The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1899-07-12
THE IOWA
Is AFLOAT
Leaves Port Orch
ard Dry Dock.
TWO LAUNCHES TowED THE SHIP
large Crowds st Gueursienlsts Wit.
ssss the Interesting scene
VIII, Walt seattle
TWO LAUNCHES TONED THE SHIP

Amid a loud blowing of steam
whistles and cheers. the battieship
Iowa la.s night left her berth In the
Port Orchard naval dry deck. and
was towed out into the deep waters
OF the sound, Not a hitch occurred
In the proceedings. Barely half an
hour elapsed from the time abe left
the dock until she was securely an
chored
The above event only serves a.
another illustration Of the admirable
facilities Of the Port Orchard dock.
and its supremacy over those Of the
Eastern navy yards, In almost
every case the smaller vessels % tho
navy have invariably had trouble IN
leaving the docks. In many cases
the vessels refused 10 leave their
berths altogether. and several times
uneir sam had 10 spend considerable
money before the work was eomplst-
"a. The cause Of this ls that the ma
iorny Of the dry docks on the East
err coast DO not possess the require
nents necessary fot the successful
handling Of big vessels. The reasons
are probably found tn the soft con-
tracing character of the land In
which the dock IL built. and the dis
lance from che tide water.
last evening. however. the lafg-
ess aghtlnx bunado In the Ameri-
can navy was removed from the Port
Orchard dock without a hitch of any
sort. The event speaks for itrelf.
II demonstrates that. BotvithsthnG.
ting the Misrepresentation made 20
the navy department Of the dock. Il
10 evident that u r. one Of the best
81 i,s Kind In the United states.
Late IN the afternoon the immsnse
gates Of che dry dock were removed
from the entrance. The waterway
was cleared Of all distractions. and
all wac In readiness A, . o'clock
the work was begun. Capt Terry.
standing on the bridge. directed op-
erstioas. Two Of ths steam launches
belonging 60 the Iowa. got lines fast
90 the port and stasbosrd bows. and
at a given signal they started ahead.
After much tuxxinx and putting. and
snortine OF the launches the big
cruiser began 10 move. Slowly IN.
Iowa moved towards the entrance
OF the dock. ON arriving there the
tines % the launches were cast loose.
and a stoatef lire was passed aboard
her frem the government tuz Active.
At q signal from Capt. Terry the
Active started ahead. and az the
Iowa began to move faster through
the water, the speed of the Active
wss increased 60 iss highest rate
IA the huge spanish destroyer.
looking like some gigantic monster.
passsd by the steamers akaxit Chief.
Alice Gertrude. and state Of Wash.
Inston. which had brouEh, over large
crowds Of ercufslonists. the whistles
Of the three steamers began Ia blow
a DESCENDANT blast which continued
for several sslnutsA Three rossinx
cheers were given by the passengers
on the State.
By an o'clock the Iowa was -.
cursiy anchored. and her powerful
s@srchnshts we're put In operation.
Tire Iowa Will remain at Port or
ehard until July 81. when abe viii
probably come 10 Seattle for = few
days. Che then leaves for aan Fran.
cisco whsrs she will take ON her
supply of ammunition, She will
then proceed 10 Cuba and the orient.