Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1899-06-12
COLUMBIA IS LAUNCHED
The New Cup Defender Now Floats
on the Waters.
CHRISTENED BY MRS. ISELIN
The Launching Was a Great Success"
An Explosion That Killed One Boy
and Injured Others MARRIED the
FestiyIties-BOat's Dim nsiOns.

Bristol, II. l., June 12.-America' new
tup defender, the representation OF the
best boat building skill and materials OF
which the western continent can boast,
was carefully lowered into the water at
the Herreshoff works at $3.50 O'Clock
Saturday night, and as she started down
the ways Mrs. G. Oliver Iselin chris
tened her Columbia. The launching Of
the latest protector of Uncle Sans sail
ing laurels was probably one of the most
spectacular that ever occurred, for the
light of day had almost faded upon her
white stern and shining golden under
body when she started with theatrical
effect. AS she fairly cleared the shed a
large silk American yacht ensign was
broken out over her stern, the colors of
her owners appeared on n small jury
mast stepped in place Of the regular
mast, and the New York Yacht club
pennant flew in the waist of the boat.
A Splendid Spectacle.
Ranged on both sides of the dock were
5000 spectators, while off the end were
clustered so or more yachts of all kinds.
so that there was plenty of noise cheers.
whistles and guns to help out the bril-
liant effect of the lights. Mrs. lselin
performed her part gracefully. surround
ed by half hundred society leaders Of
New York, Providence and Boston and
many yachting friends of her husband.
The launching was Il great success from
beginning to end, being attended only
| by an unfortunate accident among the
spectators.
just as the Columbia was about half
way out of the shop a distressing acct
dent occurred. The explosion Of can
Of tinshlight powder blew leg and part
of the head off Napoleon San Souci, aged
~ years; broke the legs Of two other
boys George Balfour aged 10, and Luke
Callan. aged 8, and injured several 9TH
er people more or less. The photOgra
pher who caused the accident selected
the top of small coal shed on the north
wharf on which to place his camera.
The roof was closely packed with adj
venturous boys. In pouring out the
tlashlight powder trail must have been
| left connecting the large can of eXplO-
Sive with the small quantity on the cam
era. AS the photographer touched the
fuse he shouted Il warning, but there
was no space in which the boys could
move. A terrific explosion followed. the
entire shed collapsed, many women on
the wharfs tainted from the shock, and
there was great excitement
Boy Died Quickly.
Policemen pulled the injured from the
wreck and carried them into the Heres
hoff shops. San Souci, who was sense
less, was not found for some time, as he
was covered with planks and in dark
ness. He was picked up and taken in a
policemans arms to his home. near by,
where he died in few moments without
regaining consciousness. The spot whore
the boy lay resembled shambles, so
great was the flow Of blood. The boys
father is one of the carpenters who laid
Columbias deck The photographer was
arrested. His name is e. G.. Raining of
Providence employed by William Mills,
photographer Walter Dawson, who &C.
companied him. was not held. He was
ordered not to explode a flashlght on the
wharf by policeman who saw the prep
arations. The injured are all Bristol boys,
| and the occurrence has cast a gloom over
| the town.
A resident Of Bristol who has been
watching Columbia day after day says
| that when the tape was run along from
stem to stern she measured 1872 feet s
inches. Her beam is reported to be "a
| feet 90 inches. and from the top of her
| 10 inch crown deck to the base of the
lead keel the new boat measured close to
% feet, just about what Defender meas
| ured. The keel is estimated to be 90 feet
long at the very foot and contains about
% tons of lead. Allowing for a free
board of about 3 feet 9 inches. Columbia
will be very close to 80 feet on the water
line when her spars, sails, rigging and
racing equipment are aboard. Her draft
will be 20 feet ; inches.