel-
ler post her breadth of beam Is As feet and
her depth from top of keel 10 top of upper
deck beams OF lowest part of sheer 33 feet 9
inches her length over all Is 406 feet. The
vessel has three decks and a partial orlop
deck at fore end Of forehold. On the awning
deck are iron houses. She will be rugged
with four iron pole masts and the necessary
b0Cms for handling cargo, together with
steam hosting engines located 40 the differ
ent patches to work in connection
with them. Freight matches and
ports are located so as to handle
cargo expeditiously The vessel IS % be
steered bv steam from the forward pilot
house OF by screw hand gear from the after
house. steam wlndlass and steam capstans
Gre provided for handling anchors. hawsers,
etc. rs we'll rs u steel rope. with drum aft. for
towing. The III Sud Will be propelled by
vertical trpie-expansiOn engine with three
trauks placed at angles Of 40 degrees. The
CYLINDERS are %. ~ and - inches diameter by
"a iurfes stroke OF piston. working under l67
pounds of steam. which will be generated IN
three l0uble-ended cylindrical steam boilers,
With three corrugated furnaces at each end.
There Will he two lre-rOOms and one smoke
stack.
TIKI LAUNCHING.
When the Richmond train arrived at the
slip-gard. q large force of workingmen was
busy !n adjusting the packing 10 the Keel Of
tie bug sh.p on both sides and soon after the
double row Of stays was removed one by one.
AtlLll o'clock the ways were cleared and
everything was ready for the launching. Miss
Edith Armstrong of Hampton Normal and
Agricultural Institute. daughter of General 5.
j. Armstrong. the president of that
institution. slowly assembled the steps
oi fLe little platform erected lmme-
da.e.y back OF the bow OF the FL Sud At
gwen gn the Jack at the end of the ship
way was set in motion Miss Edith Arm
strong broke Jug OF water over the bow of
tle vessel and the ID Sud maiestlcally
g.leI into tie water stern first, amid the
shouting of the multitude and the thunder
ll- 0i guns from the vessels mOOred III the
vicinity. ltwas beautiful sight when the
~ sud left her stays and surpassed every
tang 10 the line OF shlp-aunchlng ever done
90 tins country Ii aid not take quite
minute from the time the big ship was start
e. until She quietly fioated 10 the river
tllr On five powerful tug-OOats were in wait
il. % take charge of tie newly baptized
uelchautman and few minutes later the
vessel was safely tied 10 the pier The in
v,ed guests az once repaired 10 the Office
building of the Newport News Ship
Building and Dry-DOck Company. where a re-
ceUu.u was held. Mr. G. u. Huntington. who
tle lie and lnasier-spirit Of tie great en-
iprse and who had reached Newport News
OH tle previous day received Quite an ovation
lu hs party We're Mrs G.. T. Huntington. Mr.
end Mrs. A. Nj. Huntington. Mr. and Mrs
l-,s Miss Carrie Campbell. Miss Carrie D.
huntington. Mrs. Schwerin. Mr. NJ. Hill
laa.e. of New Brun- wick. n. f.. MIR. r.. H.
l.rlee. Of New York Mr.. T.. Hawiey. g.
s,4ut general traffic manager southern Pa
cta Company. Mr.. HUNTINGTON and party
w. to-day leave via Cincinnati. Louisville
sll New Orleans for California.
Ike Norfolk navy yard was represented by
C. mander r. T.. Leary. L. 5 n. represent
.i.. C0mmOdore " eaveT. Naval Construct f.
q bowles. Surgeon George +. Winsiow. n
tg. IA T. Jones Assistant Naval COnstruc-
Or W. j. Baxter. The Newport News Ship
building and Dry-Dock Company was repre-
ssltei by President G. b. OrcOtt. \ice-Presi-
dent $. f. Gates and Mr.. H. NJ HOyt, of tic
board II direct r.: Mr.. Horace See, consult
nge1giueer. large delegation from Wash
n-tou was also present headed by Con-
OCCASIONAL committee. Among them were
Senator's Dolph. Sawyer. B0uteile. Frye. Rep
Nl. AE