Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-03-01
INDIANA A TERROR.
Our Most Formidable Warship
in Neptune's Embrace.
SUCCESSFUL LAUNCH OF THE CRAFT

She Slides Into Her Native Element
the President and 10000 Other Specta-
tors-Miss Jessie Miller Acts as Cod
mother-A Banquet Follows, But No
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS of the vessel
Her Heavy Armor, Big Guns and Strong
Points.
PHILADELPHIA, March I'm the midst
of a driving storm of sleet and rain, and
with the applause of the president of the
United States, three members of his cabi-
mel, and 10000 others following in his
wake, the battleship Indiana was launched
shortly after noon yesterday from the ship
yard of the Cramp Shipbuilding company.
Miss Jessie Miller, daughter of Attorney
General Miller, baptized the bow of the
vessel in foaming champagne as the battle
ship started down the ways, and christened
it the Indiana" The ship took the water
like duck, and with her Redeemed hull
showing in marked contrast against the
muddy waters of the Delaware she was
carried far out into the river by the mo-
mentum acquired by her passage from the
stocks
Preparations for the Launching.
AS the vessel swung broadside on toward
the shore the anchors were let go and she
rested upon the surface of the water as
beautiful a model of marine architecture
as ever left builders yard. With the
coming of the morning every preparation
for the launch had been completed and the
battleship stood ready for her plunge into
the waters that are to hereafter bear her
upon their bosom. The duh brown iron
hull was painted a virginia. white to the
water line, below which vivid red coat
ing of paint shone. a line of gay bunting
ran the vessels length along her deck, and
above the other flags the stars and stripes
tapped and stiffened in the northeast
wind The ship stood upon the stocks
with her great steel ram pointed in toward
the yard
Great Throng of Witnesses.
Around the bow platform was built
and directly beneath the keel small en-
closed space was rallied off and intended
for President Harrison and the christening
party. BY II O'Clock the streets before the
gates had become a heaving, tossing sea
of umbrellas, and when the doors were
finally opened the umbrellas and the own
ers beneath them swept like a torrent into
the yard. Many persons had tickets for
the launching stand and the deck of the
sister ship of the Indiana, the Massachu-
sets, which stood about twenty feet away
on the stocks, and these were in a measure
protected from the storm by awnings.
Arrival of the Presidents Party.
Upon the arrival at the works of the
presidential train the party was met by
Mr.. Charles II. Cramp and escorted to the
platform at the bow of the Indiana, the
president and Mr.. Cramp walking arm in
arm. An awning over the platform afford
ed protection from the elements The
guests stood ON the platform for three
quarters of an hour, while workmen
knocked away and sawed the supports
from under the battle ship. Hydraulic
jacks were in readiness at the bow for use
should the ship stick, but these were not
needed and at l2:+0 p. m, the vessel glided
swiftly down the ways. After the launch
the presidential party were escorted to the
office of the company, where an informal
banquet was given. President Harrison
did not make any address nor did any
other person present.