The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-04-09

--Great Enthassasm Despite Rafa.
Promptly a. 6 O'Clock yesterday after
noon the United States torpedo boat
Rowan was LAUNCHED from the ways AT
che shisyaras OF Moran Bros. Company.
svhere she was built. Ten thousand pso-
pie witnessed the event, and each OF the
1000 might live A separate lifetime with
out Aeeing more faEllisssiy perfect
launching.
Long before the appointed hour First
avenue south was a mass Of humanity.
long, unbroken PROCESSION struggling
southwark. Il Was cosmopolitan process
sion. representing every phase Of the d.
versifed city life and commercial pur-
suits In the city and surrounding country.
Every member OF the long procession had
tho same goal. That goal was Moran's
safeguards.
There. proudly perehed on her ways, -
81 conscious that she were the central OBJ
the new gunboat, the bride Of the hour.
ready. AZ I1ongfeliow expresses IL. to greet
her bridegroom. the gray old sea. And
abe was dressed for the wedding. Her
sides shone bright with the paint that was
not in her case a thing OF arttfiee. but OF
Aecessity. Above her deck the flags Of
oil nations foaied gracefully. hetokeniiix
che wide brotherhood OF which she was
aboat TO become a member and ceplering
The sundering OF that circle by the war In
which she might be called room to take
part
Calm and collected. resoureeful and ener-
oetic. Robert Moran, the father who was
through the crowd. his mastery eye on
che alert for the last details that were to
enark the supreme moment which meant
% much fer him. Not less active were As
Uistant Naval Constructor Lawrence Spear.
che experimenting constructor for the
United States navy. and Passed Assistant
Gagineer W. W. Bush. Inspector OF ma
chinery Tor the United States navy. under
whose supervision the work of cons,ruc-
ton and equipment has progressed from
month TO month. and who stood In a meaJ-
uru her sponsors.
Ten Thousand Spectators.
The vast crowd. which conservative
estimate places at 1000 people. filed every
available foot Of space In and around the
yard from which the vessel was to be
launched. Along the rim of the docks on
each side. on every spar and piece OF float
tnE timber. In small boats and tugs. on the
rude pieces OF scaffolding and on the space
around The ways. thousands were cluster
ed as thlekly as they could gather. Tho
roofs OF adjacent buildings were packed
with enterprising sightseers. who had
Climbed to such positions Of vantage early
In the afternoon and kept them tenacious
~ In the face OF a djzxiinx rain and a be-
sieging crowd
The crowd was study in Itself. oe,r,a,
e'gnilafiss We're there. state officers. tho
mayor and city counciimen. grave Judges
and MAGISTRATES: bat they stood on a leve,
with other people, 50 far as pre-emn,:ng
eraee Around The dock was concerned.
Fosiety folk were there. but their rank as
leader of last years german or hostess Of
The Four Hundred gave them no necu.Iar
advantage save that which courtesy ae-
corded TO nelghhors on every side. The
people OF the city were there en- masse
Trades and professions OF all kinds were
represented by the hundreds. The stran-
gers within our gates took advantage of
The occasion and locked on with wonder
The youth with his best girl. both cur for
81 afs -
places and stood coe.ngiv oyerhsaging .h.,
waters edge, chatting buoyantiy or mat
ters marine and perhaps personal The
small Boy was out IN force lie Gathered
mofsity up and down the temporary gang
ways at the boats side. climbed the tail
posts. perchsd ets the fence and on ths
Gste post. asked numherieSs questions
pleaded vainiy wish the guards 20 ,uz, lei
Rim set on board for moment. vhfstIexi
and shrisked with eatcalls. hailaae,. -fV
he was hcarsr and went home hannx
though one Of his number I'm an excess -
activity had gotten 40 cloSe - the elsa AZ
the deck that he fen into the water era
was nshed oil; after an Involuntary bath
The crowd gathered early bar II ,ila us,
have 10 wait late. TIE preparations for
the launching had heen toe care e,silw
planned for that. T&e boat SAT on a slid
way which had been blocked up av,,ssnsf
hsr 50 a. 10 al her form like glove Tats
Way III tGEA f8-AtA S&g TIE ground
way. ataas which ~ MAS % travel " heY,
the tlsna for launching came. From ths
point where the ground way kissed iAs
waters edge solid pillng had been driven
sar out into the hay. 20 az 50 make a rer
see.iy uniform continuation OK the stone
down whseh the vessel was 30 move Tne
launching blocks were Censtructesi IN t~c
sections NTH wedges between them. :,
That when they mere driven in. fas x~esr,
wrtsin he lifted On the aayx as 4hA xa-.
ssinr laesiug sae keel h.aess ON which Sh-
ead rested and Aeen htslt Tssxgsrs had
hesn carefully set. whseh when sprung al
the last moment. would release the sezss,
The ways bad heen carefully CREASED ana
everything was In readiness.
Rowan March sy Asher.
AZ s.sa o'elcek the nrss notes rem wax.
ner's First Regimen, hand set the kew e
aesriy enthusiasm which prevailed
from that moment tsll after TIE vessel hsa