Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-11-13
THE ST lOTlS.

THE LOUIS.
 heavy black serge looking warm and com fortahlo in the rather nippng air. Mir. C. H. Cramp at her side held bottle of champagne made in St. Louis, rcd, white and hlue ribbons adorned 1t, and n net of golden wire over n field of golden starred blue satin incascd it to protect the fair hands from tho broken glass.
 Presently thorc eamo a sound as of myriad of hammers pounding upon wood. The carpenters werc knocking away the shores, and tho preparations for the launch were well under way Tho minutes crept alon. until. the tide being exactly right, Mir Cramp handed to Mrs. Cleveland the Cayly bedeCkcd bottle Of wine. Her face palCd n httlC with suppressed excitement, and com pressing her full, rcd lips she graspcd it tightly. Tho town clocks struck 1.
 Thcrc were n final chatter of hammers. n confused shouting and thon hOarsc roar from tho crowd of There sho goes!' and tho great mass of steel started on its way to its proper element. \ cannon boomed, and n steam whistle sounded.
 Mrs. Cleveland. with fierce energy struck at the ships how and murmured. Il chrstcn thee St Louis Tho bottle missed its aim. Raising it again. she smoto tho swiftly rcccding ship fairly on the nose, shattoring the bottle and bap- tizing not only tine ship but Mir Cramp and hor own august husband as well with the vinuus shower
 Thus started. tho great hull careened down tho ways. gaining in momentum as it sped along. until stri king tho Delaware stern foremost, it threw up silvcry del ugc and then glidcd swiftly over toward the hanks of New Jersey as lightly and gracefully as the most beautiful of water fowl. Anchors wero dropped one after an. other. gradually slackcning her speed until she came to n halt in tho middle of the rivcr all safe and sound. The new ship had taken the first step on what may prove to be n notable career, and the most notable launching in American marino history was over During all this time | there was n perfect babblo of cheers. toot- ing Of whistles. shrioking of sirens and booming of cannon which lasted fully | half m hour.
 A Speec:l by the President. Directly after the launch a lunch was | served to the guests. After lunch there | werc speeches. MT. Cramp spoke. Then l President GriscOm of the International l Navigation company, who acted as toast master proposed the health of the presi- | dent of the United states. which was | drunk with cheers.
 President Cleveland. in responding. said: Il would not be entirely frank If did not acknowledge the extreme per | sonar sallsAaCltDH alOEubu by NAc AVA- erence just made to the part which fell to mo as high duty and privilege in tho great work ot creating m American navy and at the same time stimulating Amer 1 ican shipbuilding. I cannot, however, | keep out of mind the feeling that tho | qualification appropriately growing out | of this occasion is such as must be shared by every patriotic American, and that tho important event which has just now taken place is of such national interest that 1t is flttingly witnessed by the high est officials of our government.
 The lunch was an elaborate affair and was spread in the largo mold loft attach cd to the yard. Covers were laid at the ! presidents table for no persons. the par ty including the visitors from Washing ton and St. Louis and tho officers of the Cramp company and the International Navigation company. Seated at other tables about the room were about l, 900 guests comprising distinguished newspa- per men. naval officers, city, state and national officials and leading business men of this and other cities.
 After Mir. Cleveland's speech MT. Girls com, in response to a toast, reviewed tho events which led to tho construction of tho St Louis and St. Paul. saying among other things:
 The St. Louis and her sister. tho St. Paul. and their consOrts, tho Paris and the New York. arc all designed to be effective armed cruisers in time of war. They will always he available for imme- diate service when our government needs them, and when it Is considered that for the pay these ships will receive for carry ing the mails, and at no other cost to the government until needed, thcre is main tained at the owners cost and expense four effective. powerful fast cruisers, capable of carrying heavy armament. always groomed and in condition to dc their best at a moments notice, you will l am sure, agree with me that our gov ernment has made, as 1t generally does, q good bargain for itself.
 And as m auxiliary to the army those steamships will carry two full regiments and all their equipments. The four will transport an equipped army of 10. o0( men and move them moro miles a day than possible on any railroad
 MT Griscom next proposed the healtf of Mrs. Cleveland, which brought th' guests to their feet with enthusiasti, cheers and clapping of hands. The frs lady of the land bowed and smiled hel thanks, and Secretary Carlisle responded for her In . brief speech. Mayor Wal | bridge of St. Louis responded for 9Th,