The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-14

/ MI ItcdIn WAS dll1lOSI llONSo "
tears when he learned that, when the
then Miss Marian Cockrell christened
the battleship Missouri, fearing that
when she hurled the caslSet the bottle
of champagne in it might not smash,
| her devoted father, General COckren,
stood by with a quart bottle of whisky
ready to let go in the event of an
emergency. Miss Cockrell's aim was
true and bubbles went back into the
faces of the christening party, where
upon General Cockrell quietly pock-
eted his quart-he wears barn-door
pants-without attracting attention.
| Missouri congressman, however had
noticed the move, Communicated the
whisky and afterward drank it.
81 heard about that" said Mr..
Ream, ''and I was sorry the Missouri
did not get the whisky instead of the
congressman 1 admit that the Mis-
souri, affair was not entirely to our
liking. but Kansas suits US right down
to the ground"
Didn't Insist on Water.
When asked whether she had used
wine in christening the Kansas. Miss
Hoeh smiling said:
mo, it was water from a spring on
the homestead of John Brown. Really.
it is very fitting, don't you think so?
OF course, you folks must not think that
we insisted on this. l had reams OF
portests from the people of the state
asking that water be used but when
come to Pennsylvania or New Jersey
1 believe in doing as your people DO
However it is probably just as we'll for
all concerned" And then, smiling, she
added: 1T will probably save me
bunch of trouble with the temperance
folks if 1 want anything else at the
hands of the citizens of Kansas.
Miss Hoch smiled prettily after the
ceremony and said:
Il am glad it was water, but, really,
you know, if it had been wine I would
have broken it just the same. When
f,rao Il tr1n contents
never hurt anybody. 1 have never bro
ken any, but 1 would be perfectly will
ing to in this way"
An old school chum, Miss Ora Allen,
assisted Miss Hoch as maid of honor.
Assembled to see the vessel leave the
ways was a distinguished company.
! Miss Hoch was not bit nervous. She
is a typical western girl, fearless, frank,
unassuming, realizing the honor given
hef-
Both Miss Hoch and Miss Ora Allen.
/ her maid of honor, were dressed in
white They are both students and
roommates in Baker university. Bald
win, Kan. Miss Hoch wore a dress of
white crispine, hand embroidered, sim
pie but rich, with white hat trimmed
with white ostrich plumes to match.
Miss Allen was attired in white Persian
lawn trimmed with Valenciennes lace,
and also wore a white hat with ostrich
plumes of the same color.
| The members of Governor Hoch's
stan, generals ana cOlOH6lS Oh the ran
sas National Guard, were in full dress
uniform Most of the other men and
women had pinned in a conspicuous
place a sunflower, the emblem of their
state.
To the surprise. and not a little to the
l-discomfiture of the naval officials pres
ent. it was learned after the launching
| that the battleShip, which is one of the
finest in the United States navy. had
been chriStened with spring water.
Miss Hnch broke the hottie
which was of the shape of a champagne
bottle and had the silver nickel work
around it, against the PROV Of the big
/ fighting craft and uttered the words: Il
christen thee Kansas" it was noticed
that the usual pop" and bubbling of
the wine was absent. Instead there was
splash of water, which dripped down
the bow of the battleship.
T Upon inquiry the naval officers pres
ent then learned that plain spring wa
/ ter had been used on the Kansas and
that it was at Governor Hoch's sugges-
ton that the unusual change was made.
Went Stern First.
The declivity of the battleship as she
rested in the yards was eleven-sixteenths
of an inch to the foot. That made the
| bow of the Kansas fifty feet higher than
| the stern The curious crowd was told
/ that the launch was stern foremost be-
cause of the greater weight at the stern
and that the hundred or more workmen
who could be seen peeping from port
| holes and grouped in the bow would go
with the launch and were needed There
where a lot of folks that did not know
what so many sunf1owers were doing
around the f1agpole. The Kansans told
| them.
The christening stand and the stair
way which led to it were draped with
| the national colors and the Kansas flag
was carried by various individuals. The
pole from which the cord was SUSPENDED
| that held the champagne bottle filled
with water hung to the port side of the
bow. Only those on the stand knew
| there were two bottles and that one
had been replaced with the other. The
visitors had read in the local papers
that the Topeka E1ks had given a hand
some christening case and foreign
wine had been given. Pictures had been
printed of the handsome baptismal bot
| tie which was declared to be the most
elaborate affair ever used in christening
an American boat. Only Emperor
Wilhelm had ever supplied handsomer
baptismal bottle for use on this side.
That was when the Meteor was launch
ed Puzzle: What becomes of the hot
tie?
1t Was a Curious Crowd.
With the bow fifty feet higher than
the stern of the ship, part of the
crowd in the reviewing stand was
curious to know how the ship was kept
from sliding. Later as block after
block was removed from the founda-
ton, they marveled still more until
the accommodating Mr.. Swan ex-
planned that huge pins kept it in place
by hydraulic pressure, fastened to the
ship about the center.
How are we going to know when
everything is ready?" asked someone
Mr.. Swan pointed to man below the
stand who stood by a telephone. No
body on the stand had seen him be-
fore, but the crowd below seemed in
terested in his maneuvers.
There was an abundance of time,
everybody was informed, and accord
ingly Governor Hoch went below to
meet some friends and a number of
ladies, to watch the man at the tele-
phone and the charts before him.
The charts showed each block that
supported the ship and as it would be
chopped away the workmen would