Omaha daily bee., 1902-09-21
cHRIsTEN CRUISER pEs MOINES
New Naval Vessel Launched Under
Auspicious circumstances at
Quincy, Mass.

QUINCY, Mass, Sept. 2O.-The cruiser Des
Moines was launched from the yards shortly
after noon today. 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
Governor Cummins Of Iowa and Mayor
Brenton Of Des Moines standing by her
side, smashed the traditional bottle Of cham
payne against the steel prov OF the cruiser,
while Miss Clara N. Carleton Of Haverhill,
Mass, cut the ropes which held the last
keel block and started the ship down the
ways.
Des Moines Is the largest vessel ever
launched in the waters Of Massachusetts
bay, and It is the first Of the government
ships under construction by the Fore River
company. Although the weather was
cloudy and at times threatening. the day
was practically a holiday for Quincy, while
the attendance OF a large company Of dis
tinguished guests, including a delegation
from Iowa, many government officers, state
and city dignitaries and foreign naval at
taches, made the occasion a notable one.
The launching party and other guests left
Boston on a special train. Shortly after
noon the party mounted the launching stage,
AA6hN uhuNA NhO AlhnNlNt UOW vi III bulDs
The Iowa party included, besides Miss Ma
comber. the following: Governor Cum
minis and Mrs. Cummins, State Treasurer
Gilbertson, State Auditor Merriam and Mrs.
Merriam, Brigadier General NJ. H. Byers,
Colonel Joseph R. Prime, Colonel John O..
Lopez, Colonel G. G. Saunders, Colonel ]. B.
Santee, Colonel Charles e. Mitchell, Colonel
Walter M. Davis, Colonel Robert M. Bigelow
and Major Joseph Bosom Of the governors
stan; Governors Secretary John Briar and
wife, Miss Ann Cummins Mr.. and Mrs.
g. M. Curtis, Mr.. and Mrs. Way, Major
Brenton, d. o. Hanger and Patrick Bracket
Of the Des Moines city government, and
others.
Owing to the illness OF Governor Crane.
Massachusetts, was represented by Lieuten-
ant Governor Bates and several Of the gov
ernor's stan.
For an hour or two before the party
reached the launching stage the workmen
OF the yard 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 ma
hogany used in the construction Of the
ship. Scarcely had the rope been cut when
Miss Macomber dashed the bottle of cham
payne against the steel bow, with the words:
II christen thee Des Moines."
The big vessel hesitated but a few mo-
ments and then proudly started down the
ways. The plunge into the river was made
gracefully and was hailed by a deafepins
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 conclusion of the launching a
lunch was served to the invited guests.
Des Moines represents what its de-
signer, Admiral Hichborn, regarded as the
most useful Of the medium sized type OF
war ships. 1t was never intended that II
should be a racer, nor yet that 1t should
be a battleship in resisting qualities, but
Des Moines was planned to combine a fair
rate of speed, a moderate but still formi.
dable armament. good seagoing qualities and
a coal endurance rather above the average
All these qualities have been gotten to-
gether in a vessel of 5000 tons d~ispIace.
ment, 30S feet 8 inches long, A feet beam
and Is feet 8 inches draft and a speed Of
1914 knots.
Des Moines has a protective decl
two inches thick. and its sides are LINED
with c~ellulose to exclude water in case the,
are pierced by a shell. 1t has no othel
armor. 1t carries five 1O-inch rapid fir,
guns, eight 6-pounders, two 1-pounderi
and four Colt automatic guns. The indi
Gated horse power will aggregate $500, thu
engines being triple expansion. Six watei
tube boilers will supply the necessar,
steam. The coal supply, 700 tons, will
give this ship a radius of action at II
knots Of 1000 knots without coaling
thus 1t could steam from San Fran
cisco to Manila without stopping for coal
Des Moines is designed for hare
service, without fancy qualities. Some
what special consideration has been givel
to its strength and the scantlings are I'm
usually heavy. II has no ram and the us,
Of wood is confined to the minimum, onl,
the main deck being planked.
The ammunition supply will be unusuall.
large, including $50 rounds for each Of tn
main 5-inch guns and 500 rounds for tn
6-pounders, all smokeless powder. Dis
tilling plants and ice machines At the yes
sci for tropical service and II has ST.
electric ammunition hoists and winches AM
blowers and every one of the latest de
vices that a vessel OF this size can carry.
-Four hundred and fifty men can be &C
commodated on Des Moines, although ii
regular crew is 1853 men, so that 1t can b
used to advantage to carry relief crews t
foreign stations or for similar service.