The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-03-29
THE IOWA LAUNCHED
Big Battleship Glides Grace
fully Into the Water.
Ths Hswksye State Sends . De1egafion,
Incauaing ths GoverneF's DauoA-
ter - Crack ~ Dott1o.

Philadelphia. March A-The launch Of the
hattleship Iowa from Cramps shipyard
partook more Of the nature OF . national
event than any similar one since MrA
Cleveland christened tho st. Louis nearly
two year, ago. Vice President Stevenson
headed the delegation from Washington
City. which included Secretary OF the Navy
Herbert, Attorney General Harmon. Sec
Rotary Of Agriculture Morton and large
party OF senators and congressman The
Iowa party was led by Gov. Dnke. whose
daughter. Mary Lord Drake. broke the
bottle OF champagne over the vessels prov
and gave II its name
Miss Drake is q handsome blonde. Of COM
handing figure. She II = years old, and
presices over the household of her father,
who 10 . widower. She In prominent in
Des Mcines society. She wore . dress OF
green plaid. with cape Of velvet trimmed
with chinchilla fur. gray toQue with gray
ana black plumes. and gray silk gloves.
When she baptized the vessel she stood on
little stand raised above the bow plat
FORM. and on either side OF her were Henry
W Cramp and Miss Herbert, daughter Of
the naval secretary.
The launch was entirely successful 1t
was exactly l:30is o'clock in the afternoon
when the last block was knocked away
and the marine monster began her brief
journey. Following Mr. Cramps instruc-
tons. Miss Drake grasped the beribboned
bottle. and as the mighty huh began to
giide down the ways she crushed it against
the Prov. The Iowa slipped gracefully
down into the middle Of the stream. ana the
tremendous crowd let out q mighty roar.
while the nearby factories and the craft
which dotted the river opened their shrill
whistles After the launch there was an in
formal luncheon In the mold loft. but no
speeches were made.
Tha Allison hornn hro,rix
front Just before the launch, accidentally
or otherwise Gov. Drake. who was stand
Ing on the little christening platform,
called over the heads of the crowd to Sena-
tor Gear. who presently came along with
Senator Allison and Secretary Herbert.
They pushed their way through the crowd
to the stand, and then mounted it and faced
the throng. As soon as Senator Allison APP
peared on the elevation the crowd. ire
spective Of political creed, burst into APP
plause, and the lowans lifted their hats,
moment later they stepped down and
mingled with the other occupants Of the
big stand.
The Western party included Gen. +. NJ.
Drake. governor of Iowa. and stan, and a
host OF other Jowans. The ladies' were:
Miss Mary Lord Drake Mrs NJ D. Shonts.
Mrs Z. ID. Goss. Miss Mary Carpenter,
Miss Fannie Mcfarland Mrs. f. NJ. Nc
Farland. Mrs Col Robert Rae, Mrs John
a Drake, Mrs. +. T.. Drake, Miss Clarice
Mccarthy In the Washington City party
there were Vice President Stevenson, Mrs.
stevenson and the Misses Stevenson, Sec
rotary OF the Navy Herbert and Assis tant
secretary and Mrs. McAdoo. Attorney Gem
eral ana Mrs. Harmon and the Misses Har-
mon. Secretary OF Agriculture Morton ana
Miss Morton, the Russian minister Miss
Boufeiie. Senator Allison. Of Iowa; Con-
gresham Allen. OF Utah: CONGRESSMAN
and Mrs. Curtis and the Misses Curtis. of
Iowa. Commander and Mrs. Chadwick
congressman Cousins and Clark. OF Iowa;
senator ana Mrs. Gear. Of Iowa; Col and
Mrs Hayward, and dozens of senators
congressman and army officers from ali
oHer the country