The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-07-13
LAUNCHING OF THE CHAPLIN


Md.-A Successful Launching Which
Presages u Successful Career-Chris.
tened by Little Miss Cecilia Geraty-
New England Rum Used.
If, as shipping men generally believe
a successful launching presages any
thing of the future career of a steamer
then the Chester w. Chaplin, the new
boat of the New Haven Steamboat com
pany, has before her long and pros
porous one. The new steamer was
launched about 2 o'clock Tuesday after
noon at the ship yard of the Maryland
Steel company at Sparrows Point, Md,
a few miles down the Patapsco river be-
low Baltimore. The big boat slid down
the ways gracefully and smoothly with
out a hitch and as she struck the water
she glided like a swan out into the river
about half a mile, riding upright and
trim without list to either side.
The guests were royalty entertained by
the Maryland Steel company and the
New Haven Steamboat company. The
New Haven party, including the local
agent of the New Haven Steamboat
company, Charles I. French, and wife,
and collector of the port of New Haven,
John w. Mix and wife, left this city on
the steamer Richard Peck shortly after
midnight Monday night and the next
morning with a number Of invited guests
from New York, took special drawing
room cars attached to the Baltimore and
Washington express at Jersey City.
At Philadelphia another special car
containing a party of guests from that
city was attached to the train. At Bal
timore the special cars were switched to
the spur track which runs to Sparrow's
Point The shipyards of the Maryland
Steel company were reached about 80.
The visitors found the Chaplin already
for launching. Two platforms, each
decorated with bunting, had been
erected one at the bow and the other
at the stern of the new boat and from
these platforms the visitors watched the
launching. At 2 o'clock the large gang
of workmen began driving the wedges
to hoist the boat well onto the creased
tracks down which she was to slide for
the first dip. Grouped about the bow
was party including little Miss Cecilia
Geraty, the eight-year-old daughter of
Superintendent Geraty of the New Ha-
ven line who was to christen the steam
er. After a few minutes pounding and
saving the huge hull silently and slow
ly began to move. At once a great
shout There she goes went up from
the gang of men who had started her.
These men who had worked on the
building of the boat and had seen her
nearing completion day after day, who
had carefully laid each plate and Sc
curely fastened each bolt, who knew
fabric, We're among the most interested |
Of the thousands present and none APP |
reared more pleased than they when the |
boat was riding safely on the river af |
ter one of the most successful of the |
numberless successful launchings which |
have taken place at that yard.
AS the boat began to move little Miss
Cecilia raised bottle of New England
rum and dashed it against the steel
bow saying as she did so, Il christen
thee Chester w. Chaplin The New
England rum was substituted for
champagne at the suggestion of Presi
dent Chaplin of the New Haven Steam
boat company, for whom the steamer Is
named. Mr.. Chaplin said that as the
boat was to be a New Englander, moth
ing was more appropriate for use at
the christening than New England
rum. The bottle was completely cover
ed with braiding of red, white and blue
ribbon, and the pieces will be gued to-
gether and the restored bottle presented
to Cecilia Geraty as a souvenir of the
occasion.
A number of yachts with Baltimore
people aboard had gone down from that
city to see the launching and as the
Chaplin glided down into the water the
whistles of these yachts, those of the
ship yard shops, with the booming of
the yachts howitzers and the cheers of
The crowds made a deafening noise.
The engines of the boat are being
quilt in the shops of the yard and after
he launching the guests were taken in
10 the shops to see the vitals of the | ;
steamer in process of construction
A fine lunch was then served by the
Steel company in the mould loft and at
AS the return trip to Jersey City was
begun.
Among the guests were Mr.. and Mrs.
CHARLES T. French, Collector John w.
Nix and wife, Steamboat Inspectors
frederick l.. Dennis and Wright, Lu |
her H. Bent, George Woods, director
# the Maryland Steel company, G. B.
Roberts, jr., George D. Dixon of the
Railroad company, George
crane, George E. Garnshaw, president q
f the Garnshaw Steamship company;
;tedman Bent, J. G. Searles, ]. D. S
lindsay, D. w. Reynolds, e. c. Eel 0
on, president; S. w. Baldwin, A. E.
levy, ]. v. w. Reynolds, and Richard
'eters, jr., of the Pennsylvania Steele f
ompany, all of Philadelphia.
H. T. Cause, president; S. K. Smith, II
reasurer, and T. j. Shaw, general SUI
of the Harlan & Holdings
yorth Co.; A. c. Gray, Miss Natalie l.
wilson, the Misses Draper, Mrs La d
lont Dupont, Miss Mary Dupont Alex j
nder Sellers, Captain Willard Thomp
IN, Charles w. Pussy, Captain FL. B. o
Tones. United States navy retired, of II
Del; c. Fl. Livingston, DIR.
A. Draper, jr., of Washington, d. c.; Is
). Fl. Marshall and j. H. Clark, of u
altimore and Ohio railroad; Mr. and
[rs 6 w Hultz Mr. and Mrs w NJ | &