The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1898-03-24
a SHOWER OF WHISKY
Descended on the Kentucky From
Bottles Carried by the Colonies.

Newport News, March 24-The first
great battleship ever launched from a
private yard in the south, kissed the
waves in the James river at 1902 this
morning at the immense plant OF the
Newport News Ship Building and Dry
Dock company and at 11:35 O'Clock, a
second snip, the exact counterpart OF
the first one except in name followed.
They were christened respectively the
kearsarge and the Kentucky, proud
and historic names, that have just rep
resentatives in the splendid fighting
machines put afloat today.
The ship of the nation" was launch
ed first and long before the hour an
nounced for the ceremony fully $4,000
people were pushing and jostling
around the powerful steel hull of No.
49, as the Kearsarge was known in the
Sh1pya ard, each person endeavOring to
get the best view obtainable of the
ceremony about to take place
Just before the preliminary prepara-
lions were finished, the christening
through the vast throng to the gaily
decorated stage at the bow of the
Kearsarge. The party was composed
of Mr.. Calvin B. circuit, president of
pany, Mrs. Herbert WinslOW, sponsor
for the Kearsarge and her maid of hon
or, Miss Margaret Eastman, of Wash
ingtOn; Miss Christine Bradley, sponsor
for the Kentucky, and her maids of
honor, Misses Mary GateWoOd, Lillian
Siege, SaIlie BronstOn, Abbie Ballard
and Alice Castleman, all of the blue
grass state; Miss Anna Webb of Pa
of Virginia and staff and a number of
state officials of Kentucky; Lieut.. Com
mander Herbert Winslow, U. S. N, the
only surviving son of the captain, who
captained the famous old Kearsarge,
in her fight with the Alabama members
of the house and senate committees on
naval affairs and other distinguished
visitors from Washington.
All preparations being arranged and
the fair sponsor of the Kearsarge in
her station, a saw severed the sole
and the splendid hull started on her
journey to the water. AS it started
Mrs. WinslOW broke the bottle of cham
payne over its bow, and exclaimed,
KearSarge." As the vessel glided
smoothly into the river, it seemed as
if bedlam had broken loose. Cheer
after cheer went up from the crowd
and the shriIl whistles of the steamers
in the harbor welcomed the new naval
champion to its natural element. The
cruiser Brooklyn and monitor Puritan,
which were lying on the stream, were
the representatives of the navy present.
The christening party then proceeded
to the bow of the Kentucky, which YES
sci was launched at 11:35 a. m This
ceremony was an exact counterpart of
the former except that when the crit
ical moment arrived Miss Christine
Bradley broke cut glass bottle of wa
ter from the spring on the old Lincoln
farm and said: I christen thee Ken
lucky" Then as the vessel started
down the ways, several bottles of old
bourbon whisky were hurled against
her sides by Kentuckians who were
opposed to the water christening. Wa
ter from the spring of Jefferson Davis
farm in Kentucky, was also smashed on
the vessels sides. Both launchings
were successful in every particular.
The invited guests and distinguished
visitors then boarded the steamer New
port News and proceeded to Old Point,
when the ship yard officials rendered a
magnificent banquet. Covers were laid
for 600 persons. 1t was entirely inform
al. Among the toasts responded to
were Kentucky" by Governor Bradley
and Virginia. by Governor Tyler.