Evening journal., 1897-09-03

PRETTY GIRLS ACCOMPANIED
THE DISTINGUISHED SHIPPING
MEN FROM BALTIMORE AND
MADE 1T A SIGNAL SOCIAL
EVENT.
Five thousand Wilmingtonians wit
messed a signal event in shipbuilding
and commerce yesterday afternoon,
when the proud and massive steamship
Juniata took her initial plunge from the
high marine ways of the Harlan and
Hollingsworth Company.
The launch was highly successful,
and a joy to every attache of the big
shipbuilding firm, while the manner in
which she rode the bosom of the CHS
tiana made the heart of every member
of the great shipping corporation-the
Merchants and Miners Transportation
Company-beat with pride.
TWENTY MINUTES TO FLOAT HER
Captain N. R. Benson, of the Harlan
and Hollingsworth Company, had fun
charge of the mechanical and engineer
ing arrangements, and was compli-
mented generally for the prOmptness,
accuracy and general good order that
prevailed.
At $50 he gave the order to wedge
up" and just twenty minutes there
after the great ship of four decks gent
ly glided down and out without a jar
and without any pounding or lashine
when she struck the water.
HANDLED BY ELECTRICITY.
Then, instead Of 100 sturdy men hav.
ing to struggle with the four-inch
snubbing hawser to keep the ship from
running aground on the opposite side
new scheme was tried and worket
beautifully.
The snubbing hawser, which is near
ly 1000 feet long. was run Uhrough &
staunch windlass and attached to Z
powerful motor car running on th'
cOmpany's complete trolley system
within it's gates), and this car easeC
the hawser at the speed of the 1oatinl
vessel then gradually slackened spec,
until the ship was stopped, entirel!
clear of the mud flats. The motor ca
then began drawing in, and the tug
boat Laura b. came to her assistance
or, rather buckled to the Juniata, an'
in five minutes she was fast at tn
wharf.
Captain Benson says that sixty-fiv
men, the motor car and the tugboa
were required to successfully launcl
the boat, and that is probably tn
smallest force by half ever known t
, handle such a big undertaking.
SOME OTHER IMPROVEMENTS.
All through the work of building tn
Juniata thus far, electrical machiner
has facilitated labor.
The pound rudder, for il
stance, which ordinarily would hay
J. required handling by large force {
; men for three days in order 70 re
. move il from the machine shops a fe'
. hundred yards, was picked up by tn
company's new electric crane and trans
ferred to the vessels stern and hoiste
into its position in exactly twent
minutes.
Nearly every piece Of the Juniata
massive machinery, which is alread
cast, win be transferred from tn
Z shops to the vessels hold by these hi
electrical devices, and there is n
! doubt that the great ship will be read
for service before November 1. befOi
. the contract calls for her completion.
BE- ALSO A SOCIAL EVENT.
] The launch had other interestin
features, chief among which was its 81
r cial side.
4 Some Of the brightest lights in Ba
I timOre's and BOstons upper societ
came to Wilmington as the guests
the Merchants and Miners people an
, the Harlan and Hollingsworth Con
pany. One of the gayest and prettie
{ of these parties stood at the vessel
$ prov while Miss Mary Adelaide Jei
= lins shattered the wine across the stel
!, and called her Juniata.
Il In this party beside Miss Jenkii
were: Miss May Brown Johnson, Mi
Anna McKim, Miss Champe RObinso
Miss Julia de Bullet, together wi
Isaac McKim, Charles Conrad, Spaul
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