The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1898-12-03
SLID INTO THE WATER.
The Battleship Christened by Miss
Stephenson Of Marinette.
LAUNCH OF WISCONSIN.
Witnessed the Long Herald
ed Event.

United States battleship Wisconsin. a sis
ter ship to the Illinois and Alabama. now
under construction at Norfolk and Phila-
delphia, respectively. was launched into
the waters of the bay at the shipyards of
the Union Iron works at exactly 81
o'clock this morning. Miss Elizabeth
Stephenson, daughter of ex-Consressman
Isaac Stephenson of the state from which
the mammoth vessel takes its name, per
formed the christening ceremony by break
ing against the bows of the ship as IT
started 10 slide down the ways bottle
of wine encased in a net of golden wire
and wrapped i'll a miniature American flag
As the bottle broke into fragments Miss
Stephenson said, clearly and distinctly, Il
christen thee Wisconsin,
The launching was witnessed by the
largest crowd that ever thronged the
shlpyards on a similar occasion. During
the early morning hours fully $4,000 per-
sons departed from the city for the scene
of the event. Excursion tugs and steam
ers were III great demand. but by far the
greatest crowds proceeded to the Potrero
by way of the street ears. The launch
Iug party and invited guests were CON
Veyed 70 the yards on Il chartered tug
which left the Mission street wharf. The
gates Of the big yard We're thrown open
to the public at clock. and the crowds
tons on lumber piles. telegraph poles
and other points of vantage aftordins Il
view of the ceremonies attending the hap
tism of the latest addition To the nation
new navy
The Wisconsin delegation Of ''christeu-
ers' which i0urneyed all the way from
the Badger state to witness 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.
Presented ..ith Flag.
Previous to the launching ceremonies
the ship was presented with flag made by
the school children of San Francisco. [,
measured JWenty-seven feet long and four
teen wide. and is the result of the COM
bined efforts of 300 children of the Irving
NJ. Scott public school. no at the suggcs-
ton OF their teachers, commenced work
upon the flag on October p of this year.
Following the presentation of the flag,
the following poem. To the Wisconsin,,
was read by Miss Clara lsa Price, It's
author:
Go forth thou ship with the well loved name;
The waves Of the sea to breast
Leap out, like line from life bark flung,
To the pillows waiting crest.
Thy charge, stand firm should foe draw
nigh, "
as firm a. the pine-ciad hills
81 the state whose name thou bearest-her
boast
The training of mighty wills,
Stand firm as her shores by the lake waves
Ice girt as the years roll by
FloWer-deckcd when the sun laughs out in
And the spring birds uorthward fly
to forth as the eagle SKINS the blue,
Defiant, brave and free.
\ challenge to might, Il menace to Wong,
NhercEc or thy path may he.
Ten thousand hearts with hopes leap high,
Wisconsin. for thy veal
Sail fearless. swiftly. proudly forth.
Thou giant armed i'll steel,
claim foremost place on history page
Thou proof of finite skill
Go safely forth, thou gallant bark
Man trust. beneath Gods Will.
~ Name Thee Wisconsin,"
Shortly after the flag broke out All was
declared clear and a little girl in white
touched an electric button which let down
the axe of Il guillotinc upon IL line that
held the last block and the mighty ship
slid into the water with the grace of
swan. A. she started Miss Stephenson
threw the Milwaukee bottle with a bottle
Of California VINE suspended above it
saving: Il name thee Wisconsin,. She
was attended by Lieut.-t;Ov. Baensch and
staff. and by her father and members of
the Stephenson family. The remainder
Of the Wisconsin arty were grouped
around them.
The moment the marine monster
dipped her nose III the ripping waters
the enthusiasm of the crowds found vent.
The party on the chriStenin" stand
waved their hats and handkerchiofs. the
crowds rOared and the swarm of small
craft in the vicinity let loose a dcafcning
shire. of whistles. When the Wisconsin
had glidcd several hundred yards out
from shore her anchors were dropped
and another of Uncle Sans defenders
had been auspiciously launched.
One of the features of the acclaim
which followed the ceremony was the
Wisconsin university yell. which was fire.
qucntly given with 4 will during the core-
mony and Oh the way cut and bac! to
the shipyard.
The vessel gathered momentum as she
proceeded to the water. and after leaving
the ways fioated calmly along until
brought to stop in the basin where the
work of completing her will go on.
An amusing feature of the launching
WAS the wetting of a number of people
who We're standing on the adjoining
beach. Tho rush of water following the
baptism was great that the people on
the beach could not escape ii and many
Of them We're thoroughly wetted. \ num-
hcr Of Whitehall boats narrowly escaped
CapSiZing.
Two Kinds of Wine Used.
There was no trouble whatever in re
gard to the wine. The matter was cour-
teousiy arranged on Friday by Irving NJ.
Scott of the Union Iron works who was
told by tn" committee that he could use
as much California wine as he might
chuoSc in addition to the Milwaukee, bot
tie.
The Formal Invitations.