Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1905-04-09

Both Of the maids wore white picture
hats and carried roses.
Governor a Favored One.
The girls chattcd with their friends
gathered below the stand and now and
again tossed roses to the more favored
ones. During this time Governor A.
j. Montague, who attended the launch
ing with Mayor Samuel Il. Buxton, of
this city. approached the foot of the
biuth. Miss Schaller smilingly waved
z daiD:ily slovod hand Ia his excel
lcncy and then tossed flower, which
the soTCrnCr deity caught. Seeing
who tho newcomer was. Misses Day
and Mcmillan ran to the railing and
selected rose buds for the governor.
When he had possessed the prizes,
Mr.. Montague held them up admiriagly
am: then. bowling gracefully said II
dGE't know which arc the farest, the
flowers nr the ladies'
On Launching Stand.
While all OF this was going on, the
crowd was gradually growing larger
aud the supreme moment was rapidly
drawing near. On the launching stand
were nearly two hundred people. all
OF them guests especially invited by
the shipyard. There were many naval
officers and their la,lies. distinguished
statesmen. and prominent people from
Minnesota, Washington, Norfolk Rich.
mend. Old Point. Hampton. this city
aud other places.
The banl from the Norfolk navy
yard reached the stand shortly before
il clock and entertained the impa-
tent crnwd with popular and patriotic
airs. :.
Driving the Wedges.
Down below the great battleship
steady humping could be heard as
several hundred selected workmen. I'M
der tho supervision of Superintendent
CT Hull Construction NJ. n. d. Doughty,
were driving in the wedges to transfer
he weight Of the vessel from tho
keel f;ocks TO the cradle.
In the christening hocth President
Orcntt was giving Miss SchalIcr les
SONS III the art of battleship christcn-
Ing. The young ladies chatted gayly
and Mr.. circuit. being an old hand at
the business. was apparently rs light
hearted and unconcerned as though he
did not know full well to what a crucial
test the skill of his companys employ
es was about TO be put.
Ready For the Saws.
Finally the humping ceased and the
enormous mass of steel rested upon
the sliding ways. prevented only from
sterling Oh her journey to the Jane;
only by the sole pieces. two stout oak
en- beams or plarks. Then, at n word
frt'n Mr. Doughty. the worknen. with
crcss-cnt saws. began to cut the sole
pieces In two. Above the noise of the
crowd could be heard the saws biting
their way through the oak
A Critical Situation.
There was sharp crack and the
people waited with bated breath for
the ship to move BIT only one az
Inc. sole pieces had broken and the
other still held the vessel fast Saw!
Saw!!" shouted two or three officials,
End in few seconds second crack
came and the battleship was free
OF She Goes.
With a cracking and tearing of kee.
hGcks at the bow, the vessel began
10 move and, as n mighty din rose
from thousands of voices and scores uf
steam whistles. Miss Schaller swung
the champagne bottle against the re-
treating steel wall and named the new
fighter for her native State.
The ship moved slowly mt first. Their
gained impetus and glided with I'M.
usual rapidity meet the water. HIet
stern struck with great splash, sink
Ing To all almost dangerous depth. De>
fore anyone could realize it had been
d0nc, The bow was in the water. tie
vessel had righted herself and waa
swinging UP stream with the stron.
tide. is said that she broke the bat.
tlcship record for the trip down tlie
ways by ten seconds.
Miss schalier AppIauds.
When me ship was fairly In the wa.
ter, the excited sponsor. VINO had heeil
leaning over the railing of her hootH
and waving her hands as though shr
wanted TO go down the ways too.
could no longer restrain her delight at
the success of The launching Sha
danced round and round clapplng her
hands and shouting gleefvlly, until he:
friends claimed her services to re.
ceiye congratulations.