St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-03-26
THOUSANDS DISAPPOINTED.
Many Distinguished People Pres
emf to See the Launching

PHILADELPHIA, March 25.-The
big American line steamer st. Paul
was not launched today. At the
eleventh hour she disappointed her
owners, the International Naviga-
ton company her builders, Messrs.
Cramps, and the vast multitude of
humanity waiting to witness her
initial dip by refusing to bulge an
inch from the ways. When the
scheduled time-1:15 p. m.-arrived
the yard was crowded with thous-
ands of sight-seers; the river was
dotted with craft bearing distin-
guiShed visitors, and Miss Frances
C. Griscom, surrounded by party
of friends, stood on the christening
stand swinging the bottle of cham
pagne which was to give the ship
it's baptism, and awaiting the signal
to give it's name. The props were
knocked away, the last log sawed
and all eyes were directed anXiously
to the mighty hull, but
SHE DID NOT MOVE.
Then an investigation was made,
and it was discovered that tallow,
with which the ways had been
creased, had caked to the consist
ency of flint, and instead of assist
ing in sliding the boat off, rather
retarded its movement. This action
of the tallow is unaccountable to
the Messrs. Cramps, who stated that
it had been bought from the con-
Germ that furnishes it for all
launches. Before the launch was
abandoned, however, strenuous eff
forts to get the vessel under way
were made. When the condition of
the tallow was perceived, jacks were
resorted to, but without success.
Then a line of hose was turned on
the ways in the hope of loosening the
tallow, but this, too, failed. Next, a
blue signal flag was run up, and one
of the tugs on the river came over
and offered assistance The tugs
officers were informed of the diff
Guilty, and in turn communicated it
to the city ice boat No 2. The st.
Paul threw out heavy hawser, and
the ice boat took it. Four boats got
on the other side of the ice boat, and
the four pulled together, but all
these efforts failed. At 2:45 p. m. it
was announced that no further eff
forts would be made to launch the
vessel today. Immediately after the
crowd dispersed gangs of workmen
were set at the ways, and in the
course of two or three days the
ways will be rebuilt, when she will
again be ready to go off. Every
body seemed to take the diSap-
pointment in a good-natured way,
and, while the expected speeches
were not delivered at the luncheon,
there was no lack of merriment.
This is
THE FIRST FAILURE
of the sort since 1873, when the Penn
sylvania. stuck halfway down the
ways.
A large number of distinguished per-
sons from all over the country had
come to see the launch. Among the
most prominent was the famous hu-
moriSt, Mark Twain, who had a char
acteristic funny speech prepared and
carefully tucked away in his pocket.
1t will probably never see light, as
Mr.. Twain returned this afternoon
and will sail for Europe on Wednes-
day. Mr.. Twain came from the me-
tropolis this morning with II. H.
Rogers, a director of the navigation
company, and family.
Surrounding Miss Griscom on the
oh icfn ,f.,rr c,ta
Hastings, Henry Cramp, Miss Stees
and Miss Ramsey, of st. Paul; Mrs
Griscom, Miss Nellie Miller, Miss Helen
Wood, Mrs. S. j. Bettle, Miss Esther
Harrison and Charles Henry Rogers,
all of this city. Near at hand stood
Capt. w. G. Randle, of the st. Louis.
Among the others on the platform were
Mayor Stuart, MaYor-elect Warwick,
Capt. Calkins, of Paris; George Morri-
son, president of the American Society
of Civil Engineers of New York; Con-
gressman A. r. Kiefer, of st. Paul ;
w. H. Clough, president of the cham
Der of commerce of this city; George
B. Finch, of the st. Paul Jobbers'
union; S. Kurino, Japanese minister to
this country; K. Matsu, his secretary,
and N. Miyaika and X. Nakayama, at
taches of his legation.
ST. PAUL DELEGATION,
about seventy in number, reached town
yesterday and took up their quarters
at the Stratford hotel, where they were
welcomed by the mayor and the Off
Gals of the navigation company. This
morning they were driven to Chestnut
street wharf and boarded the steam
boat Columbia, upon which they were
conveyed to the ship yard. The party
was composed of j. j. Parker, presi-
dent of the council, John Copeland and
o. B. Lewis, Aid. F. G. Brady James
E. Markham, E. H. Milham, Charles
Kartak and Joseph Ehrmanntraut, E.
w. Peet, vice president of the chamber
of commerce; james A. Stees, E. S.
Chittenden and wife, Judge Charles E.
Otis and wife, Christopher w. Horr,
Thomas Irish, A. H. Stees, Miss Finch,
Thomas Cochran, Thomas p Wilson,
w. B. Dean, wife and daughter, ex-
Gov. w. r. Merriam, Leonard D. Sar-
gent, Lee Ginterman, w. II. Van Slyke,
w. H. r. Johnson and wife, E. A. Hen
erickson and wife, Mrs. Samuel Hill
and Mrs. F. j. Whitney.
The Gridiron club, composed mainly
of Washington newspaper men, waited
to see the launch on one of the city
ice boats in the river. With their party
were the following who We're the guests
of Charles H. Cramp: Mrs. Secretary
Carlisle Logan Carlisle and wife, Miss
Noyes, Senator and Mrs. German, Senor
Romero, the Mexican minister Mrs.
Senator CuShman K Davis Cen