The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-27

works. The launching of the big yes
sci was effected without a hitch, and
she now rests calmly On the waters of
the bay.
All morning long the street cars let
down their loads of people at the ship
yards. and all the available boats on
The bay were pressed into service by
people anxious to see the baptism of
r1ie great vessel. Thousands of people
Jaw the plunge from different points OF
vantage, and the platform especially
set aside for the guests OF the Union
iron works was crowded to its full ca
pacity. The wisconsin delegation of
christeners. which journeyed all the
way from the Badger state TO Wit
ness the event, were given the places
of honor upon the platform, with the
representatives of the state, the city
and the great iron works responsible
for the safe delivery of the craft to
the government
For an hour before the plunge a
large force of workmen tore away
chock after chock. which supported the
vessel. and they finished their task al
most to the minute Of the prescribed
time for the launching, leaving orey
one chock to restrain the monster, and
this was the support that little Miss
Lucille Gage, daughter of the governor
elect of the state, had been assigned
TO remove. by means of a guillotine
and the inevitable electric button. At
a given signal the little miss pressed
the button, and the crash OF breaking
tfmbers announced TO the thousands of
anxious spectators that the vessel was
about to leave the ways.
Slowly the iron monster moved
towards the bay, and all eyes turned
to watch Miss Elizabeth Stephenson
break the bottle of champagne upon
the bow of the vessel. Just as the mass
of iron and steel touched the water,
the fair christener raised the ribbon
bedecl1ed bottle and let It split on the
nose Of the vessel. The roar of APP
rlause which greeted this final act was
almost deafening.
The controversy over the kind Of wine
to be used in the christening was set
tied this morning by the use of two
b1tIes of champagne, one OF French
MAKE. provided by the Wisconsin chris
Sening committee, and another of Cali
fornia champagne, provided by the
Union iron works.
The steamer gathered momentum as
she proceeded toward the water and,
after leaving the ways, foated calmly
along until brought to a stop in the
basin, where the work Of completing
her viii go on.
An amusing feature of the launching
was the wetting of a number of people,
who were standing on the adjoining
beach. The rush of water following
the baptism was so great that the peo-
pie on the beach could not escape it,
and many Of them were thoroughly
wetted. a number of Whitehall boats
narrowly escaped capsizing.
Prior to the launching, a gigantic
flag of the Union, measuring twenty
10
was presented, in honor of Wisconsin.
The flag was the result of the combined
efforts of 800 children of the Irving NJ.
Scott public school, who, at the sug-
gestion of their teachers, commenced
work upon the flag on Oct. 26 of this
year. Following the presentation of
the flag, the following poem, ITO the
wisconsin" was read by Miss Clara
La Price, its author:
Go forth. thou ship with the well-loved
The waves of the sea to breast:
Leap out, like line from life-bark
TIC the pillows waiting crest.
Thy charge. Stand firm should foe
As firm as the pine-clad hills
OF the state whose name thou Dearest
The training of mighty wills.
s3and firm as her shores by the lake
waves dashed
lce-girt as the years roll by
Flower decked when the sun laughs out
in JOY
And the spring birds northward fly.
Go forth as the eagle skins the blue
Defiant, brave and free
A challenge to might, menace to wrong
Wherever thy path may be.
Ten thousand hearts with hope leap high,
Wisconsin, for thy veal;
Sail fearless, swiftly, proudly forth,
Thou giant armed in steel:
Claim foremost history on history's page,
Thou proof of infinite skill;
CO safely forth, thou gallant bark,
Mans 1rCst. 14c-~nfh Gods will.