The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-10-05
suCCESSFuLLY LAUNCHED.

The Sew Addition iotIls Navy, BstiloShlp
illinois, CIitss Gracefully TO Its home
on the ssas-ImWishis cFswL Present.
NEWPORT NisWs. va, oct. I,-The
batteship Illinois was successfully
launched at 12:t3 this Afternoon, amid
the enthuslnItIc cheers Of a vas, multi
tude of people and the blasts OF hun
dreds OF whistles.
The weather was perfect. Boats and
trains crowded With people BEGAN 20
arrive before daybreak and bH 11to'clock
the hour set for the launching peOple
had assembled IN tho yard of the New
port News shlpbuliding and dry dock
company. As many more Gwarmed the
decks OF steamers, tugs, yachts and 9th
OF vantage iu,the river, opposite the im-
mense Bhipbuilding plant, Al 1880
O'Clock, Miss Nancy Letter, sponsor for
the Illinois, accompanied 81 distin-
gulshed party from Chicago, ascehded
the christening stand. There was con-
siderable delay In pertectlng oil the pre-
llminary arrangements, but the Inn
mense throng waited patiently uhtll &he
only remaining obstacle was the single
plank which held the vessel In position.
hush fell over tho crowd AZ the sharp
saw cut It's way through the timber.
When the supreme moment came. Miss
Letter poised the gaily decorated bottle
OF champagne in her right hand, and, as
the big battleship moved slowly toward
the river, cast Il against the receding
bow. The bottle crashed Into q thou
eand fragments and the wine streamed
down the aide Of the nations new de-
fender. As the great vessel moved
down the ways cheer after cheer went
W from the multitude OF spectators.
whose enthusiastic shouts almost
drowned the noisy welcome to tho new
conner sounded by the whistles In the
harbor The Illinois struck the water
with resounding splash and hoated
majestIcally out Into the stream. The
battleshlp was soon picked up' by tugs
which were In waiting and towed to a
pier, where she will receive her boilers,
engines and other machinery.
Immediately after the launching,
which was successful In every way. sew
eral hundred guests OF the Newport
News shipbuilding and dry doci: COM
pany, boarded the steamer Newport
'''NA lot Olu EOluAs WutIH kHtf were
entertained this evening at n launching
banquet at the Chamberlain hotel
Toasts were responded TO by Governor
Tanner. OF Illinois; Governor Tyler, OF
Virginia, and other prominent guests. A
launching hop was given at the Cham
berlaln hotel later IN the evening.
a Conservative estimate places the
crowd Of visitors ut fully 10000. and II Is
believed that fully $4,000 persons Wit
messed the ceremonies attendant upon |
The launching. The weather was ideal. |
Among the prominent persons from |
he national capitol was Assistant Sec
Rotary OF the Navy Allen, who came |
from Portsmouth where he Inns been In
SpectlnR tie navy yard.
The steamer Newport News brought /
down from Washington the following |
Invited guests: Commodore and Mrs. /
u T. Endieott. Captain A. s Crown
lnshleld, paymaster general Edwin 1
Stewart, engineer IN chief George wi
Surgeon General W. X. Wand
Reypnn and WIFE Chief Construclof
Philip Hichbosn and wife. Captain asa /
Mrs Samuel q. Lemley, Judge Advocate
Secretary Of Agriculture VII |
Son and daughter Assistant Secretary
ot War John y. MOikeljohn: Hon, Mar