The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-12-08
MAUI" IN WATER
She Is Designed To Be Sister
Ship To Helene.
WILDER LINE STEAMER LAUNCHED
Rush Job by the Union IronWorks.
Florence FairchiId Cracked
the Wine Bottle.
LINE STEAMER LAUNCHED

President Wight of the Wilder S. S.
Co., says the following clipping from
a San Francisco paper tallies with his
private advices from the city:
Steamship Maui ordered July 10.
Plans made; material ordered. Occu-
pied thirty days in coming.
Two weeks at the mill in making,
and two weeks to get the plans ready.
First piece of keel laid September
21.
Launched November 27 at 12:45 D. M
Boiler in place November 27 at Ito
p. m.
When needs be things are "done up
brown" in California. Today there is
floating, with the grace of gull, near
the Union Iron Works, as trim little
vessel as lies in the harbor, and but
a few days over two months ago the
material of which she was builded
was lying in the yards in great squares
of steel. 1t has been demonstrated
that a ship can be constructed at the
Union Iron Works in but little more
time than a carpenter takes to build
a frame shanty, and in little less
time than the average woman takes to
make a. Mother Hubbard.
The vessel referred to is the Maui,
the property of the Wilder Steamship
Company of Honolulu. Yesterday she
was launched and her boilers were
placed, and inside Of two months she
will be completed and turned over to
her owners. Miss Florence Fairchild,
daughter of r. H. Fairchild, who for
many years was connected with the
firm of Goodall, Perkins &. Co., christ
ened the vessel.
A platform was erected at the prov
and at the hour for the ship to move
from the ways into the waters of the
sea Miss Fairchild, Irving M. Scott
and w. A. Johnston, representing the
owners, took up station there.
Promptly at 12:45 p. m. the signal for
the launch was given. Hammer blows
were rained on the blocks that held
the vessel from the element for which
she was builded, and they fell away.
For a moment the ship seemed to
hesitate, as though waiting the cham
pagne's kiss upon her iron prov. Miss
Fairchild stepped forward and with
ringing voice said, Il christen thee
Maui, - and dashed a bottle of richest
wine against the unyielding metal.
The bottle broke in Fragments and as
the liquid foamed down her side the
Maui gently started on her voyage to
the waters The end of the ways was
soon reached, and the vessel floated
out on the bay as though she had
known no other resting-place in her
short existence.
The shore lines were hauled taut and
the vessel was steered around to a sta
tion beside the gigantic shears A
boiler weighing thirty tons was lifted
and at ITO p. M it was in place within
the hold. The vessel was then secur-
ed to the wharf, and those who wit
messed her initial sail and christening
ate and drank to her health
The Maui is first-class steamship
of 700 net tons burden She is It's
feet in length, 80 feet beam and IA
feet 6 inches depth of hold. She will
be fitted with an engine of 450-horse
power, which is expected to drive her
ten knots an hour. She will be taken
to Honolulu Immediately after her
completion and put on the Island trade.
She will ply between the various ISL
ands in the Hawaiian group, assisting
her sister ship Helene whenever occa-
sion requires.