The Topeka state journal., 1898-11-26
OFF GOES THE
WISCONSIN.
The Big New Battleship Sue
cessfuIly Launched
At the Union Iron Works, San
Francisco.
FLOATS ON THE BAY.
FLOATS ON THE BAY.
Miss Stephenson Breaks a Bottle
of French Wine
Much to the Disgust Of the
CaIifOrnians.

San Francisco, Nov. 26.-This morning
at the Union Iron works another great
marine fighting machine was added to
the already large fleet of Pacific war
vessels. The vessel which slid from the
ways this morning was the battleship
Wisconsin, the largest of the vessels
built for the United States government
by the Union Iron works. The launch
ing of the big vessel was effected with
out a hitch and she now rests calmly
on the waters of the bay.
All morning long the street cars let
down their loads of people at the ship
yard and all the available boats on the
bay were pressed into service by people
anxious to see the baptism of the great
vessel. Thousands of people saw the
plunge from different points of vantage
and the platform, especially set aside
for the guests Of the Union Iron works,
was crowded to it's full capacity. The
Wisconsin delegation of ''christeners''
which journeyed all the way from the
Badger state to witness the event were
given the places of honor upon the plat
form with the representatives of the
state, the city and the great iron works
responsible for the safe delivery of the
craft to the government.
OF an nOuT before the plunge d large
force of worl1men tore away chock after
chOck which supported the vessel and
they finished their task almost to the
minute of the prescribed time for the
launching, leaving only one chOck to re-
strain the monster and this was the sup
port that little Miss Lucille Gage, daugh-
ter of the gOvernOr-elect of the state,
had been assigned to remove by means
of a guillOtine and the inevitable cleo
trio button. At a given signal the little
girl pressed the button and the crash
of breaking tim berS announced to the
thousands of anxious spectators that
the vessel was about to leave the ways.
Slowly the iron monster moved towards
the bay and all eyes turned to watch
Miss Elizabeth Stephenson break the
bottle of champagne upon the bow of
the vessel.
Just as the mass of iron and steel
touched the water the fair chriStener
raised the ribbon -bedecked bottle and
let it split on the nose of the vessel.
The roar of applause which greeted this
final act was almost deafening, but it is
safe to say that had Miss Stephenson
broken a bottle of California wine upon
the bow OF the vessel instead of a bot
tie of imported French wine that the
noise would have been much greater,
for the people of the state feel deeply
the Slight put upon one of its staple
products. In fact, the incident of the
wine was the only disagreeable feature
connected with the launching.
The vessel gathered momentum as
leaing the ways f1Oated calmly along
until brought to a 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 The rush of water following the
baptism was so great that the people
on the beach could not escape it and
many of them were thoroughly wet
ted. A number of Whitehall boats mar
rowly escaped capsizing.
Prior to the launching a gigantic
flag of the Union, measuring 27 feet
long and IA feet wide was presented in
honor of the Wisconsin. The flag was
the result of the combined efforts of 300
children of the Irving NJ. Scott public
school, who at the suggestion of their
teachers commenced work upon the
flag on October 20 of this year.
Following the presentation of the flag
the following OPEN ITO the Wisconsin,"
was read by Miss Clara LA Price, it's
author:
Go forth, thou ship with the well loved
The waves of the sea to breast;
Leap out, like line from life bark
To the sbilIows' waiting crest.
Thy charge, Stand firm should foe
As firm as the pine-clad hills
OF the state whose name thou Dearest
The II training of mighty wills.
Stand firm. as her shores by thelake waves
lashed-
Ice girt as the years roll by
Flower-decked when the sun laughs out
in joy
And the spring birds northward fly.
Go forth as the eagle skins the blue
Defiant, brave and free,
A challenge to might, menace to wrong
Wherever thy path may be-
Ten thousand hearts with hopes leap high,
Wisconsin. for thy veal,
Sail fearless. swiftly, proudly forth,
Thou giant armed in steel,
Claim foremost history on history's page,
Thou proof of finite skill,
Go safely forth. thou gallant bark.
Mans trust. beneath Gods will