The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-05-28
OHIO IS
LAUNCHED
BattIeship Slips
Into Waters Of
Bay.
IWEDDED TO SEA
WITH CEREMONY
Thousands Witness the Baptism
OF the Great presi-
Thousands Witness the Baptism
of the Great Vessel Presi-
dent a Spectator.
.NE more flag floats free and Aair
u in fha

" in the ocean breezes; one more
ship breasts the waves for the
honor and glory of the country that
gave her birth; one more champion Of
steel has leaped into the arms OF the
sea and has Joined the pack that fiies
the stars -and stripes Steady as an
island fortress the Ohio rides the wa
ters of the bay. and the air still trem-
bles with the riot of her welcome.
With the head of the nation at her
bows, the pick q the East and the
West standing under her beak OF steel
and following her with their eyes and
their hearts; with afthousand vessels
on sea and thirty thousand people on
shore, and three of her sisters waiting
for her and wreathing themselves in
the smoke of their rumbling guns;
with her flags fiuttering in the wind
that played around her and the swing
and sweep of the country's own gio-
rious anthem thrilling the air, the Ohio
entered history, ushered by all that
augurs success and fame and honor.
AS she rests in the water now the
Ohio weighs 4.SOe tons, pretty weight
to shift from shore to sea in half
minute and still harm no plate or
stanchion. 1t required weeks of care
and months Of planning, for such a
weight has never slipped from the
ways of Western shipyard, and with
the presence OF the nations highest
to watch her leave the cradle where
she had been sleeping IL made AM
event that will not soon be eqnaled.
A stand for spectators had been built
at the shore end of the ways, and
reaching over this was the keen PROV
OF the vessel. Just under the beak
was the launching guillotine. a little
sliding ak with razor edge. that was
to cut cord and free the mass of
steel.
President Mckinley was the central
figure on the launching platform. He
came early from the reception he had
been given by the workmen OF the
iron works. With him were Secretary
Hay, Secretary Long Secretary Hitch
cock, Secretary Wilson, Mr.. Cortelyou,
Governor Gage, Governor Nash, for
eign consuls, State officials, General
Shafter, Admiral Casey, officers of the
navy in full dress uniform, officers of
the army, gayly gowned women and
delighted children. The stand was
draped in the colors of the flag. and
silken banners fiuttered from every
corner and along the railing.
The shipyard was in silence. None
of the shops were running. and there
the hundred men who, under James
Dickie, the master shipearpenter, were
to start the vessel seaward.
Suddenly the clink of hammer on
steel resounded from below the big
hull and from every side. The word
had been given to get ready and the
men were knocking away every second
block upon which she had been rest
ing so as to ease her down upon the
cradle that was to carry her down th.
ways. And as she settled down into
the cradle, the timbers creaked and
squealed, and the grease that smeared
the ways, oozed out in long strings
and spattered over the wharf
No one was allowed near the vessel
in those last supreme moments. At
the striking of a clock the men drove
their hammers upon their wedges and
thesplittipg of timber and the sound
of falling beams mingled with the clink
of steel on steel and the cry of the
complaining cradle.
There was sudden hush of the
hammers Worknen ran from under
the hull like bees from a hive. The
master shipwright scanned the dock
up and down on either side, for woe
to the man who remained among the
blocks while that weight was flying
seaward over his head. They were all
out and a knot gathered at each side
near the DOW, Wnere the IrlggerS tndt
held her We're ready to be sprung.
The tide had reached its height. and
with 5000 tons hanging by single
beam delay is dangerous. A beribboned
bottle was lowered from her port bow
by a band of red, white and blue, and
the cutting of the rope that held the
triggers only remained to be done.
From far down came clearly the
cry-"All right Then with a rattle of
/ small bells the flap on the guillotine
/, fell disclosing the word Ready. Miss
Barber pressed the button that releas-
ed the knife; it shot downward and
through the cord. and the two ends
disappeared as the triggers swung
from their places
There was a clatter of falling tim
bers; Miss Deshler swung the bottle
against the smooth steel beak and
threw its sparkling contents over the
metal and then slowly. as if fearing to
move then gathering way as
; the full measure OF her freedom burst
upon her, the stately mass OF metal
glided away from those watching her
taking with her their hearts and
their prayers and proudly unfolding to
the breezes the flag that Is at once
her mission and her Hfe.-San Fran
-