The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-09-22
A FLOATING FIGHTER
SUCCESSFUL LAUNCHING OF THE
CRUISER DIES MONIES
Miss Elsie Macomber Breaks the Bottle
Of Champagne as the Ship PIunges
Into the Water-Miss Carlton, Rep
resenting Massachusetts,, Cuts the
Ropes and Sends the Vessel Sliding.

QUINCY, Mass, Sept. 21.-The
cruiser Des Moines was launched from
the yards of the Fore River Ship and
Engine company yesterday. Hundreds
of people saw the ship plunge into the
water and for some time after their
cheers echoed along the river banks.
Miss Elsie Macomber, of Des Moines,
with Gov. Cummins, of Iowa, and May
or Brenton, of Des Moines, standing
by her side, smashed the traditional
bottle of champagne against the steel
Prov of the cruiser, while Miss Clara
N. Carlton, of HaveBill, Mass, cut the
ropes which held the last keel block
and started the ship down the ways.
The Des Moines is the largest YES
sci ever launched lin the waters of
Massachusetts, bay and is the first Of
the government ships under construc-
ton by the Fore River company. AL
though the weather,was cloudy and at
times threatening, the day was prac-
tically for Quincy a holiday while the
attendance of a large company of dis
tinguished guests, Including delega-
ton from Iowa, MANY government Of
flcers, national, state and city digni-
taries and foreign naval attaches,
made the occasion a notable one.
The launching party and other
guests left Boston on special train.
The party mounted the launching
stage right under the massive bow Of
the ship.
Those There From Iowa.
The Iowa party included besides
Miss Macomber, the following:
nd if,c
State Treasurer Gilbertson, State Sec
rotary Martin, State Auditor Merriam
and Mrs. Merriam, Brig. Gen. M H.
G. Lopez, Col. c. S. Saunders, Col. j.
B. Santee, Col. Charles e. Mitchell,
Col Walter M. Davis, Col. Robert M.
Bigelow and NAL Joe Besson, of the
governors staff; Governors Secretary
John Briar and Mrs Briar, Miss Ann
Cummins, Mr.. and Mrs. George M.
Curtis, Mr.. and Mrs. S. x. Way, Maj.
James Brenton, B. o. Hanger and P.
B. Bracket, of the Des Moines city
government, and others. Owing to the
Illness of Gov. Crane, Massachusetts
was represented by Lieut.. Gov. John L..
Bates, and several members Of the
governors staff.
For an hour or two before the party
reached the launching stage the work.
men were engaged in knocking away
many of the shores and braces, until at
last one single block alone held the
great ship. At a given signal Miss
Carleton cut the rope which held this
piece Of timber with a Ratchet made
from the iron and mahogany used in
the construction of the ship. Scarcely
had the rope been cut when Miss Ma
comber dashed the bottle of cham
payne against the steel bow with the
words, II christen thee Des Moines."
The big vessel hesitated but few
seconds and then proudly started down
the ways. The plunge into the river
was made gracefully and was hailed
by a deafening roar of cheers from
those in boats and on the shore A
number Of tugs were ready to tow the
vessel back to the pier. At the conclu-
sion of the launching lunch was serv-
ed to the invited guests. y
What the Des MoInes Is Like.
The Des Moines represents what her
designer, Admiral Hichborn, regarded
as the most useful Of the medium
sized type of warship. 1t was never
intended that she should be a racer,
nor yet that-she should be battleship
in resisting qualities, but the Des
Moines was planned to combine a fair
rate Of speed, moderate but still
formidable armament, good seagoing
qualities, and a coal endurance rather
above the average. All these qualities
have been gotten together in a vessel
of 5000 tons displacement, 800 feet
inches long, A feet BEAM and Is feet
inches draft, and speed Of 1914 knots.
The Des Moines has protective
deck two inches thick, and her sides
are lined with cellulose to exclude wa
ter in case they are pierced by a shell.
She has no other arnor. She carries
s 10-inch rapid-flre guns, 6-pounders,
2 1-pounders, and Colts automatic
guns The indicated horse power will
aggregate $500, the engine being triple
expansion. Six water tube boilers will
supply the necessary steam. The coal
supply, 700 tons, will give this ship
radius of action at 10 knots, Of 1000
knots without coaling; thus she could
steam from San Francisco to Manila
without stopping for COAL The Des
Moines is designed for hard service,
without fancy qualities, special consid-
GRAFTON has been given to her strength,
and the scantlings are unusually heavy.
She has no ram, and the use Of wood
is confined to the minimum, only the
main deck being planked.
The ammunition supply will be I'M
usually large, including ESQ rounds for
each of the main 5-inch guns, and 500
rounds for the 6-pounders, all smoke
less powder. Distilling plants and Ice
machines fit the vessel. for tropical
service, and she has six electric am
munition hoists and Yinches and blow
ers, and has everyone of the latest de-
vices that a vessel of this size can
carry. Four hundred and fifty men
can be accommodated on the Des
Moines, although her. regular crew is
263 men, so that she can be used to
advantage to carry relief crews to for
eign stations for similar Service.