The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-03-24
Crowd Watched and Waited But
She Was Not Launched.
EFFORT TO BE RENEWED TO-DAY.
Alice Gertrude II Capt. Thompses's
New Mail steamer 0locktng
ksock~d Owt, Champagne Ready,
Mhisties How. Crowd Cheers.
Wat~rs-Th~ Trouki~ II = Question

The Thompson Steamship companys
new mail steamer Alice Gertrude refused
10 slide into the waters OF the Sound yes-
tsrday afternoon. mseh 10 the disgust OF
the loo people who bad gathered To wit
mess the launching. When the blocks.
that are supposed TO start the steamer to-
ward the water, were knocked OUT. every
body got ont Of the way In hurry. but
the vessel did not bulge. Every known
means of starting the steamer was re-
serted 10. bat the launching finally had
to t,s pos, pon-d until today.
tn. ilu.ssIiug touches TO the hull OF the
Alice Gertrude were put on yesterday. a
large crew OF men were busy during the
afternoon preparing the ways on which
the steamer Was 10 side from the Stet-
son a Post Company's mill yard into the
slip alongside the Pacific Coast Companys
s.t.aker The stars and stripes were
no!sted on the steamers stern and the
union jack on the bow, bottle Of
Champagne Was suspended by silkea
cord from the forward anchor port, ready
for the christening. The announcement
had been made that the launching would
take place al 40 O'Clock. About ) the
crowd Began 10 gather, and II Increased
uat.i, at o'clock. there WAS fiiiy }.Wv
people In the mill yard and OH the bunk
erS waiting the moving OF the vessel.
Al o'clock a cold rain began 10 fall.
and the crowd became more anxious that
the launching should not he held back.
The tide was not yet at It's full. and no
attempt was made to start the vessel
until shortly after o'clock. Then the
workingmen commenced 10 hammer. The
braces were taken out one by orr. uniii
M last there was nothing left lut the
Ilms that were to start the vessel The
orowd Was driven back out or danger,
the nearby whistles started up their noise,
and Miss Lydia Thompson. the pretty H.
v.ar-old daughter of Capt. j. r. Thomp-
son. mounted the platform AZ the bow Of
The vessel and grs~psd In. bottle OF Wine
Ter tho christening, The ptas were
Knocked out and everybody yelled. Some
thing Was wrong. The boat did moi start.
Miss Thompson almost broke the bottle.
for she had been told tina, the boat would
slide away soon as "A certain block Was
knocked out
A .jark" block was placed at the bow
and the hammrring continued. The
steamer moved an inch or So. ha, did not
catch the greas. on the ways, There Aefe
mo more blocks 10 knock oat. so the
jaanc hins had to be postponed until this
afternoon IL Vas 4 o. clock when the we
sui hunxr, crowd HIed oat Of shs yard
and hurried away In th- rain.
The Alice Gertrude - iss feet long 81
feet beam ard viii draw 10 feet OF water
waea finally pat In commission. Fore ami
att compound engines Of srs horse power
wsli drive her single propeller. II IL eS-
p~esed that s1e will be capable of making
twelve Knots an hour. She VIII have s
easrylnx capacity of ipf passengers and
81 tons sf freight. Work Was commenced
oa the steamer last November under he
,iirection VI capt. Mitchell anil she is &c
50 Ia commission about Man !.
The Thompson Steamship Company. oae-
rating tae steamer LYDIA Thompson il
building fha new amer fer ine Seattle
Neah h8y man Tua. She siit nlsse a daily
round trip Yun between this J-ofg and Port
Au&eirs Pc name WIS selected 10 Mrs.
J IL Thompson aua i IN hoaor % Miss
Aitss fh@agpson ana Miss Gertrude
Thompson. Tha Alice Gertrude viii cost
Sss.e.o sasn finally completed