Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-07-05
LAY KEEL OF THE NEBRASKA
In Presence Of Enormous Crowd at Seattle
Ceremonies Are Carried Out.
SAVAGE AND MBRIDE DRIVE FIRST RVET
>ctiOn OF Great BattIeship swihgs
Position and Two Governors,
eyes Rolled Up, Com
Task Amid Cheers.

SEATTLE, Wash, July 4.-(special Tele-
gram.)-T first keel OF a battleship for
the United States navy ever laid on July
was that of the battleship Nebraska, laid
In the ship yards of Moran Bros this morn
ing. The first rivet in the big steel gtruc-
ture was driven by Governor Savage Of
Nebraska and Governor Mcbride of Wash
ington in the Nresence of 900 people.
Despite the pouring rain, the big sheds of
the ship yards were crowded with people,
who remained for the last and most inter-
esting feature Of the day-the driving Of
the rivet by the governor. detail Of ma
rines from the navy yard at Bremerton was
drawn up at present arms" as Governors
Savage and Mcbride followed by their re-
spective stats, marched onto the big
platform where the exercises were to take
place. The marine band furnished the
| music for the occasion. A governors sa-
| Lutte OF thirteen guns was fired from off the
| floating drydock when it became known
the Nebraska party had entered the
grounds. The ceremony was witnessed by
many officers of the regular service in the
United States army and navy, but the uni
forms Of the regular soldiers, as we'll as
| those OF the stan of the Washington gov
ernor, paled beside that of the Nebraska
militarymen as, bespangled with gold braid
and gold lace, they strode to their places in
| the grandstand erected for them. The
many women in the two parties made
bright picture in the stands as their cos
tunes mingled with the brilliant uniforms
OF the officers.
Nebraska in Evidence,
The entire plant was decorated for the
| cfn he
| pick up piece OF steel weighing 100 tons
with the same ease that a child lifts toy,
had the word Nebraska" running the full
length across them, worked in incandescent
globes, and every time the cranes were set
in motion the word appeared in letters Of
| light. The pennant Of the governor of Ne
| braska was placed in the center of the re-
viewing stand and behind 1t stood Gov
ernors Savage and Mcbride, with their
STATS grouped behind them.
| Judge Burke, master of ceremonies, grew
eloquent in his address upon the growth OF
the Pacific coast maratime affairs and drew
vivid picture of the part Seattle lie to play
as the metropolis Of the Pacific. The Ne
braska delegation vigorously applauded the
sentiment that the flag is in the Philip
pines TO stay" Governor Savage leading in
the hand clapping.
Governor McBride's address OF welcome
was brief and OF the most friendly char
acter. He referred to the fact that many
OF Nebraska's sons are now citizens OF this
state and said: "Nebraska's loss is Wash
ingtons gain in this respect
Governor Savage was given an ovation
when he took the speakers stand to reply
and his remarks were frequently inter
rupted by applause. The governor dwelt
upon the necessity for a powerful navy to
protect the ever-increasing commerce OF
the United States and that this country
must maintain a big navy in order to keet
its place as one of the worlds powers. He
paid a high tribute to the patriotism oi
Nebraska's sons and their prompt response
to every call OF duty
Governors Drive Rivet.
i Then, while the marine band broke int
the merry strains Of Dixie" the sigma
was given for the big cranes to hoist il
, place the keel Of the battleship. AS tn,
big piece of steel settled down upon tn,
blocks the two governors walked down tn,
, gangplank from the receiving stand to
gether, while the crowd cheered enthu
. siastically. Both the governors are BIZ
men and looked with disdain upon tn,
small hammers furnished them to drive tn
rivet. They wanted sledges. Governo
Savage promptly removed his coat ant
rolled up his sleeves. Governor McBrd
also removed his coat, and when a work
man slipped the redhot rivet In plac,
Governor Savage struck the first blow
closely followed by Governor Mcbride. Tn
7 governors beat a tattoo upon the rivet
, while the band switched over to the Star
> Spangled Banner" The ofncers on tn
3 stand took up the refrain, the big crow,
D Joined in and the last blows we're drowne
0 in the strains of the national air.
: Little Malcom Moran, youngest son o
g the president Of the company which is I
! build the battleship, presented Governo
s Savage with very pretty souvenir Of tn
0 occasion. 1t was the FIRST piece of stee
a punched from the keel OF the battleshir
: The steel is handsomely mounted on
E piece Of wood taken from the famous oil
e battleship Hartford and is suitably en-
e graved stating the occasion for the cele
: bration.
When the governors had finished rivetin
the bolt President Moran presented eac
OF them with a pay check OF the com
pany, regularly made out calling for
e cents, that being the value of the tim
which they worked. Governor Savag
promptly declared a strike for highe
wages. warmly seconded by Washington
governor, and they put on their coats.
o The entire party will be taken on a Wis
g to the navy yard tomorrow to visit th
K battleships Oregon and Wisconsin. p Th
d big drydock will be flooded to show tn
e visitors how battleships are placed in tn
u dock. Sunday the visitors will be tn
y guests Of the Knights Templar on an e1
/ curslon to Lake Washington. Sunda
2, night they leave here for the south.