Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1901-05-23

| Dan IduClSCO, o ~
Secretary Cortelyou{ gave out the
statement that Mrs. Mckinley was
| comfortable, but there was e slight
| rise in her temperature. He said II
Mrs. Mckinley continues to improve
the president and his party will start
| for Washington about the middle of
| this week.
San Francisco, May 19.-Fortun-
ately Mrs Mck.nley's condition yes
terday permitted President Mckinley
| to attend the launching of the battle
ship Ohio from the yards of the Union
Iron works. To witness the launching
of the ship named in honor of his
native state which was the real OBJ
iective point of the presidents long
trip across the continent was the
event which attracted to the Pacific
coast the governor of the state of
Ohio, the 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 sliding
into San Francisco bay, it was not so
splendid nor magnificent as the great
naval pageant which accompanied,
nor so profoundly impressive as the
greeting extended to the president by
the $500 employees of the ship yards.
When the president left the sick room
Of his wife, arrangements had been
made to notify him instantly Of any
change in her condition. Save for
the time he was on the water, he was
not a minute away from direct con-
}nection with the Scott residence, He
was driven to the wharf in a closed
carriage and escorted by a squad Of
mounted police. The cabinet and
other distinguished guests were al
ready aboard the transport tug Slo-
cum, which conveyed the party to the
Union Iron works, two miles up the
bay. Near Goat Island lay tho trans
port Sheridan just arrived from the
Philippines which still had aboard the
42nd and 10th regiment of the vOlun-
teer infantry. The president requested
that the SlOcum should pass near her.
Soldiers lined the rails and almost
drowned out the music of the band
with their shouts. They swung hats
and acted like mad men. The presi-
dent, plainly moved by the remark
able demonstration, stood on the lower
deck uncovered, smiling and waving
his handkerchief until the sound of
the shouting died away in the dis
lance. AS the Slocum drew near the
line of warships noisy salutes were
extended by each from the big
battleship Iowa down to the
revenue cutter McCulloch. Ar
irving at the pier, the president
and party moved to stand where the
representative of the employees of the
Union Iron works in a neat speech,
presented the president with a gold
plate engraved with a suitable inscrip-
ton. The presidents response
aroused much enthusiasm. He said in
part:
my fellow citizens-I am inexpres-
sibly thankful to the ruler of us all
for his goodness and his mercy, which
have made it possible for me to be
with you here today. | have wanted
to see the men of the Union Iron
Works. I have known Of their skill. l
have seen their genius displayed in
their workmanship.
CAS- the head of the nation, | want
to thank the people Of this coast fo"
their noble work during the Spani III
war. No one can stand surrounded by
the wOrkmen of this great establish
ment without recalling the splendid
work done by the ships you have
builded and their priceless services TO
the country. Wnen Admiral Dewey
was directed to go to Manila and de-
stroy the Spanish fleet or capture It,
he made the Olympia, which you build
ed, his flagship; and his command di-
rected from that ship performed one
of the most brilliant achievements in
the annals of the American navy
Nor can we forget for moment that
it was your skill and genius which
made the Oregon.
What we want is to build more
ships. We ought to have a good COM
mercial line from here to the Philip
pines made in the Union Iron Works,
built by the American working men,
| manned by American sailors and
carrying the American flag. We not
only want commercial line, but we
want cable line from here to the
! Philippines. We want it to be an
American cable, that cannot be cut by
any power in the world"
Then came the launching. A plat
| form had been built around the prov
of the big American monster which lay
| in the very slip in which the famous
| Oregon was built, aud from which
| President Harrison launched the mont
tor Monterey 10 years ago. The trip
| back to the city was almost a repeti-
| ton Of the journey to the yard. There
was the same wild demonstration
from sea and shore. When the Slo-
cum came alongside the wharf the
! president did not wait for the gang
way, but stepped over the rail to the