Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-04-16
DOT BILE LAUNCHING
vi the Morgan Liners at New
port Nets,


NEWPORT NEWS. VA. April 15.-(spe-
ciaL)-El Norte and III SUD. two Of the
Tour large freight steamers building here
'or the Morgan Line. operating between
Ne" York and New Orleans. were launch
ca at the ship-yard to-day IN the pres
'ence OF quite a large crowd Of spectators.
OF course. the assembage was not as
great as that which saw the battleships
| hearSarge and Kentucky go overheard
March y, 1895 or even as large as that
which witnessed the launching Of the bat
teship Illinois. October an last But con-
/ Sidering the fact that no attempt M ctr-
| cmony. other than the traditional custom
| which attends every launching. and no
! effort 10 advertise the event were made
| by the shp-yard ana Morgan Line Off
| cials, tO-day's crowd was OF fair proper
| tions. many persons being present from
neighboring cities. 1t is estimated that
| between 400 ana 5000 people saw the new
merchantmen take their initial plunge
/ into the waters Of the historic James.
| which have washed the sides Of a score
| OF splendid ships build by the Newport
News Shp-Bunding and Dry-DOck Com
pany.
Miss Mary Orcutt, OF New York. daueh-
ter Of Mr. Calvin B. Orcutt. president OF
the ship-building company. christened III
Norte as the beautifully-cut hull glided
down the creased ways Miss jeanette
Palen, of Monticello, ~ Y, sponsor for
El sud, performed a similar ceremony as
That snip started down 10 the water. The
Morgan Line officials had the selection OF
a sponsor for El NOrte. and they chose
Miss Orcutt, who christcncd the first E
Norte when ii was launched, June il. 1892
TO President Orcutt was left the choice
Of young lady TO christen III sud. lie
named Miss Palen. Of his own State. who
has been spending the winter with rela-
tivcs i'm Norfolk. She is sister OF Mr.
Fred. Palen. draughtsman I'm charge Of
the engine department at the ship-yard
Notwithstanding the decision OF the
Morgan Line officials to have the launch
ing ceremony as informal as possible. the
ship-yard had several distinguished guests
to-day. Assistant Secretary of War
MickeljOhn and Assistant Secretary of
Treasury Taylor arrived at Old Point
from Washington this morning on official
business and both came over TO witness
the launching and view the plant. Mr..
Horace See. the well-known naval archi-
tect. who is consulting engineer 20 the
Morgan and Cromwell lines. arrived I'm
the city yesterday afternoon from New
York, accompanied by Mrs. See. Several
intimate friends of the sponsors were in
the christening parties.
TO-daN's event commences another new
era for the Morgan Line, as well as the
Newport News Ship-Building and Dry
Dock Company. El Norte and FL sud,
with the other two Morgan liners build
ing here. viii replace the four ships OF
like names which were sold to the gov
ernment at the opening of the war with
Spain. These ships, too. were built 10y the
ship-yard. With the new vessels in SER
vice. the line Will be- in position 10 better
handle the heavy traffic IL enjoys between
New York and New Orleans. The ships
put overheard to-day are the first OF six
abe. F-''.i l1fsucileu TINS year, dnd the
first launched OF the nine valuable mer-
chant contracts signed by the ship-yard
since the war;
The ship-yard gates were thrown open
TO the public to-day at 1870 O'Clock. quite
q crowd had collected. and when the
gates were pushed back the people surged
down into the yard TO the ways ON which
the big huils rested awaiting their chris
tening at the hands Of the fair young la
dies selected TO do the hOnOrs. Miss Or
cutt and her party, who arrived in the
city yesterday, consisting of Miss Kate
Marshall Smith and Mr.. and Mrs See. OF
New York, We're the first TO arrive at the
shp-yard offices. Miss Palen. accompa-
MED by Miss Florence Smith. Mrs. West
eryelt Mrs. Margaret Roper. and Mr..
and Mrs f.. +. Palen. an of Norfolk, and
a party Of friends. arrived from the city
across the Roads on the steamer Louise
at . o'clock Miss Palen was the guest
of her brother until the hour for proceed
ing 10 the ship-yard. and arrived at the
offices shortly after the other
party.
At 1880 o'clock the christening parties,
accompanied by President Orcutt Gene
Superintendent Walter \. Post. and
the lady and gentlemen guests of the
ship-yards, left the offices and repaired
To the launching ways. At the bow Of
each ship was a platform and the party
first ascended TO that built at the sharp
steel Prov of El Norte
While the spectators awaited the APP
preaching hour for the launching of El
Norte, a large force of workmen was
busy removing the shores from the ship's
sides and getting the ways i'm condition
for the vessels journey to the river.
Finally, the last timber was removed.
and the buZZng Of the saw was heard 9s
t slowly penetrated the stout plank
which joined the sliding and ground
ways The sudden snap of cracking TIM
Der announced 10 the impatient specta-
Tors that the critical moment had ar
rived. El Norte trembled on the ways
md slowly left its bed of timber, which
[ had occupied since last fall
simultaneously with the first movement
IF the hull. Miss Orcutt, who was stand
ng on the christening platform at the
DOW Of the ship, holding in her right hand |
he traditional bottle Of champagne en- |
.ased i'm a beautiful silken net. graceful |
" cast the bottle against the receding |
BROW at 1880 o'clock. cXclaiming at the |
.ame time: IL chrsten thee. III NOrte.'
The crowd next turned its attention TO |
q sud. and quickly surrounded the ways !
Dn which she rested. The preliminaries /
we're similar 20 those of the first launch !
ng. When the last restraining plank was |
evered by the big saw, Miss Palen did |
he christening honors. naming the ship. |
Il 10 o'clock. in these words. Il christen |