The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-05-09
A PALACE AFLOAT.
Three Thousand Bath People Saw the
Eleanor Launched.
THE YACHT WHICH WILL MAKE
THE TOUR OF THE WORLD.

THE TOUR OF THE WORLD.
She Is Owned by VIM. A. Slater and Is the
Latest Achievement of the Bath Iron
Works-The Launching Yesterday Was
Ono of the Events of the Year in Bath
Celebrated by the Builders.
Especial to the Press.]
Bath, May S.-Anouher triumph has been
achieved by the Bath Iron Works. The
magnificent yacht Eleanor was successfully
launched this afternoon, the occasion being
made gala day for Bath. Her owner, VIM.
A. Slater of Norwich, with party of about
twenty was present, his daughter, for whom
the yacht was named, breaking the bottle
which christened the $500, ZOO beauty.
1t was beautiful spring day and about II
o'clock, when the special train bearing the
owners party arrived, the sky was cloud
less, and the yacht looked her pretriest in
the bright sunshine. The party were driven
to the works in carriages, and after in
specting the handiwork of Gen. sHyde's
craftsmen were entertained at lunch at
Elmhurst. The party comprised Mr.. VIM. A.
Slater, his cousin John Slater, owner of the
famous Bath built Sycamore; Mrs. VIM. A.
Slater and Miss Eleanor, who christened the
yacht, Mr.. and Mrs. Durand, Mr.. and Mrs.
Sears, Mr.. Seth Sprague and Mr.. Francis
Bartlett, all of Boston; Mr.. and Mrs
Sackett, Mr.. and Mrs. McDonough and Mr..
Williams of New York; Mrs. Peck and Miss
Palmer of Norwich.
Fully three thousand people were present
this afternoon when the launching party.
comprising, besides those already named,
Gen. Hyde and family, Col. and Mrs. Hay
den, Miss Bessie Mitchell, Rev. and Mrs.
Abram Conklin, the iron works officials and
others, mounted the platform, which was
gaily decked with flags and bunting. High
inss the air hung a bottle of champag ne
decorated with parti colored ribbons, one
of which when severed would permit it to
be broken over the vessels bow
At 230 the order was given to wedge up
and about seven minutes later the vessel
STARTED DOWN THE WAYS,
the little miss of seven years shipping the
ribbon with pair of silver scissors. The
yacht swung gracefully out into the harbor
and tug Adelia soon had her at her moor
Eleanor in a massive silver jewel case bear
ing fine cut of the yacht and this inscrip-
tion:
Presented to Miss Eleanor Slater by the
employees of the shipyard department, Bath
Iron Works, on the occasion of the christen-
ing of the yacht Eleanor at Bath, Maine,
May s, 1884,
Although not as large as some of her
siStar uQsSa1c Of tba
the Eleanor rivals them in comfortable and
sumptuous furnishings, representing when
fitted for her Mediterranean trip a round
half million dollars. Mahogany and like
costly woods abound in her finish. Her
principal dimensions are: Length over all
231 feet, length at water line, POS feet; keel,
1856 feet; beam, 80 feet; depth of hold, II feet
5 inches; mean draught, l3 feet, inches;
displacement, 1136 tons. She is constructed
of steel throughout, with double bottom and
water tight compartments, to guard against
grounding or collision. Her boilers are
ready now. Her engines, triple expansion,
with 1928 and 40 inch cylinders and 80 inch
stroke, will be ready in about two weeks.
Her rig Is that of bark ,and she will spread
about II 900 feet of canvas.
Instead of two or three small houses ris-
eNAS
DECK HOUSE, 1ls FEET IN LENGTH,
with passage from end to end on the star
| board side, by which arrangement the owner
in any kind of weather will be enabled to
| pass from his room in the after part of the
| yacht to the pilot house itself, should he so
desire without being exposed.
The main saloon, below deck, is grand
room, occupying the entire breadth of the
essel, and being 20 feet long. 1t is finishes
in panelled mahogany, has luxurious
COUGHS, from which one may watch the fire
blazing in the open CRATE, set in handsome
lis and marbles, while listening to thev
tones of the elegant piano built there. For
ward of this saloon, on the starboard side,
| are the owners quarters-first his study,
with it's lar &e bookcase, desk and writing
table; then his sleeping apartment, with
it's large bed, handsome dressing case,
| marble washstand, ETC., and then his dress
ing room, the nursery being the last room
on this side of the vessel.
Corresponding to these are rooms on the
port side for guests, and the pantry, while
astern of the saloon are the servants apart
ments. The officers rooms are finished in
white and gold; the others in quartered oak
or mahogany. There are seven bath rooms,
and hot and cold salt water, as well as hot
and cold fresh water, is supplied to this
part of the yacht.
In the evening, the men who built the
craft, banqueted at the Phoenix. The in
vited guests were Gen. Hyde, John S.Hyde,
Charles R. Hanscom, Capt. Scott, First
Officer johnson and Chief Engineer john
ston of the Eleanor; Mr.. Burgess of Du
Perquay & Co., yacht furnishers of Boston;
John Bliss, nautical instrument manu-
facturer of New York; Chief Engineer Sault
of the City of Lowell, and Electrician Geo.
w. Peck, Sinclair Stuart OF the American
Lloyds, H. G.. Thomas of the Star Gauge
company of Boston; Messsr. Hutchinson,
Kiley, Eaton and Harrington of Boston;
and Delaney of New York, Galen G. Moses,
Charles H. Mcclellan, Superintendent
Charles H. Schofield, under whose direction
the yacht was built; H. c. Webber of the
Argus, and your correspondent. An elabor-
ate menu was discussed and a pleasing
| musical programme rendered by Iron Works
| talent.
| Mr.. Schofeld was toastmaster, filling the
Office very acceptably. The toasts were
''The Lady who named the boat responded
| To nv Gen Hyde. stSuccess tO the owner -