Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1901-05-25

by. Opposite the Mccullough the pres
ident witnessed a small exhibition of
jack tar's skill.
Beyond the warships the little tug
threaded her way through the holiday
fleet of steamers, yachts, tugs, barges,
and every variety of water craft
jammed about the front of the ship
yard. Each was black with cheering
people, and there was hardly one of
them which did not have saluting
gun of some sort to add its voice to
the roar of welcome that greeted the
president from the dense crowd of
workmen gathered upon the pier.
Ashore, to the right, was a stand
covered with a crowd of people and
beyond that a hill alive with them.
Up the pier a board aisle of white
muslin ran through the workmen
packed on either side. Up this path,
arched over with flags and banners,
one of them bearing the inscription:
"The Oregon has made her record;
watch the Ohio" the president and his
party moved to a stand, where the rep
resentative of the $500 employees Of
the Union Iron works. in neat
speech, in which he asked a heartfelt
blessing upon the head of the presi-
dent and expressed tender sympathy
for his suffering wife, presented the
president as token of the esteem Of
the workmen with a gold plate en-
graved with suitable inscription.
The presidents response aroused
much enthusiasm. He told his audi
ence of his friendship for the work
ingmen during his entire public car
eer and touched the hearts of the surg
ing crowd before him as he spoke elo-
quently of the patriotic response
which California had made during the
Spanish war. Many eyes were wet
and more than one of the workmen
made suspicious movement with his
coat sleeve, as if to brush away an
unbidden tear. When the president
spoke of the contentment of the work
ing classes, there was one discordant
note. A big. strapping fellow, perched
upon an adjacent scaffolding, with his
shouted: How about next week."
A hundred of his companions looked
up and motioned to him to cease.
The Launching.
Then came the launching. A plat
form had been built around the PROV
of the big monster, which lay in the
very slip in which the Oregon was
built and from which President Har-
rison launched the monitor Monterey
10 years ago. Gathered on the plat
form were the president and members
of the cabinet, Governor Nash of
Ohio; Miss Deshler, his niece, was
chosen to christen the ship; Miss Bar
Der, who was to act for Mrs. McKin-
ley, and many uniformed officers of
the army and navy. Immediately at
the left was red coated band. Below
workmen were knocking away the last
keel blocks, until the great steel hull
rested upon her cradle and only a
single beam, set like a trigger and
ready to fall aside at blow. held her
in place. Miss Barber and the presi-
dent stood before the electric appli-
ance which controlled the guillotine
that was to sever the rope which
would loose the weight that was to
knock out this last beam. Miss Bar
Der, with her finger on the button.
was looking intently at the indicator.
At 1922 IL, two and a half minutes
before the tide was at its highest, the
time set for the launching, there sud
denly shot into the face of the indi-
Gator the word Ready" Miss Barber
pressed the button. The last block
fell away. At the same time Miss
Deshler, a young lady of II. in a light
gown, with her dark hair braided
down her back in schoolgirl fashion,
let go of the bottle of champagne sus-
pended at the side of the bow by a
red, white and blue ribbon, and as it
crashed against the side she uttered
the words: Il christen thee Ohio"
Released from it's bonds, the heavy
hull of $4,000 tons of steel went
ploughing through the thick grease of
its cradle. Slowly at first, then faster
and faster, she slid down the ways,
taking the flood majestically and pill
ing up the water in great waves be-
fore her. The band crashed. whistles
blew and the multitude shouted. No
ship ever given to the American navy
has taken her initial plunge into the
sea under more favorable auspices or
in the presence of a more distinguish
ed company.
The trip back to the city was almost
repetition of the journey to the yard.
Description of Ohio.
The Ohio is a sister ship of the