The Saint Paul globe., 1899-06-11


BRISTOL, r. T.. June 1O.-America.s "a
new cup defender. the representation of
the best building skill and materials or
winch the Western continent can boast
was carefully lowered into the water
oown the ways, Mrs. c. Oliver Iselin
christening her Columbia"
The launching Of the latest protector Of
Uncle Sans sailing laurels was probably
one or the most spectacular that has ever
occurred, for the light of day had al
most FADED when she started down the
ways and three powerful calcium lights
played upon her white stern and shining
golden underbody with theatrical effect
AS she fairly cleared the shore a large
SILK american yacht ensign was broken
out over her stern, the colors of her own
ef appeared on small jury mast
stepped IN place of the regular mast, and
the New York Yacht club pennant flew
IN the waist of the boat. With the lights
playing on the flags and twenty or more
OF the crew lying about the deck, the
scene was filled with animation and
color.
Ranged on both sides of the dock were
o'ooo spectators. while off the end We're
clustered fifty or more yachts of all
kinds, so that there was plenty of noise.
cheers. whistles and guns to help out
the brilliant effect of the lights.
Mrs. lselin performed her part graceful
ly, surrounded by half hundred society
leaders Of New York, Providence and
Boston, and many yachting friends of her
husband
The launching was a great success
from beginning to end, being attended
only by one unfortunate accident among
the spectators.
new cup defender Is again afloat
and in another few weeks will be ready
to battle for the yachting supremacy OF
the world.
While twice before in it's history this
little town has felt the thrill accompany
ing the launching of an American defend
er, the lowering into the water tonight of
the beautiful Columbia was nevertheless
an event Of great Importance to Bristol,
as well as to the entire yachting world.
simultaneously with the arrival of nu-
merous yachtsmen from New York and
Boston in the morning there sailed into
the harbor and anchored off Browns
sheds, at the Herresshoff works, score
or more steamships and schooners and
sloops, and from the decks Of these
yachts people watched all the afternoon
the final preparations for the event.
COLUMBIA CHRIsTENED.
An hour before the launching the big
door, which for weeks had screened the
back end of the shed, was taken down,
and for the first time the world had a
chance to see the shining underbody of
the boat. Inside the she'd, assembled
under the, bow of the boat was the chris
tentng party, with Mrs. Iselin as the
central figure, while on deck were twenty
Of the Coumbia's crew, with one or. two
officers, and Nat Herresshoff. At sos
O'Clock Mr.. Herreshoff gave the signal
and the work of lowering the boat into
the water began. 1t took about ten min
utes to get her started, and at STA she
was seen TO move There was consid-
erable creaking, at, first and one or. two
short stops, but at S:19 she began to slide
setadily, and then it was that Mrs Iselin
dashed the bottle ofAehampagne against
her bow and said
'I christian thee Columbia"
AS the boat came slowly out there was
d shout from the crowd. Slowly the bow
moved down the railway, and the place 4
resounded with cheers and hand-clapping. 4
When half the stern overhanging was l
clear of the shed, half dozen of the
new boats crew who were lying on her
deck jumped to their feet and raised a
magnificent American yacht club ensign
in the air. e.
Then there was another bustling on the
deck. and a half dozen men raised the
white star and crescent on a red burgee
above and a red and blue burgee below
the colors of Commodore ]. Pierpont Nor
gan and C. Oliver Iselin, respectively.
Soon the long, tapering bow was clear
of the shed, and on the extreme end a
staff bearing the New York Yacht club
burgee was slipped into q socket. Inch by
inch the long slim craft moved down, and
the water soon Tapped the metal rudder,
which cleaned like gold under the rays
of the lights, and the water crept up
until the rudder head was completely
submerged, and the keel was hidden from
view.
DISTRESSING ACCIDENT.
Just as the Columbia was about out a
distressing accident occurred. The ex-
plosion of a can of flash-light powder
blew leg and part of the head off Ma
poleon San Suci, aged twelve years, broke
the legs of two other boys and severely
injured several other persons. The photo
grapher who caused the accident select
ed the top of shed, the roof Of which
was closely packed with boys. In pour
ing out the flash-light powder train
must have been left connecting the large
can of explosive, with the small quantity
on the camera. AS the photographer
touched the fuse he shouted warning.
but there was no space in which the boys
could move. A terrific explosion followed.
the entire shed collapsed. many women on
the wharves tainted from the Shock and
there was great excitement.
Policemen pulled the injured from the
wreck and carried them into the Her.
reshoff shops. San Souci was taken from
the wreck and carried to his home near
by, where he died in a few moments,
without regaining consciousness.
The injuerd are all Bristol boys, and the
occurrence has east a gloom over the
Columbia's launching.
The Columbia moved slowly down the
railway and into the deep water Of
the bay until at last she drew out from
the steel cradle and bobedNup and down
with the gentle waves. She was then
swung in and moored alongside the pier.
WHAT COLUMBIA IS LIKE.
To the casual observer Columbia re-
sembles the Defender in many respects.
There is the same long overhang, both
forward and aft and the same deep un-
derbody, with tons of lead cast into a
bulb shaped keel at the very bottom. A
careful study Of the hull reveals many
points in which the new craft differs
from the champion of '95 Columbia has
long, tapering bow, rounding UP grad
ually from the keel, and ending in an
extremely sharp point at the stem. The