The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-10-04
In the Presence of 10000
Visitors.
The Great BattIeship is Launch
ed Today.
AT NEWPORT NEWS, VA.
ChfcagO.and Washington Large
Iy Represented.
Christening is Duly Performed
by Miss Letter.

Newport News, Va, Oct. 4.-NeWporl
News is thronged with visitors from
far and near who come to witness the
launching of the battleship Illinois
Chicago and Washington are represent
ed by delegations of prominent men
and women, while the nearby cities ana
villages have practically emptled them
selves of their population in order TO
assist the state of Illinois in honOring
the baptism of the great ship which IS
to bear the name of the prairie state
A conservative estimate places the
crowd of visitors at fully 10000 and it IS
believed that fully 10000 persons wit
messed the ceremonies attendant upon
the launching. The weather is ideal
Among the prominent persons from
the national capital was Assistant Sec
retary of the Navy Allen, who came
here from Portsmouth where he has
been inspecting the navy yard. He was
on board the dispatch boat Dolphin
and win also attend the launching
luncheon at the Chamberlain hotel this
afternoon. The steamer Newport News
brought down from Washington the fol-
lowing invited guests: Commodore and
Mrs NJ T Endfcott, Captain A. s.
Crowninshield. Paymaster General Ed
win Stewart, Engineer in Chief George
w. Melville, Surgeon General W. K.
VanReypen and wife, Chief Construct
or Philip Hichborn and wife, Captain
and Mrs. Samuel c. Lemley, judge ad
vocate general; Secretary OF AgricuI-
ture Wilson and daughter, Assistant
Secretary of War Meiklejohn, Martin
Knapp and wife, J. D. Yoeman and
wife.
Governor Tanners party arrived at
Old Point at 10 o'clock last night The
preliminaries began at TO o'clock and
the christening party passed through
the immense thrOng gathered around
the Illinois at 1890. Finally the saw
was heard as it cut through the sole
pieces.
At 1890 o'clock Miss Nancy Letter.
sponsor for the Illinois accompanied by
a distinguished party from Chicago. as
cended the christening stand. There
was considerable delay in perfecting all
the preliminary arrangements, but the
immense thrOng waited patiently until
the only remaining obstacle was the
single plank which held the vessel in
position. A hush fell over the crowd
as the sharp saw cut its way through
the timber. When the supreme moment
came Miss Letter poised the gaily dec
GRATED bottle of champagne in her right
hand and as the big battleship moved
slowly toward the river, cast it against
the receding bow. The bottle crashed
into thousand fragments and the wine
Streamed down the side of the nations
new defender. As tbs great vessel NOV
ed down the ways cheer after cheer
went up from the multitude of specta-
tors, whose enthusiastic shouts almost
drowned the noisy welcome to the new
conner sounded by the whistles in the
harbor
The Illinois struck the water with a
resounding splash and f1oated majesti-
cally out into the stream. The battle
ship was soon picked up" by tugs
which were in waiting and towed to
pier. where she will secure her boilers,
engineers and other machinery.
Immediately after the launching sew
eral hundred guests of the Newport
News Ship Building and Dry Dock com
pany boarded the steamer Newport
News for Old Point, where they will
be entertained at "a luncheon and ban
quet at the Cham berlin hotel. Toasts
will be responded to by Governor Tan
ner of Illinois, Governor Tyler of Vir-
ginia and other prominent guests.
A launching hop will be given at the
Chamberlin hotel this evening.