New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-08-16
LAUNCHED BUT UNNAMED.
DUBUQUE IN THE WATER.
Champagne Bottle WouIdn't Break
on the Gunboat'g Boz.

The United States gunboat Dubuqus was
launched yesterday, unsprinkled and un-
named, a champagne bottle that refused 10
break and i'll sewed length of cord being
partly responsible for the ceremony not being
carried cut planned Miss Annette Hull the
appOintee Of the contractors and the daughter
Of Representative Hull, Of Iowa, had waived her
rights. that MISC Margare: Treadway, the if-
n-year-old daughter OF the president OF the
business Mems Club. Of Dubuque. and the ap
potntee Of Secretary Morton. had the entire
sponsorship TO herself
Miss Treadway. accompanied BY her mother.
Colonel and Mrs. Harrington. OF ST. Paul. Mimi;
Mr.. and Mrs. ". c. Harrington. Of this city:
Miss Louise Sweeney. of Buffalo as well as by
officials OF the Charles L. Seabury & Co Con-
soHdated Gas Engine and Power Company.
which bul- the vessel. arrived at Morris
Heights station and entered the Seabury
yards where the launching 20 be
or the platform which had been erected. facing
the bow Of the gUnboat, Naval Constructor T.
L. Fernald. Lieutenant Commander Bowers. in
spect0r OF machinery. ana Lieutenant Com
mander Osborne. inspector OF equipment and
ordnance. were already in waiting. Tricked out
gayly fore and aft with peunaut, ensign aud
burgee. the Dubuque. red 10 the waterline and
snun brown below. lay stern toward the
river resting on her ways. Beside her lay her
sister boat. the Paducah. now IN course OF
building. For a short while after the COM
ing Of the launching party the silence remained
unbrOken. except for the faint chatter from the
few on the platform and the hundreds who lined
the wharf below.
Presently a sound. not unlike q stable Of
horses kicking at their stalls rent the quiet air
Armed with sledge hammers. an army OF labor
ers was wedgiug the gunboat up TIN she should
he raised from her ways and finally rest on her
creased cradle.
Just on the stroke OF / o'clock the gunbo
rested on her cradle. Now cried Vice-PresI-
dent Pardow OF the construction company. and
at the word Miss Treadway pressed with her
thumb the button thai released the weight
which in turn knocked out the dogshore from
before the boat.
Almost without sound the eunboat went down
the wooden cradle and into the river ear
splitting whistle and a mighty shout greeting
her.
But what OF the naming. the breaking OF the
traditional bottle Of champagne against her
bow When Miss Treadway had pressed the
releasing button she caught up the loaded
bottle and Hung II square against the vessel
beak The bottle swung against the vessel. then
bounced back intact The girl reached again
for the mOCklng bottle. The simple naming
phrase was unsaid. Her whole mind centred
on the bottle now gliding almost outside her
reach
back agains. the vessel for the last time the
cord attached the base becomes unsewed
vessels side. and the gunbOat, unnamed.
sprinkled slides into the water the bottle dan
Cling by It's side.
After some delay a tugboat brings the YES
sci TO a nearby pier a hoatman cuts the bottle
and hands il 10 Miss Treadway. The latter
mounted now on deck. receives the bottle in her
hands This time she seiZes II sQuarey by the
neck a look Of determination in her eyes Ad-
vancing 70 the bow OF the launched vessel, ut
the starboard side. she swings the bottle II
IL were an Indian club above her head. Heed
less Of her snowy froCk. she brings the bottle
down hard the gunwale OF the boat. There
is a rattle OF falling glass, and the air full Of
the odOr OF champagne. The launching party
then returned to this city.
The keel OF the Dubuque was laid in Septem-
Der. 1893 She is 700 feet over ali. load water
line III feet. extreme beam. 30 feet; depth
arnidships moulded. % feet inches.
A speed Of twelve knots an hour IS guaran-
teed by the builders. and. when completed she
viii De equipped with two triple expansion en-
gines and two boilers OF the water tube pattern.
She win have six fOuT-inch rapid fire suns. four
six-pounder and two one-pounder rapid fire. and
two Colts automatic 80 calibre guns