The Minneapolis journal., 1901-05-18
QUIET, ,EVENTLESS NIGHT
s'0f1caI Soc; n Mrs. McKinley's
Slsty z tinues.
BATTLEsHIP OHIO IS LAUNCHED
President Mckinley Is Able, After
All, 10 Witness the Fine
Ceremony.

News that Mrs. Mckinley had decidedly
Improved came this morning after a quiet
and uneventful night. The weather wa:
pleasant during the night. The sun came
up in clear sky. promising perfect
weather for the ceremony of launching
the battlesLip Ohio. When it was an
nOunced this morning that President Nc
Kinley would attend the launching of the
Ohio, and the mounted guard was seen tc
draw IN in front Of the house prepara-
tory to his departure to the Union Iron
Works, there was a feeling of great re-
lief.
President MeKinley's actions seemed tC
give more assurances of his wife's i'm
provement in health than any statement
from the doctors could have done.
San Francisco May 1S.-Mrs. Mckinley
is reported by Henry T. Scott to be in an
| improved condition this morning. The
/ president attended the launching of the
battleship.
At S:45 a. m. Secretary Cortelyou gave
out the following statement:
Drs Hirschfelder, Gibbons and Cushing met
Dr.. Rixey at 8 a m, and found Mrs Nc
last evening.
During the presidents absence at the
! launching, Mrs. Mckinley slept quietly
and it was reported to the president that
her condition is constantly improving.
The Presidents Part.
When the chief executive left the Scott
house at $40 he walked briskly down to
his carriage. He appeared in good spirits
and the careworn expression noticeable
| for the past few days, had disappeared.
! There was every temptation for the
crowd to cheer, but for fear of disturbing
Mrs. Mckinley there was no demonstra-
| tion, merely q respectful lifting of hats.
In the carriage with President McKin-
ley were Henry T. Scott and Police Com
missioner George Newhall A mounted
guard Of four policemen accompanied the
party.
The president drove rapidly through the
streets and was cheered enthusiastically
and in response repeatedly lifted his hat.
Arrived at the transport dock, he boarded
the government tug Slocum, which was to
carry the presidential party to the scene.
Besides the cabinet members and the
ladies, there were on board Governor
Nash of Ohio and his staff and ladies;
Miss Barber, niece of Mrs. Mckinley, and
Miss Deshler and her sister.
VAST Volume of Sound.
The Slocum was handsomely decorated
with flags and draped with the national
colors. AS she left the transport dock
the screeching of whistles, the changing of
bells and the booming of cannon made
volume Of sound that could be heard for
miles, announcing that the presidential
party was on its way. great fleet of
craft of every possible description had
Z IlnI 2 dor,T oil
with masses Of humanity. 1t was a glor-
ious sight Flags and bunting streamed
from their fastenings, flags fluttered and
streamers trailed in the wind. Bands
played popular airs and there was inces-
SAINT cheering. Added to the noise was
! the boom of cannon from several war
ships. Barges without number, loaded to
their utmost capacity, we're towed down
the bay by powerful tugs and in and out
of the procession steamed the government
tugs, bearing Governor Gage, his staff and
other state officers.
President Mckinley arrived at the
Union Iron Works shortly after 10 o'clock.
There he found the $500 employees as
sembled in the big yard. The president
was greeted with a cheer and was pre-
sented a gold plate in memory of the oc-
casion. He spoke briefly to the men,
thanking them for the gift and compli-
After an inspection Of the works, Mr..
Mckinley went to a stand where he saw
the launching When that was over he
boarded the Slocum and returned to the
Scott residence.
The Ohio Weds the Waves.
Miss Barber pressed the button, Miss
Deshler smashed a bottle of California
champagne ant at 1925 p. m. the big bat
tIaSbiD Ohio took hnr first din into ho
sea
Fifty thousand people cheered them
| selves hoarse; the big guns of the war
ships doomed out a salute and every
steam whistle within a radius of five
miles shrieked its loudest as the steel
monster glided into the water. The noise
| lasted nearly half an hour and when 1t
finally simmered down, there lay the Ohio,
peacefully floating in the little cove in
front of the Union Iron works. Later she
was towed to the dock where she will be
tied for a year or more until completed.
AS the vessel slid into the water stern
foremost, she created a big wave that
made even the biggest steamers nearby
bob uncomfortably up and down. AS for
the smaller craft, they nearly stood on
end Mrs. Mckinley was to have pressed
the button but Miss Barber acted in her
| place.
Irving NJ. Scott and Henry 7. Scott took
the president and Governor Nash and their
parties for a cursory inspection of the
more important sections of the great
yards. By u the greater number of the
nations representatives and other guests
had arrived at the stand.
Great Steel Monster.
They saw lying there a great shape of
steel, ready for the sea. The greater part
of the false superstructure had been re-
moved. The battle craft lay in her great
wooden cradle on the slippery ways. To-
ward the stern the ribs of the cradle ran
well up her sides, shortening towards the
forward length of the ship and disap-
pearing
The ceremonies were simple but signif-
| cant. There was the formal exchange of
aceeptances upon the part of the govern
ment and then the tide having reached it's
food the word was given. The bottle of
California champagne depended from the
bow by ribbons Of red, white and blue,
braided into a rope.
At 1926 p. m. Irving NJ Scott gave Miss
Barber the signal and she touched the
magic electrical machine The guiIlotine
shot downward like flash and severed the
cord. The dog shore tOppled over of its
own weight and the cleverly constructed
system Of props caved in like a house of
cards
The Ohio seemed to shiver slightly, the