The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-04-19

ernof "a. ~ White md stair, Mrs. white
Miss 1kathorlhe Vaughan hites the
sponsor; Misses Ethel and Grnnce wv hite,
her twin sisters, and Miss Ashton w u
.sor, tlhughter3tof ex-GoYe Nv ilsofis
her nal Ids Of honor, state treasurer Gilt
man and wife, Secretary OF, State WIZ
dam N. o. Dawson and wlfe,S Miss Wood y
ware, Miss Jenkins Private Secretary
Dogg and wife. Assistant dJutatlt- GER !. 4.
oral liutsoti and wife. M and Mrs. NAL u AZ
colin, Ex-Governor GeSrge ". ~ tkins on
exc overnor Me- orkis, gNfrs ackson, Mr..
Frank $Woodttian nhd daughter, alter
scheor, Adolph1 sdheer and Miss scheer,
STATS School Superintendent and n Mrs
Miller, MIR. and Mrs. r. Ne Stanton. Mrs.
j. I, 5ri TIL. Miss + HON. M +. i. u Smith,
Miss Bessie sGaileherl Miss ora w h1kers
and p FL. Noyes, Of Charleston.
These members 81 the General Assern.
bly, made the Journey down, going OF. q
special car, under the charge Of Mr.. "
3. 1,ivsshy a represe ntatlve OF the ship
bull ding company: n 53 s KS n M n ID Ii .{
"a Senators Lupton. Bruce. Walker, Ford
Chapman, Stands, Halsey and Dinwiddie
,Deierat es Csrcen, Kelly, Cumming. So
3brol l.ag Cabell, bowman. Elntns# Banks
Bonz, IA Fulton. zimmerman, Christian.
Branch 1ycll, Mort, Robson. plkins.
Lawson ~ Mays. Gutenberg, Jones, w.
w. Baker, Il HUFFMAN. Stafford, Biscoe,
{Newhouse md Weaver.
There were also along Clerk Button. OF
the Senate; w lllains, OF IL the House,
Loving, Lindsay, Stone and Berger and
rgeant-at-arins johnson, Miss Williams,
and a few other ladies. itss
Legislature Was There. \
~ The last or the special trains, that car
rying the General Assembly and others,
arrived at Newport News at - 80, and
under the guidance OF Mr., Livcsay, with
Colonel Il. 7. Christian as chief OF staff,
the State solons marched from the sta
tion TO the shipynrd. Delegate Banks,
with his four hundred pounds, dropped
oft on tho way and engaged "a vehicle
instead, but Joined his comrades on the
launching stand, whittier the esis ls'1
delegation proceeded. There were the
Governor or West Virginia and his party.
Including the launching party, Governor
Montague end stan In full uniform, the
sGovernor's party 11r. and Mrs. John D.
3Murrel and others s;f. 15f q ~ ~ \
Thc{launching was preceded by O. hand
some military and civic pageant. In which
the Richmond troops partici pated. This
embraced several companies OF the Seven
y-frst Regiment. a battalion Of coast r
stilluty from Fort Monroe. hremen and
civic rgarlzations The line OF march
wasr along the principal streets and to
the shipyard. where tho column arrived
In good time to witness the launching.
Tho military made an imposing appear
ance. and the steady tread OF the infan-
try and artilleryrnen was watched with
Interest by the German guests as It filed
Into the Enclosure. The boys were the
subjects ofs.many comments on their sol
5dierly bearing and marching.
q The launching was announced for 1880.
3at high water, but the moments crept
slowly to the cxpectnnt multitude. Be-
fore the actual launching. the sponsor
and her maids IN ounted the PLATFORM and
Miss White took the bottle sof wine in
her hand as II to smash It against the
vessel, but It was merely that3a photo
graphcr might snap the group.
Great Ship Christened.
Presently. ~ however, the last OF tho
STAYS that held the shipfn her giant era.
die were knock ed from under her, IS an q
soon the sound of saving was heard. mi >
was the removal OF the last beam that
held the mammoth hull In place, and as
The crash 81 the nearly severed timber an
3nounced4t the release of&the vessel. It be-
gan to move slowly. At the right mo-
lnent hlias White struck the beribbon nee !
bottle OF champagne against the steel
bow and said 81 name thee NV est Vsi lr
ginia. May God bless you She did not
say chlrsten, but name, preferrlNg .5tns
latter word. The crowd could not n ear
the words, 2 but they saw the bottle crash
against the ship and the white. foaming
LIQUID dripping down the sides, and the
n ovement OF the vessel down the long
incline. This was the signal for deafen-
Ing applause. In which the hoarse shrieks
OF the whistles of eyery8tug and stea ner
In the harbor and every manufa Glory
51oined. The huzzas of the men and the
sbrill feminine applause were heard ABOVE
thu basso Of the steam whistles N Z this
rand emonium OF JOY Il and NJ enthusiast SIN.
Meanwhile, the vessel, moving SLOWLY,
like an avalanche in its INCEPTION, gath
cred speed as IT. went and Il " out q
tremor slid gracefully and easily into the
watersiIt> had attained speed Of eight
or ten miles an hour when 1T rea ched tn e
water. which 1t took like q duck, gliding
smoothly out into the placid waters Of
the james, gllnting in the sunshine,
Was a Grand Sight.
Once clear OF the cradle, the stately yes
sci & moved slowly but steadily OUT into
tho stream and Its m omentum was ex-
.hausted. When the din had subsidized ard
the crowd was hurrylng n every direc-
ton. q there lay the vessel, truly like 81 a
painted ship uponIa painted ocean pom
the deck OF the vessel as she leaped to
n 5000 10