The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1898-03-25
KENTUCKY IS LAUNCHED.
Big BattIeship Nam:d After the
Bourbon State.
WAS CHRISTENED WITH PURE WATER
1ectcd by Her Father. the Cow
ernor, Named the Vessel.


News Dry Dock and Ship Building COM |
pany In the presence OF an immense crowd. |
There was not hitch in the programme. |
| and the cheers from the 10000 threats
greeted the latest additions to the United
States navy as they slid from the ways
| the PROV of one sprinkled with foaming
| champagne, the other christened with pure
water from the home Of Abraham Lincoln.
Early in the day tho throngs began TO
| gather, while an army of workinen
swarmed around the grim hulls, preparing
them for their maiden dip. The arrival OF
| the christening parties was the signal for
cheers from the Impatient spectators and
| also for the shlpyard employees TO COM
mence the work of transferring the ship to
| its cradle.
The regular sounds of the hammer could
be heard in all sections Of the yard as the
brawny workmen drove home the allim-
portant wedges. In the meantime the
guests of the Newport News Ship Building
company had assembled on the large plat
form at the ships prov. Among the dis
tinguished persons who occupied positions
on the platform were:
Governor w. o. Bradley of Kentucky
and j. Page Lester and their respective
STAINS General Miles, commander in chief
o. the United States army; Admiral Mat
theNc United States navy; Commodores
| McNair and Wallace, Senators Thomas n
Martin of Virginia and j. l.. Strong OF
Utah; w. A. Jones and p. J. Otey of Penn
sylvanla A. j. Hopkins of Illinois, Repre-
sentative d. A. Mercer of Nebraska. ex-
Senator Black, Representatives W. d.
| ond of KapfttrlxN. /
C. Orcutt and j. ]. Woodward and wife,
Mrs. General Pickett, Miss Belle Rowley.
Miss Mary circuit and Mrs, Governor
Bradley.
Suddenly the sounds of the hammers
ceased and the immense crowd was hushed
with the cessation Of work ii by magic
command, and the attention OF all was di-
rected to the PROV of the Kearsarge, where
Mrs. Winslow, wife of Lieutenant Com
mander Winslow, stood erect, with bottle
of wine in her uWaised hand. Another in
slant and the cracking of the huge timber
was heard as the saw completed its work
OF severing the last wedge. The towering
frame hesitated second, then moved with
majestic slowness on its journey TO the
water. As 1t did so, Mrs Winslow dashed
I the bottle after the receding bow and ex-
claimed
II christen thee Kearsarge."
) mighty cheer went up from the vast
throng of spectators the vessel struck
> | the water stern llIoL aug Win q SIdttiui
, drop. first aft then forward, glided into
the water. Another cheer arose when 1t
WAS seen that the Kearsnrge had been
4 safely and successfully launched and sat
on even keel. The steam whistles in the
| shipyard and those on the large fleet of
naval and pleasure craft in the river
shrieked forth their glad welcomes to the
$ new ship. The Kearsarge glided into the
$ channel and was picked up by the tugs
and proudly towed to one of the lower
shipyard piers.
o Newport News. Va, March 2+.-Ken-
y tuckisns, proud Of the new battleship
J. bearing their States name, We're here to-
day by the hundred.
a Governor Bradley was next to the central
r figure at the launching and the luncheon
p given TO 800 by the ships builders after
II the ceremonies The central figure was
n his daughter and only child. Miss Chris
tine Bradley, an lS-year- old girl, who
o came with her mother and friends from
10 Washington where she attends school, to
n christen tho vessel. The christening,
10 which many officials thought would be
done with wine or Kentucky's famous
~ product, was done with pure water. Miss
lie Bradley declining to use anything else, and
IS winning her fight for It after private
/ nut hard fought battle with those who OPP
posed her. Carrying out ner sentiment IN
the matter, she had the water brought in
II a plain, wire covered glass bottle from the
Is famous crystal spring on the spot where
IS Abraham Lincoln was born In Larue couu-
r. ty Kentucky. Miss Bradley was an at
tracrye figure on the boats bow, with the
emblem OF purity from It's historic source
T. In her uplifted hand, surrounded by her
IS six pretty Kentucky maids of honor Sht
hprsp1f IN 81 u rikiDg Honda and lpsDift
a. her youth has already attained unsought
reputation in her native State rs litera
teur of great promise inheriting much ol
her fathers native brilltancy OF mind and
other characteristics
Kentuckians, proud OF her. cheered hei
q act. and the States general assembly re-
Gently adopted resolutions commencing
nj her for her stand in behalf OF pure water
n for the christening and more deserved
y name for her State.
NJ Her maids of honor. all representat,v,
IN Kentucky bellies. were Misses Ahbe Bal
mn lard, Alice Castlemon and Lillian Siege o
no Louisville. Miss Sallie Bronston OF l.exing-
nj ton. Miss Frances Collier of Lancaster ant
sv Miss Gatewood OF Mount Sterling
IN Lieutenant II. S. Whpple Seventh regi-
i. ment, United States cavalry, on duty ir
re Kentucky. WAS master OF ceremonies To-
n, the Kentucky contingent Governor Brad
he ley was surrounded by his staff in brillian
m uniforms, Adjutant General Collier. chief o
py sum, NSSiS'au' AuJH'aht fbii'S
n. tor. Judge Advocate General James NJ
IA Beatty, Surgeon General George w Grit
on fiths, Commissary General T. j. Landrum
81 Quartermaster General @. C. Mengel In
nj spector General Frank Coles, Ades-de
re Camp Wright, Smith Conway. Ahlerlnl
and Mulligan, Added TO these were mos
ON of the State officlais--Auditor =. II. Stone
nd Treasurer CIV. Long. Register Charles
,x o. Reynolds ard others.
AS the vessel started on its Journey 4
or the water number OF pint hotties o
in Kentucky whisky were hurled from Tho
n crowd and smashed against the shlnln.
al sides OF the battleship.
m Anna the 'heers OK the masses the Ken
rk lucky dashed down the creased ways
he starting slowly and gaining momentum n,
Nv Il neared Its natural element
Striking the water with loud splash
i'd she SKINNED out upon the waves aud Gu
ar, the water for distance OF several hum