New-York tribune., 1905-04-09
LAUNCHING A FAILURE.
Oalg one of -Four Staten Island
Boats BehaUeS Properly.
lay -rI FsRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.l
1

lay -r1 FsRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
Baltimore April s.-The new Staten Island ferry
boat Manhattan behaved beautifuiiy. me b'ols1 .l
sbominsbv. the Brooklyn stubbornly and the
orea-s-p-e1 the Queens ddu't have chance TO
s.hsvs a+ All. Al the launching al the Maryland
steel Works on SparroW's Point. this afternoon
The launching was not success. The Bronx stuck
on the ways and when. after an hour. she was
showed down she baked again at the water
edge
TIE Manhattan Is the nearest completed. ana
,oosss IKE a girl dressed for graduation. Maybe
that's why her manners were so Infinitely better
har those Of her sisters the Bronx and the Brook
lyr The Bronx gave every one pain. She
was In The ways right alongside the Manhattan.
The latter boat on account Of the premiership OF
,bs bsroueh whose name she bears. took the plunge
first and did 50 with grace and charm that
brought forth cheers from 500 people and shrieks
from the steam craft. Miss Anna Ahearn, daugh-
ter q ne borough president. appropriately named
her ar 2.2 O'Clock breaking a bottle Of champagne
over her stem.
It vas the Bronx's turn next The saw cut
through the last restraining snoring planks and
the workmeu drove steel wedges in the cracks all
10 no purpose The Bronx wouldn't bulge. The
workmen ouit her and gave their attention TO the
Brooklyn IN the ways Immediately back Of where
the Manhattan had rested. The saving and wedg-
ing was done here also bur the Brooklyn had just
as bad a ease Of suIks as her sister. BY this time
the power cranes had picked up the hydraulic
jacks which showed Of the Manhattan and dropped
them the BronXs ways. When the water was
turned or the hydraulic jacks the Bronx. at 3:l1
O'Clock, had TO move along. but she stuck al the
waters edge. and despite two tugs with hempen
rables She could not be moved. No attempt was
MADE 70 ll..-sh The queens. as the Bronx. being
n TIE same ways blocked her Finally the visitors
grew hungry. and. with the invited guests they
went Oh board the rev Manhattan and had fine
oinncr
No further effort will be made 10 move the
Bronx or the Brooklyn until next week. The CRIB
under the Brooklyn seems 10 have been cramped
2! me hydraulic jacks, which did not work evenly
ASIDE from the bad manners of the boats which
failed 20 take swim when directed. the launching
was a pleasing affair. President Charles Y Fornes
q me Board Of Aldermen acted in place Of Mayor
Mcclellan. some Of those who made the trip
were Borough Presidents Ahean. Cassidy and
cromwell. Commissioner Featherson, Of the Dock
department, and his secretary, Charles J. Collins
who managed the train; Deputy Controller James
~ stevenson, Commissioners John T. Oakley
George Best and William Harman Black:
Ihomas H. Hassett cf the Mayors office. Judge
Johl 81 Tierney representing Borough President
1lafen; Mrs. Breckenridge and son Gavin, Profess
sor Aexande- J. Mclean. Of the Webb Naval
academy, designer Of the new boats; Frank J.
Goodwin Chief Engineer John a. Eensel Of the
DOCK Department, and Nicholas Muller. OF Staten
Island
Al Baltimore the Newly orlsers v.cre met bv GOV
Congressman Wachter. President Frank W
Woods Of The Maryland Steel Company Admiral
Lnaicoit General r. A Riggs. city Register Harry
-'1'4Hf oi Baltimore. and Colonel John CasseIs
ana =" a. Smith, Of Washington. The entire dele
&atlou took nat cars. and the Observa ton train
Tan through the yard 10 the scene Of the launch.
Ing About 5e,3 persons were on hand 10 see
the g1adrupls launching. the hrst il was said
mat was ever attempted al one yard on one day
Al the luncheon oi board the new Manhatta,,
Az Tina nus e-..,lra
be.rg able 10 entertain ne Ven Yorkare I.i -
2 - qInes responded thanking his hosts for their
The rev boats are large powerful and roomy
snd they WiA cost the city sl70s 00o. The engines
g q 30 horsepower, as compared with l.4g)
II other ferryooaJs in NeW-York Harbor. The
l'els ere noll-slakabie the water tight bulkheads
t--g without ooors They have q speed Of eigh-
- George and the Battery in twenty ni,lutes
saaey are - feet long SC feet beam and draw y
small emergency hospital in addition 10 retirement
Neeon Nsys are steel caseo and there Will be
screen 10 shut on the cold from the horses in
mission some time next fan.
,..- P.resdegt Woods Of the steel company said the
~ wsys cs.sed bY he s5an - avzef tf ya9% f % on
geI1iule. arc, second. 10 tGe fact that The boats
&c Hgft al present and viii not move readily
ufiess The weather is warm
The launching Of The Brooklyn and the Queens
- = oeteTred uil the latter part Of next week
sate then, expect the ones chosen 10 do the
naming viii Dc on hand 10 do their respective
pErts
Leaving sparrow's Point the Ner-York special
fain partly left the track, causing a delay Of
t1lrty minutes
Many sympathetic things were said TO the young
Ngfnen who did not nave chance % the
ss1sooklyn i,ad the queens Miss Marcia Bracken-
tiage would have been Tie sponsor for the Brook
IN. eno Miss Marie I.ahondra for the Queens.
FIeflceut Woods ~ the steel company gave each
huge bunch - American Beauty roses and
s2FcG them that he Rcu.c expect them some time
Text week. when they would nave a chance 10 try
u again.
COR missioner Featherson the train coming
home said that the postponed launching would take
tlaee on Thursday next. In order 10 protect the
AIonN. which rested IT the end Of the ways. the
Ap@er cranes down TO either side and a
enaln cable strung under the forward end. II
l-e WAYS nsd been creased under water. the Bronx
would have ade Ter dip successfully the In
creased friction where hcr orfo encountered the