The Meeker herald. [volume] (Meeker, Colo.) 1885-current, 1901-05-25
PRESIDENT M'KlNLEY VIEWS
THE LAUNCHING OF THE OHIO

/ AH1QUV JULIE N Dwell 0&SAsSAs8 t1ekV AAS . >ss1
breasted tide Of San Franchise bay, u
was not a. splendid and maknifcent
~ the great naval pageant which &C.
companied 1t, nor a. profoundly Inn
presaive a. the greeting extepdeti Ia
the President by the 400 employees Of
the ship yard.
With the threat Of great strike Inn.
pending, the Presidents words to the
| working men to-day have an ADDED sig
nificance and his reference to expan-
sion and other national Questiops make
his speech, probably the last he Will
| ever deliver ON his present Dur, In
every respect q notable one.
When the President left tle sick
room of his wife every Arrangement
had been made to notify him on the
instant Of any change for the worse
in her condition. He was driven to the
| wharf in q closed carriage, esco'ted by
q squad OF mounted police.
The Cabinet and other distinguished
guests were already aboard t1e trans
port tug Slocum, which was ID convey
the party to the Union Iron Works two
miles up the bay, when he arrived. The
Presidents nag, an eagle and shield
on a blue field, was flying from the
main and the Union Jack was at the
bow a. he stepped smilingly up the
| gangway to the accompaniment Of the
cheers Of the thousands who crowded
the neighboring pier heads.
Every wharf on the sea front
swarmed with people. Up near the
ship yards the grim warships Of the
Pacific squadron were swinging at an
Choir, with streams Of signal flags ex-
tending fore and aft over the peaks
from prov to taffrail. on near Goat
island lay the transport Sheridan,
travel stained from her long journey
across the Pacific. She had Just ar
rived from the Philippines and still
had aboard the Forty-second and
Forty-sixth infantry which she had
brought home.
The President saw her at once and
requested that the course Of the Slo-
cum be changed to allow him to pass
near her. AS the Slocum approached
the big transport there was a scene OF
almost frenxied enthusiasm aboard.
The soldiers. all in their service uni
forms, rushed to the side and sent up
President Of the United States come
to welcome them home.
The band on the after deck struck up
the Star Spangled Banner" The sol
diers climbed the rails and ratlines
and almost drowned the music with
their shouts. They swung their hats
and acted like madmen. Several Of
them brought their reGlmantal Tags
and waved them frariaicaily to and fro
from the bridge. TIA ensign at the
stern was dipped again ard again. The
salute was answered ~ ~ Glocum.
The President was plaina{ moved b.
the remarAah3o desnnnstfatlG
Al tbs elocum drew ngr ttbe line Of
stesssetad ,Ahunaersss a. ~ 0eep, Nth
3aeNiaa Inning tn ~ ~ masfne
Reasu2a d4MWn - ftsAne d11eefs ~
f1lsv1ltfttu "a tAe hFtdaes, pun d
smoke harnt like white balloon from
the port quarter 0f the battleship Wis
consin, Admiral Caseyss flagship.
Boom! came the report. It was the
hrst gun from the ships first OF
Of the twenty one. -
Each OF the warships. the big, saw
age battleship Iowa. the long, lean
cruisers Philadelphia and Adams. the
little torpedo boat Farragut and the
revenue cutter McCulloch. which was
with Dewey at Manila. turned loose
their secondary batteries as the SlO-
cum slowly steamed by.
Beyond the warsl,ipH the lite tug
threaded her way through the h0ll-
day fleet Of steamers. yachts, tugs.
harges and every variety of water
craft jammed about the front of the
ship yard.
Each was black with cheering peo-
pie and there was hardly one of them
which did not have saluting gun Of
some sort to add Its voice to the roar
80 ~ that NHaa$oA tho pFoS3AaRNk
from the dense crowd of workmen
gathered upon the pier.
Ashore to the right was stand COW
cred with acres Of people and beyond
that hill alive with them. Up the
pier a broad aisle Of white muslin ran
through the workmen packed on eth
er side. Up this path, arched over
with flags and banners, one of them
bearing the Inscription: 1.-THE Oregon
has made her record: watch the Ohio
the President and his party moved to
q stand where the representative Of
the 1900 employees Of the Union Iron
Works, in neat speech. in which he
asked heartfelt blessing upon the
head Of the Presidert and expressed
tender sympathy for his suffering
wife, presented the President ~
token of the esteem of the workmen,
with 4 gold plate engraved with q
suitable inscription.
The Presidents response amused
much enthusiasm. It was in 0Att ~
follows: 38F
II am inexpressibly thankfufsto the
Ruler Of us for his goodness and his
mercy, which have made 1t possible
for me to be with you here to-day.
II have wanted to see the men of
the Union Iron Works. / have known
of their skill. I have seen their gen.
Jus displayed In their workmanshsp. ]
have observed what your SPOKESMAN
has 20 well said, that suffering under
the disadvantages Of fuel, indeed thou
sands Of miles away from the raw ma
terials which go to make sliip, you
hare yet persevered and triumphed
and made as good ships as have ever
sailed the seas.
"As the head Of the nation. want