The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-13
IRIGG ARG ESl
Sill AljlYCHED.
accident Precipitated Affair and a
Man Was Hurt,
LEG BROKEN IN TRAP WORK

Great Social importance Of the Launching OF
the Big Chesapeake and Ohio Boat
Took Many YI.itors Out Ia
Bad sMeathe..
With a cTuEching and grinding OF her
Z JuaaWaTs, the big twi2-scrcw5 Chesapeake
and Ohio steamer, the Virginia. lurchsd
down unexpectedly from her slide into the
Z water yesterday Afternoon ten minutes
before the hour set Tor her launching.
As she moved Lemuel L. Seay. n ship
carpenter, of no. 3s15 Fourth Street,
Po.. Mayo. was caught beneath the trap
work, which supported the stern, and had
one OF his legs crushed between the keel
and q big rock The injured man
ti now ut the Retreat for the Sick.
Beyond this no damage was done, and
indeed few of .hc thousands OF specta-
1ors CT eased at the moment that every
thing was not according 10 i,ia:..
In the sideways launching. which is
the custom at tie Triss slipyards where
+ the Virginia took her initial dip, 1t is ne
ccssary before the final release OF the
craft TO seEd a dozen or SO ship carpen-
tors beneath to knock out the supporting
.centcrs," and then comes the signal for
! the release Of all stays. The Virginia IS
The largest craft yet launched at the
CARDS. therefore when the last support
ing center had been knocked out the big
craft began to move, unexpectedly.
Fer II y oment there was IL scramble
and all escaped, save Seay. AS the vessel
moved rapidly he was caught and his in
I jury left Kim unconscious between the
scantl!ngs CT the runway. Immediately
4,
hundreds had already turned away. and
dia not know of the accident until later
in tho day. Seayshasi q wife and five chill
dren.a He will recover, it IS stated.
BIG CRAFT REELED.
The unexpected moving of the craft
when she had only been partially released
had a peculiar effect on The launching.
For an instant there was a dreadful sus-
pense as the big craft recled. Then came
LIE rending OF heavy timber, and with a
final crash the vessel scooted. down into
the water Tith a rush
As the Virginia struck she staggered,
but she very quickly righted herself, and
a sigh Of relief went up from the crowd
as she Swayed into the narrow basln.
Quick. and unexpected, as was the launcn-
ing, Miss Helen Stevens, the fair sponsor,
didn't fail in herr duty, and the smashed
bottle: left a bubbling, kissing stream of
champagne down tfle prov of the boat
With the smash came the magic WoruS:
81 c,lristen thee Virginia.
INTERESTING SOCIETY EVENT
The launching YVES socially of vast i'm
rortaIce and the rain and intemperate
weather pexed fair women vastly. Still
the waterproof saveS many handsome
toiiettes and the umbrellS was a friend
in need. On the Sponsors Sand with
Miss Stevens. ali Siay clcakec for The
ram, were her maids Of honor, Miss Louise
Selden, of Goochiand and Miss Alice
1Iotchkiss. Miss Fannie Norman. ana
Miss Es sic Archer, of Richmond. In adj
Gition to these were many prominent
ladies and gentlemen, invited guests Of
the 1'rigg shipyards:3 Behind this a great
e,sa,lGst and For thes accommodation OF
other Invited guestssflad1 been erected
Governor Tyler and Congressman Lamb
were among. the earliest arrivals at the
wards, and there followed ir,,,'lt GlateiE
many members of the City Council and
Board of Aldermen. Several minor State
and city officials were present and all,
with the distinguished visitors from out
sof-town. were entertained at an infpr-
NAL luncheon SerSiG& ii'5S ihooel
shop in the yards Immediately alter the
launching. Miss Stevens, daughter Of
President George w. Stevens, of the
chesapeake and ohio Railroad, vas, with
the maids Of honor, also entertained by
CT ,>NANN
moro formal affair.
DISTINGUISHED GUESTS.
Among The out-of-town guests who had
beeu invited to witness the launching
We're n. S. Hayward, superintendent OF
motive power for the .PennsylNanla: II.
NJ. Ella gler, William S. Ellis, John Skel-
ton Warren; f. L: Dubosque, assistant
engineer of floating equipment OF the
PEI r.sylvania Railroad, Jersey City; w
y (1,tfl Ja,, J,reSi1anf and RI HlH-
gins, superintendent engineer, of the Old
Domirion Steamship Company, New
yc,k; Captain John ". CAST and J. w.
Nicholson. custorn-house, Norfolk, II. c.
Welt. New York; Z. Kemp Duval, Frank
S. Cannon, II. Won Rebuer Paschwitz'
Captain Lewis Bayley and Judge ". a.
Day, OF Washington; John N Sherwood,
OF Baltimore; H. E. Parker and Captain
William Ccoksey, of Newport News; John
r. Gould, Huntington; Captain and Mrs.
&. o. Patterson, Petersburg; w S. Ellis.
4, Stewart Patterson, and Fl. G. Lloyd,
Jr.. Philadelphia.
DESCRIPTION OF THE BOAT.
The Virginia WAS constructed for the
Chesapeake and Dhio Railroad. She Is
to replace the losise3in the run between
Newport News, and Norfolk. -ier length
foot draft Her contract speed is egh-
teen knots an hour. Her engines are
expected to develop 200 horsepower.
The boilers will be OF the Thorneycraft
pattern, with $500 square feet of heating
surface The Virginia has been in course
Of construction since last January.
Specia. trains from Norfolk and New
mort News brought many visitors to
Riclanond yesterday to attend the,
launching. Owing to the accident which
,nade the event a bit:earlier than was eS-
pected, many of the visitors missed 1t
after all and intense regret was eS-
bres sed on all SIDES