The Delta independent., 1901-05-24
PRESIDENT M'KINLEY VIEWS
THE LAUNCHING OF THE OHIO

14,OOO tons of steel sliding into the full
breasted tide of San Francisco bay, 1t
was not as splendid and magnificent
as the great naval pageant which ac-
companied 1t, nor as profoundly i'm
pressive as the greeting extended to
the President by the 4,5OO employees OF
the ship yard.
With the threat of a great strike i'm
pending, the Presidents words to the
working men to-day have an added sig
nificance and his reference % expan-
sion and other national questions make
his speech, probably the last he will
ever deliver on his present tour, in
every respect a notable one.
When the President left the sick
room of his wife every arrangement
had been made to notify him on the
instant Of any change for the worse
in her condition. He was driven TO the
wharf in closed carriage, escorted by
a squad Of mounted police.
The Cabinet and other distinguished
guests were already aboard the trans
port tug Slocum, which was to convey
the party to the Union Iron Works two
miles up the bay. when he arrived. The
Presidents flag, an eagle and shield
on 4 blue field, was flying from the
bow as he stepped smilingly up the
gangway to the accompaniment Of the
cheers of the thousands who crowded
the neighboring pier heads.
Every wharf on the sea front
swarmed with people. Up near the
ship yards the grim warships Of the
Pacific squadron were swinging Mt an
chor, with streams of signal flags ex-
tending fore and aft over the peaks
from prov to taffrail. on near Goat
island lay the transport Sheridan,
travel stained from her long journey
across the Pacific. She had just ar
rived from the Philippines and still
had aboard the Forty-second and
Forty-sixth infantry which she had
brought home.
The President saw her at once and
requested that the course Of the Slo-
cum be changed to allow him to pass
near her. As the Slocum approached
the big transport there was n scene OF
almost frenzied enthusiasm aboard.
The soldiers. all In their service uni
forms, rushed to the side aud sent up
cheer upon cheer Mt the sight Of the
President Of the United States come
to welcome them home.
The band on the after deck struck up
the 'Star-Spangied Banner" The sol
diers climbed the rails and ratlines
and almost drowned the music with
their shouts. They swung their hats
and acted like madmen Several OF
them brought their regimantal flags
and waved them franticnlly TO and fro
from the bridge. The ensign Mt the
stern was dipped again and again. The
salute was answered by the Slocum.
The President was plainly moved by
the remarkable demonstration.
Az the Slocum drew near the line OF
steei-clad thunderers of the deep, with
lackies lining the rails. the marine
guards drawn up aft and officers In
full uniform on the bridges. a pun OF
smoke burst like n white balloon from
the port quarter Of the battleship Wis
consin. Admiral Casey's flagship.
BOOM! came the report. 1t was the
first gun from the shlps-the first OF
Of the twenty-one.
Each Of the warshps. the big, saw
age battleship Iowa. the long. lean
cruisers Philadelphia and Adams, the
little torpedo boat Farragut and the
revenue cutter McCulloch. which was
with Dewey at Manila. turned loose
their secondary batteries as the Slo-
cum slowly steamed by.
Beyond the warships the litte tug
threaded her way through the holi-
day 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 peo-
pie and there was hardly one Of them
which did not have n 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 stand COW
cred with acres OF people and beyond
that n hill alive with them. Up the
pier broad aisle OF white muslin ran
through the workmen packed on eth
er side. Up this path, arched over
with flags and banners. one Of them
bearing the inscription: "T'he Oregon
has made her record: watch the Ohio
the President and his party moved to
a stand where the representative Of
the 4,5OO employees OF the Union Iron
Works, in neat speech. In which he
asked heartfelt blessing upon the
head OF the President md expressed
tender sympathy for his suffering
wife, presented the President as a
tonen VI tIiG ehtteHh VI luG
with gold plate engraved with a
suitable inscription.
The Presidents response aroused
much enthusiasm. 1t was In part as
follows:
II am inexpresslbly thankful to the
Ruler of us for his goodness and his
mercy. which have made 1t possible
for me to be with you here to-day.
II have wanted to see the men Of
the Union Iron Works. have known
Of their skill. l have seen their gen
ius displayed in their workmanship. i
have observed what your spokesman
has 30 well said, that suffering under
the disadvantages OF fuel, indeed thou.
sands Of miles away from the raw ma
terials which go 10 make ship, you
have yet persevered and triumphcd
and made MS good ships MS have ever
sailed the seas.
"As the head Of the nation, I want
to thank the people of this coast for