Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1893-03-04
The Indiana Duly Launched and
Christened ~ Phila-
delphia.
Miss Miller Breaks the Bottle
of Champaign over Her
Bow.
President Harrison and Many
Other NOtableS Witness
the Occurrence.

PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 2S.-The great
battle-ship Indiana was successfully
launched to-day at the shipyard of the
William Cramp q Sons Company in
the presence of thousands of people.
among them the President of the
United States, the Secretary of the
Navy and other members of the Cab
met, and quite a large delegation Of
Congressman and others who arrived
from Washington this morning on a
special train.
As if anxious to get into her native
element the huge coast-defense ship
Slid down the wen creased ways with
comparative rapidity and struck the
smooth waters of the Delaware River
with a force that sent waves high into
the air. Then She was towed back to
the wharyes and in about a year will
be ready for service and turned over to
the government.
The arrival of the Presidential party
was the signal ior loud and continued
cheering. The party came from Wash
ington on spe cial train over the Bal
timore q Ohio Railroad. Among the
visitors were Secretary Of the Navy
Tracy Postmaster General Wanna
maker, Acknowledgement Miller and
his daughter, Miss Jennie, the fair
christener; Senator Voorhees, and Tur-
pie of Indiana, in honor of which State
the vessel is named, and others.
The President and the other gentle
men of the party acknowledged the
complimentary cheering by smiling
and raising their hats. The guests
were received in the offices of the com
pany by Charles Cramp, President;
Henry w. Cramp, Treasurer, and other
officials The line was then formed
and the christening party proceeded to
where the battleship lay and took posi-
tions on a raised platform at
the bow The noise of 500 work
men making the final prepar-
ations reverberated between the
lndianas sister ship, Massachusetts, on
the south, and cruiser No. 10, the
Minneapolis, TO the north, for quar-
ter of an hour, and then the order was
given 10 saw the ways, Just as tie
A., 600 tons of steel started down the
incline, Miss Miller, daughter of the
Attorney General, broke the customary
bottle of champagne, it being incascd
in beautifully hand-painted and en-
broidered satin cover across the bow
and firmly said: II christen thee lndi-
ana"
Whistles shrieked, bells rung, and
people cheered and waved handker-
chiefs and flags. This demonstration
continue | until the ship reached mid
stream, where her anchors were drop
ped. Later the anchors were raised
and the vessel was towcd to the ship
yard
The Indiana is the eighth warship
that the Cramps have launched and is
the largest ever sent from their ways
Up to this time the New York, with a
tonnage of S, 900, was the largest The
Indiana, the most formidable of the
vessels built or building for the new
American navy, is warship OF
which any nation might be
proud and is is triumph for
Ameri an ship -designers, ship builders
and, it is hoped of American marine
engine building. OF course, so far as
her engines are considered, their power
and efficacy will not be ascertained for
a considerable time. but the contract
calls for high power and good speed.
The keel of the Indiana was laid on
May Z, 1891, she being the first of the
three vessels authorized by the act Of
Congress approved June 30, 1890. Her
cost is 50, O2O. 900.
The Indiana can lay alongside ofany
hostile vessel that should reach our
shores and give and take fair battle in
the style exhibited by the American
navy of the time of Paul Jones and De-
catur. There are six powerful search
lights arranged along the sides to To-
cate the enemy at night and to guard
against SMALL boat attacks under cover
of darkness. The complement of
twelve boats and one balsa are slowed
well above the fash Of the guns, and
are handled by means of powerful
cranes The vessel is also provided
with complete incasement of torpedo
netting