Kootenai County Republican. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1899-1903, 1901-05-24
launching Of THE ohio"
Large xsasss ~ Ohioans Presens 60
Be che nastleshsp seat ca ss-
Wsssr-PsessA~ss was Th~r~-was
Gssem = Present.


San FRANCISCO. May 20.--FortunateIy
Mrs. McKinley's condition permitted
the president 10 attend the launching
Of the Battieship Ohio from the yards
Of the Union Iron works. To witness
the launching OF this ship, named in
honor OF his native state. was the
real object Of tho presidents trip
across the continent. and the even,
which has attracted Ia the Pacific
coast the governors of three states.
the Ohio congressional delegation.
several United States senators and
many other notable and distinguished
people.
Dramatic and picturesque az was
the sight Of Ia 300 tons Of steel slid
ing into tine full crested tide OF San
Francisco hay. IL WAS not as splendid
and magnificent al the great naval
pageant which accompanied II. nor an
profoundly impressive as the greeting
extended To the president by the 1900
employees ut tho shipyards. With the
threat Of q great strike impending the
presidents words to the workingmen
have added Significance, and his ref
ercnce 10 expansion and other ma
tional questions makes his speech,
probably the last no will deliver on
his present tour. In every respect q
notable one. When the president left
the sick room Of hls wife every ar.
rAngcment had been made To notify
him on tho instant OF any change for
the morse In her condition. The phys
icians assured him there was no indI.
cation Of . sat back. but at hin request
tc,esraphic connections were made ut
the wharf and at the ship yard. and
save for tho timo he was on the
water he was not for u minute away
from direct communication with the
Scott residence.
He Was driven IN thu wharf In n
closed carriage escorted by squad
Ut mounted police. The cabinet and
other distinguished guests were nj.
ready aboard the transport tug Slo.
cmm. which was TO convey the party
Ia the Union iron works two miles up
the bay. when he arrived The presi.
dents iiax. nm eagle and shield on n
blue neld. was fiying from the main
and tho union jack at the bow AZ he
stepped smiling up the gangway to
the accompaniment Of cheers OF thous.
amis who blackcned the ncighboring
pier heads. Then began the sail over
the shining waters OF the bay. II
proved TO be u triumphal journey. the
like Of which has not been Witnessed
In this country since Admiral Dewey
upon his return from the Philippines
sailed mp the Hudson on the Olympia,
Every craft In the harbor was deckcd
In gayest attire and tho city In the
background was u perfect mound Of
waving nags. Every wharf on the sea
front swarmed with people. Up near
the shipyards the grim waTships OF
the Pacific squadron were swinging
1T anchor. with streams OF signal flags
fore and aft over tho peaks from prov
To tanrail.
on near Goat island lay the trans.
port Sheridan. travel stained from
her long journey across the Pacific,
Che had Just arrived from tho Philip'
pines and still had aboard the Forty
second and Forty.sixth United States
Volunteer infantry which she had
brought home. The president saw her
IT once and requested that tho course
Il tho Slocum should be changed Ia
allow him 10 pass near her. "A the
Hlocum approached the big transport
there was y scene Of almost frenxied
enthusiasm aboard. The soldiers. all
IT. their service uniforms. rushed 10
the aide and rent the air with cheer
on cheer ut the sight OF the president
Of the United States come to wei
come them home. The band on the
after deck struck up '"rhe star Span.
eled Banner" The soldiers climbed
the rails and ratlines and almost
drowned the music with their shouts.
They swunx their hats and acted like
rad men. Sesera! es them got ons
their regimeutai nags and waved
them srantically tn and fro from the
bridge. Tho ensign at the storm Was
dipped again and again. The salute
wAs answered by the Slocum. The
president was plainly moved by the
remarkable demonstration. lie stood
ON tho lower deck. uncovered. bowling
and smiling and waving his handkcr
chief until the sound Of shouting died
away In tho distance.
This welcome from the soldlers was
only the beginning. A the Slocum
drew near the line Yf steel clad thur
derers VI the deep. with jaekies linire
the rails. tho marine guards drawn M
eft and oflicers In full uniform ON the
bridges. \ pun of smoke bnrs. like a
white balloon from thu port quarter
Of the battlcship Wisconsin, Admiral
Cas~y's naxship. Hoom' came the re-
port. II Was tho nrat gun from the
ships---the nrst of 81. Each Of iLe
wsrships. the big. savage ha'tleshlp
Iowa. tho long lean cruisers philadci
,hia and Adams. the little torpedo boat
Fnrasut and the revenue cutter McCul'
ax...~N ~hich waa With Dewey AT Ma.