The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1901-05-24
LAUNCHING OF THE "OH|O'
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.
Large Number of Ohioans Present to
See the Battleship Sent to the
water-President Was There-was
Given Present.


Mrs. McKinley's condition permitted |
the president to attend the launching |
of the Battleship 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 the presidents trip
across the continent, and the event
which has attracted to 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 as was
the sight of $4,000 tons of steel slid
ing into the full crested tide of San
Francisco bay, it was not as splendid
and magnificent as the great naval
pageant which accompanied it, nor as
profoundly impressive as the greeting
extended to the president by the $500
employees of the shipyards. With the
threat of great strike impending the
presidents words to the workingmen
have added significance, and his ref
erence to expansion and other ma
tional questions makes his speech,
probably the last he will deliver on
his present tour, in every respect
notable one. When the president left
the sick room of his wife every ar
rangement had been made to notify
him on the instant of any change for
the morse in her condition. The phys
icians assured him there was no indi-
cation of a set back, but at his request
telegraphic connections were made at
the wharf and at the ship yard, and
save for the time he was on the
water he was not for a minute away
from direct communication with the
Scott residence.
He was driven to the wharf in a
closed carriage escorted by a squad
of mounted police. The cabinet and
other distinguished guests were al
ready aboard the transport tug Slo-
cum, which was to convey the party
to the Union Iron works two miles up
the bay, when he arrived. The presi-
dents flag, an eagle and shield on a
blue field, was flying from the main
and the union jack at the bow as he
stepped smiling up the gangway to
the accompaniment of cheers of thous-
ands who blackened the neighboring
pier heads. Then began the sail over
the shining waters of the bay. 1t
proved to be a triumphal journey, the
like of which has not been witnessed
in this country since Admiral Dewey
upon his return from the Philippines
H. |. 10,
Every craft in the harbor was decked
in gayest attire and the city in the
background was a perfect mound of
waving flags. Every wharf on the sea
front swarmed with people. Up near
the shipyards the grim warships OF
the Pacific squadron were swinging
at anchor, with streams of signal flags
fore and aft over the peaks from PROV
to taffrail.
Off near Goat island lay the trans
port Sheridan, travel stained from
her long journey across the Pacific
She had just arrived from the 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
at once and requested that the course
Of the Slocum should be changed to
allow him TO pass near her. AS the
Slocum approached the big transport
there was a scene of almost frenzied
enthusiasm aboard. The soldiers, all
IL their service uniforms. rushed to
the side and rent the air with cheer
on cheer at the sight of the president
of the United States come to wei
come them home. The band on the
after deck struck up "The Star Span
gled Banner" The soldiers climbed
the rails and ratlines and almost
drowned the music with their shouts
They swung their hats and acted like
mad men. Several of them got out
their regimental flags and waved
them frantically to and fro from the
bridge. The ensign at the stern was
dipped again and again. The salute
was answered by the Slocum. The
president was plainly moved by the
remarkable demonstration. He stood
on the lower deck, uncovered, bowling
and smiling and waving his handker
chief until the sound of shouting died
away in the distance.
This welcome from the soldiers was
only the beginning. AS the Slocun
drew near the line of steel clad thur
derers of the deep, with jackies lining
the rails, the marine guards drawn VI
aft and officers in full uniform on the