The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-07-24
GALVESTON
IS AFLOAT
The Launching Yesterday a
Complete Success.
THE SPONSOR AND MAID
Miss Sealey, of Texas, Broke the Bottle
Divine; Miss Joynes. of Rich
mond, Her Maid Of
Honor.
THE SPONSOR AND MAID

rne perversity OF the Galveston Las
at last been overcome. The cruiser was
Gent into the water yesterday afternoon
at 1:15, and a prettier sight of the kind
has never been witnessed and more
complete success never achieved.
The great hull went down the ways as
gracefully and easily as IL Il weighed
but few pounds instead OF thousands or
tons. The bas!.:. long in preparation
was ready to receive 1t, and the strain
easily borne. Not a hitch of any charac-
ter occurred. The delay was caused
simply by tho amount of WORK to be
done in getting the props ana says out
OF the way.
Miss Ella sealey, OF Galveston. who ar
rived in the morning. did he. part eA-
cellently. 1t sometimes happens at
launchings that the champagne bottle
is not broken by the sponsor but a
workman who comes TO the tescae n
the right moment. But the pretty Texan
brunette did not need the assistance Of
any one. The wine was spil'ed over
the prov OF the new warrior and ran
Down the side, It's crimson tide In mo-
mcnt mingling with the yellow waters
from the historic James.
Il christen thee Galveston" she said,
md her words rang out clear as Tho
music Of a bell and were heard many
yards away.
OlO ineir Work wen.
The three men most mentioned in cog,
nection with the Launching OF the Gal
weston are Lieutenants Grocsheck ami
Thesis Of the United States navy, and
Superintendent w. Fl. Woody. Jr, Of this
city. To these the honor and credit for.
g. signal success belong.
On Wednesday Mr.. Groesheck wis ui
willing to stata the hour Of the launch
ing. ut will be as soon as the arrange
ments can be completed was what he
said. It would not be before il o'clock,
and as soon after that as possible. The
company invited and the general public
not invited reached the yards about Ii 10.
Every one stood around and watched tie
men about one hundred In number work
like beavers to get the ways clear -:
the final event. 1t was an interesting
sight, and no one tired; II he did, nc
stayed right where he was and spccu-
lated to his ne.ghbor how long it would
be before the plunge.
The first task was TO get out or TIA,
way the many beams which formed
f cradle in which the cruiser lay These
were cut and pounded out while tbs
crowd watched with intense interest.
a hundred men were working light in
he spath Of the great iron ark, and hal
,he gone a moment too soon their lives
would have been snuffed out Ike can
ale. This danger they were in vas su.l-
Client 10 chain attention.
Tho hammers, hundred Of them. made
beautiful music as they drove the pegs
under the vessel. lifting her enormous
weight from blocks fore and aft so as
to throw her entirely upon the cradle
which was to go down with her.
THE time is come now" said all when
they heard the click of the hammers.
When these bow and, siren supports had
been removed the entire weight was upon
the trigger. a rope held this, and this
held the ship.
The Plunge.
At 1:l5 the crowd held its breath.
merged the other four senses into the
pne OF sight and beheld the huge thing.
towering above all things around 1t. move
slowly down upon the water. The tilt
which the ways gave it sent 1t over on
one side and the reaction brought 1t
squarely upon the keel and over on the
other side. Again she righted herself eau
tiously as II uncertain what to do next,
and then as II conscious that at last, after
much beating and pounding, 1t was at
home, 1t rested at ease upon the bosom
of the water. The first plunge had sent a
great wave to the other side Of the basin
and water poured over the wall five or
nix feet high intervening the basin and
the river. wetting half dozen men who
naQ Deen sent over on ludt sIoe u tIe
basin to tighten the ropes, which had
Slackened by the vessels approach.
The Christening Party.
With Miss Sealey on the christening
ntand were Miss Julia Joyner. her maid
of honor: Miss Craven. friend, of New
Jersey: Mrs. Thomas Boiling, chaperon;
a, number OF friends of Miss Joynes. and
the naval officers and q few friends. Miss
sealey was dressed In pure white and
wore a picture hat, trimmed with ostrich
tips. Miss Joynes was also dressed in
white. Several hundred people were in
vited inside Of the yards to witness tho
event. Congressman John Lamb express.
ed his interest In the ship by being pres
ont, but was not on the stand with the
christening party, Several hundred people
were on the north side of the canal and
were able to get fairly good view OF the
event therefrom, Two engines OF the
Chesapeake and Ohio road ran down on
the trestle to point nearest the cruiser,
and as she went over their whistles madc
merry music for some minutes, The work.
men gave three cheers also when 1t was
seen what complete success the affair
had been
1t will probably be several weeks be-
Yore the vessel Ia In trim to be toWed TO
Norfolk. where it will be completed,