The sun., 1893-08-13
MAYOR EUSTIS WAS THERE
AND HE MADE THINGS HUM At THE
LAUNCH OF THE MINSEAPOLIS
Hc Pushed the Nnmesnke OF HIS CITY or
the wnys-ttc Gave Sons Points TO ship
builders In One Branch of Their Trade.

PHILADELPHIA. Aug. 12.-Thc launch OF :he
protected cruiser Minneapolis at Cramps ship
yard at 2:3O o'clock this afternoon like all the
launches Mt this yard. was grcnt success. 1t
meant the usual holiday for nearly all that
part OF Philadelphia known as kensington
Tho shipyard closed down. the people flocked
to the scene by the thousands. and the usual
hootings, screenings. salutes with whistles
and cannons followed the breaking Of the
champagne bottle on tho chin Of the vessel as
she began to slide down the ways to the Della
ware River.
To the contractor the launch meant crisis
In engineering: to the average spectator 1t
was q pretty nautical spectacle, for that COM
bination OF graceful vessels glide into tho
water with the l!ut,ering accompaniment OF
scores OF hank crchief- OF beaminC young wo-
men. Is to DO seer only at rare intervals: to the
naval officers. especially those OF the cruiser
New York, now In commission at Cramps
yard. it was an event next t. battle or
big parade. but to Mr. William IL Eustis.
Mayor OF Minneapolis. hustler. ruster, pusher.
shower. it was tho occasion OF lifetime.
Not harder did he rustic Mt the Minneapolis
Convention to nominate Blaine: not swifter
has he ever scurried around MINNEAPOLIS In
his haste to buy up corner lots and put tall
he ever chased around Tor Democratic votes
to help out his own Republican supporters;
dnamer Es se tHroush rs his is own CITY Council: not
harder has he worked on any occasion than he
hd get the sr!erdd rraiser e. the Ways
Ma Mayor S"i EHs,!s @ "a arrived on the, launching
ffs''Sr fIs %as se"us,omed s" to tall tuildings At
home and pretty decorations but ship
hei she bow and bured out in the mdd scarcely
more than II catbont's sail in light breeze.
and t, wered up into the air iar above sur;
Hpp lniliinns a
never seen before Then h" was sorry. he
hadn't brought that company of militia. that
up at the very moment the hard times struck
herhSors ni lie oW csy He hear to mutter
something about the conounded silver cranks,
How soon Will she start on
In about half an hour" said one OF the
Take as long as that3' he asked.
and wei we havet" S lift her clear Of the Keel blocks
by driving wedges under and along the launch;
thousun nd tons"
Mr. Eustts felt, Of his muscle. looked at tho
the men wedgng up the vessel They took
him down bereath the vessel & where VI e. strung
armed with heavy timh hers to drive home the
eLges,h The sy0rs eye sIhepnsd ndct he
lasted five minutes aDd then the men had u
rest
Inc Mayor WAS uneasy. ana AT tn9 SeCOnu
rally climbed down among the men directly
under the bow It was now TINA to cut away
9 nSss S wn snw wnat esss Mss sans ans
eie1 on. It was his OPP" rtunity lie would launch
that l.oat himself or die in the ATTEMPT. lie
swung powerful blow. missel his ehise and
aimed again. AMI this time sunk the wedge
1G the wax .r HS"" * o as h
iinaly iin' he he ' hit the % .io"E KNOCKOUT blow
But MoT "H"fH d s GO 1s had s' nsf s%
more wcdglng VI. and there e were al = lot more
up tuthe platform toget ~ breath. lie had no
time for tho christening party. which had Just
Herbert. senator Wn,hEurn. Miss Wash.
turn, who waste christcn the boat: Congress:
nsGs4HEEs tEEsrs. fmsIy stS
might stand on the plat TORN ana cha. and
indies hold their bouquets. and point out to
them tho Interesting things near by. but
that Minneapolis expecte': him to do his duty.
He said t3 a friend ,JsT5y s5 Knss shall never
ds anSnd sSa watak my
Mayor Enstis is n lame man. crippled In both
feet, but that made no difference He started
Cramp sent word to him that it was dangerous
down there. and suggested that he come back.
a
any direction Mr.. Eustis said he was sorry
T. have given given Mr: ramp any conrern: nn and
tna nc wfo h urnnG t" 20 o. up pne the
tho clattcr OF the llDal displacement or the
keel blocks began. 1t was too much for Eustis.
he seized a sledge. nor did he desist until he
saw that tremor, along the keel that he had
see all his life. The vessel was on the move.
Miss Wa-hburne. al the low. had whatked !.
of h Thep
rested. He had done his part. lie had showed
her of He sat down on rough plank. waved
his hat. watched he mammoth steel axe slide
down the creased ways MS If pulled by some
terrific unseen power. saw the vessel make
salutes OF scores OF steam vessels and then he
smiled.
shonted td to M Minnespos @ Sswsraper @ man nan whs
Ind como with him, and tell em to got out
Il thus did Mayor Eustis, launch the Mime.
once the Messrs. Cramp Lieut., Nixon. who
launch. and even tho lair young woman who
did the shristen,n%E, . % were me not In it. They had
given them an exhibition OF what tho word
hustle roaly means tefore they came In Tor
Hooay snais G for ting Shouted tho
Mayor; and for the man who wonlIn't hooray
he had no use There sbs were ae several who didn't
Miss Washhutn was u most worthy SUCCESS
sor to her predecessors n. .chr.stenings. at
I b.
Morton, Miss Herbert, and the others. She
asked dozen questions as to tho best way to
swing the hottie. and when sho was told
merely nodded, went through paGtomime
rehearsal. closed her lips tightly and her eyes
at the same time. and snid:
IAN right. l won't miss anything"
The, saving Of the, blocks was finally heard.
Miss Wasabarn got ready n;; and =; smost n, In
She was strnining to catch the first motion.
aud she did 1t. An unusually Rmgrt blow she
delivered as tho vessel started. and she
shouted: II christen thee Minneapolf;ii" Then
pressed 1t close against the white duck sailor
dress she wore. nodde led hor GainsDorouGi hat
with white plumes In this direction md that
70 friends took the nrm q Mr. Henry ".
CrRmi. the secretary OF tho ali ipbuilding com
pany. and marched down the stems to the
counting rooms Of the company. whore the
usual lunch WAS served
a full description OF tho Minneapolis has
been printed recently in THE SuN. Sho Is n
sister ship OF the Columbia so long known as
tho Pirate, and which is coon to have her trial
trip. Tho Columbia and Minneapolis were built
to overtaKe such merchantmen NJ the larisThe
Cnmpania was not In the field when they were
laid down. They are triple-sorew steamers.
the first to be constructed on this side of tho
a fnt Yf hal