The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-26
STUCK ON THE WAYS
AMERICAN LINE STEAMER ST.. PAUL
REFUSED TO he LAUNCHED.
Five Tugs Couldn't Bulge the
Big Vessel.

big American line steamer st. Paul was not
launched to-day. At the eleventh hour she
disappointed her owners, the international
Navigation Company, her builders, the
Messrs. Cramp, and the vast multitude of
humanity waiting TO witness her initial
dip by refusing to bulge an inch from the
ways. The failure was as unfortunate as
it was unforeseen. When the scheduled
time Oils p. mo- arrived the yard was
crowded with thousands of sightseers, the
river was dotted with craft bearing dis
tinguished visitors, and Miss Frances c.
Griscom, surrounded by a party of friends,
stood on the christening stand swinging
the bottle of champagne which was to give
the ship its baptism, and awaiting the sig
nal TO give its name. The props were
knocked away, the log sawed, and all eyes
were directed anxiously to the mighty hull,
but she did not move. Then an investiga-
ton was made, and it was found that the
tallow with which the ways had been
creased had caked to the consistency of
flint, and instead of assisting in sliding the
boat off rather retarded its movement. The
tugs officers were informed of the diff
Guilty, and in turn communicated it to The
city iceboat No. 2. The st. Paul threw out
a heavy hawser and the iceboat took it.
-Four boats got on the other side of the ice
boat and the five pulled together. But the
pS steamer uiQ not mean 10 move, ana all
these efforts failed. By this time the tide
was fast going down, and at 2:45 D. m. it
was announced that no further efforts
would be made to launch the vessel to-day.
Immediately after the crowd disappeared
gangs OF workmen We're set at the
ways and the work progressed rapidly.
The ship by evening had already been re-
braced, and in the course of two or three
viii again be ready to slide off. The diff
Guilty of tide will then have to be encoun-
ma lalaV tho prnn0GAd launch for fuyn
weeks or thereabouts, when a full tide
VIII be available at a convenient hour.
ment in a good natured way, and while the
expected speech was not delivered at the
lunch that followed there was no lack of
March IS is an interesting date in the
history of the International Navigation
Company Twenty-Five years ago to-day
the Indiana, the third of the c~ompany's
great liners, was launched at Cramps. A
large number OF distinguishes persons from
all over the country had come to see the
launch. Among the most prominent was a
famous humorist who had a characteristic
cal funny speech prepared and carefully
tucked away in his pocket. 1t viii prob
ABLY meyer see light as ar. Twain re-
rope on Wednesday. he is going over to
bring his family back. from Paris next
this morning with III. II. Rodgers, a direc-
tor Of the navigation company, and family.
ing stand Were Governor and Mrs. Hast
ings, Eenry lCramp,. Miss Stees and Miss
Ramsey. of st. Paul; Mrs. GriScOm, Miss
Miller, Miss Wood, Mrs. S.. J. BEETLE, Miss
Harrison and Charles Henry Rogers. all of
this city, Near at hand stood Captain ".
G. Randle, OF the st. Louis. Among the
others on the platform were Mayor Stuart,
Mayor-elect Warwick, Captain Calkins, OF
the Paris; George Morrison. president OF
the American Society of Civil Enginc--s,
Of New York; Congressman A. r. Keever,
of st. Paul.: w. II. Clough, president of the
Chamber of of that city; George
3. Finch, of the st. Paul Jobbers' Union;
the Chinese minister and attaches of Legal
ton. The st. Paul delegation, about sew
enty in number, reached town Saturday and
took up quarters at the Stratford Hotel,
where they We're welcomed by the Mayor
and the officials of the navigation COM
pany.
The Gridiron Club, composed mainly of
Washington newspaper men, waited to see
the launch on one of the city iceboats in
the river. With the clubs party were the
following guests of Charles H. Cramp: Mrs.
Secretary Carlisle, Logan Carlisle and Wire,
Miss Noyes, Senator and Mrs. German,
Senior Romero, the Mexican minister: Mrs.
Senator Cushman X. Davis. General George
b. Williams, Mr.. and Mrs. Chew, Miss
Belle Armstrong, f. A. Richardson, Colonel
John Cassells and %daughter and DR.. Bedloe.