The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-11-13
QUEEN OF AMERICAN SHIPS.
Mrs, Cleveland ChIiStenS Her St. Louis
as She is Launched.


Yard Of the Cramps to Witness the
Ceremony-Mrs Cleveland Takes Her
Place on a Small Platform Right Un-
der the Vessels Keel With the Pro-
verbal Bottle CT Champagne-The
Launching Complete suooess-A
Description of the Vessel.
Philadelphia. Nov 12.-The first Of the
two steamships built in this country for
the International Navigation Company
was launched this afternoon from
Cramps ship yard in the presence OF
President Cleveland. members of the
cabinet and a large throng of people.
Mrs Cleveland stood sponsor for the ves-
sci and christened her the ST. Louis. after
the metropolis OF Missouri
At 1910 o'clock the special train having
President and Mrs. Cleveland and their
party aboard steamed slowly up to the
ship yard. Clement A. Griscom, presi-
dent Of the International Navigation
Company, and Charles H. Cramp, presi-
dent Of the Cramp shipbuilding Com
pany, had boarded the presidential spe-
cial before It arrived at the yard and
they were the first to alight. Henry w.
Cramp, secretary Of the company, and a
number of others, were in waiting, and
they stepped forward and raised their
hats as Mrs. Cleveland followed Mr..
| Griscom and Mr. Cramp from the car.
Mrs. Cleveland followed the President
and took Mr.. Grscom's arm, and Mr.,
Cleveland walked beside Mr.. C. II. Cramp.
Q
party speedily alighted from the cars.
and for few moments salutations and
introduotions took place.
Those in the presidential party. In adj
dition to the President and Mrs. Cleve.
land. we're: Private Secretary and Mrs.
Thurber Secretary and Mrs. Carlisle,
Mrs Gresham. Mrs. Lamont, Attorney
General olney, Secretary Herbert and
his son and daughter and his naval aide,
Lieut.. Reamey. and Private Secretary
Finney, Ambassador and Mrs. Bayard.
Secretary Lamont is in New York Sec
/ retary Gresham was detained in Wash
/ ington by important business in his de-
/ partment, Postmaster General Bissell
was not well enough to go. and Secretary
/ Smith was also unable to leave the capt
I tai.
Mr.. II. w Cramp presented Mrs. Cleve-
! land and the other ladies' Of the party
| with bunch Of flowers and then the party
/ walked into the yard and up the incline to
/ the stand. Right under the keel a small
1 platform had been rallied Off and on this
| Mrs. Cleveland, the President, Mr.. Gris-
/ com and Mr.. Cramp took their stand. Az
/ ter the christening party had entered the
4 yard, the gates were thrown open and the
/ waiting crowd thronged in. There was
sFgatY IN, GVA Tafx lru
! to view the launch. and the ends Of the
/ piers adjoining the place, where the steam-
/ ship stood, were soon black with people.
The more fortunate ones, and these were
/ mostly workmen Of the yard. found good
/ position to view the launch from the deck
! of the unfinished st. Paul. the sister ship
/ of the st. Louis, which is on the stocks adj
/ joining where the st. Louis stood. Fully
/ 5000 people were In the yard as the mo-
ment for the launch approached.
All the morning workmen were busy
/ about the steamship preparing her for her
4 baptismal dip into her native element.
The national flag fioated from the bow,
and string of flags of many nations were
! strung over the deck from stem to stern.
A great hammering came up from be~
meath the steamships keel. Mr.. II. w.
/ Cramp was finally notified that all was in
/ readiness, and he handed Mrs. Cleveland
/ the gaily decorated bottle of champagnS
/ that she was to break on the ships bow.
/
he advised her as to the best way IN which
to break II. Mrs Cleveland took the bot
tie, nodded and smiled in reply to Mr..
/ Cramps advice, and stood waiting for the
1 ship to begin to move. The sharp, Kissing
sound made by saw cutting its way
through wood came clearly above the noise
made by the crowd. Suddenly the big ship
/ began to move.
A cry Of there she goes" went up from
the crowd, followed by a cheer that swelled
into great volume Of sound as the steam
whistles in the yard, and on the hotilla OF
| waiting steamers In the river added their
noise TO the din. As the vessel began to
move, two minutes past ] o'clock, Mrs.
/ Cleveland swung the bottle OF champagne,
/ by its parti-colored ribbons. much as a boy
throws a stone from a sling, and smashed
the glass against the side, at the same time
calling out in clear voice: II christen
the 81. Louis" The movement OF the ves-
sci al first had almost been impereeptible.
| but once fairly started, the st. Louis swept
down the ways with the Irresistible rush
Of an avalanche. The stern struck the wa
ter cleanly, and an instant after the vessel
was floating on the surface of the river.
A big wave rolled over the ends Of the
wharves in the steamers wake and many
OF the crowd paid for their sight OF the
/ launch was dueking. The st. Louis sped
a quarter Of a mile out upon the river from
\ the momentum received on her slide from
the stock and waiting tugs caught her and
I her anchor was lot go
When the guests had partsken OF lunch
con, President Chas. II c. Cramp OF the
shin building company, who sat at the
hcad Of the table, raped for order and de-
livered q brief address.
Clement A. Griscorn, president OF the In
tcrnational Navigation Company, then
made few remarks in which he eulogized
/ President Cleveland FOR his assistance ia
creating an American navy.
/ Mr. Griseom formally introduced Presl-
/ dent Cleveland. who said: Il would not ba
entirely frank " ! aid not acknowledge
Z the extreme personal satisfaction Afforded
me by the reference Just made 70 the part
/ which fcll 20 me as q high duty and a
privilege in the great work or creating an
I American navy and a. the same time
stimulating American ship building 7
f cannot however, keep out of mind the feel
T ing that the qualification appropriately
. growing out ~ this occasion is such IS
/ must be- shared By every patriotic Ameri.
can, and that the important event which