The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-08-14
st Was Not known Until Nearly
Launching Time.
That Water Would Be Used to
Christen the Kansas.
HE HAD TWO BOTTLES
The Governor Was Prepared for
Whatever Came.
Tradition Was Sacrificed to
Hospitality.

Philadelphia, Aug. 14.-Much to the
surprise of everybody except the few
who were concerned in the little plot,
she battleship Kansas was launched
8rom the New York shipbuilding yards
3n South Camden with a baptism of wa
Ger from the John Brown spring.
This is the first warship in the world
60 be launched with water pure and
simple. The battleship Kentucky was
ehristened with water out of respect to
the protest of the Women's Christian
Temperance Union, but as she glided
down the ways dozens of bottles of the
best Kentucky moonshine whisky were
smashed on her sides, while the crowd
jeered and scoffed at her sponsor. But
3n this instance everybody supposed
that champagne was to be used, and
more than half the delegation of Kan
0as in the launching stand We're ignor-
ant of the substitution that had been
made at the last moment.
It was not known until an hour be-
fore the time set for sending forth the
big fighting vessel that prohibition SEN
&iment of the Sunf1ower state had tri-
umphed.
When Governor Hoch, of Kansas, and
his daughter, Miss Anna Hoch, and the
Kansas party boarded the police tug
that had been assigned to take them to
Ghe shipyards they carried two hand
eomely decorated bottles. One contain
ed champagne of a popular brand, and
the other contained water from John
Browns spring.
After the arrival at the shipyards the
governor called DeCourSey May, presi-
dent Of the company, aside for little
talk
Far be it from me-" he said, ito in
ferfere with tradition. If tradition says
that the battleship Kansas must be
launched with champagne. let it be so
by all means. But if it is not matter
Of vital Importance, why not use water
out of respect to the sentiment of pro-
hibition Kansas?
He Had Two Bottles.
Il am a prohibitionist. My daughter,
who is to christen the vessel, is a pro-
hibstionist. We have here two bottles.
One is bottle of champagne, the other
is j bottle of water from the John
Brown spring. Personally, 1 should
daughter would prefer to christen the
ship with water, for as yet, she has
never seen a bottle of champagne
What is your pleasure, Mr.. May?"
Mr.. Mays answer was what was to be
expected under the circumstances.
Tradition is of secondary Importance
when compared to hospitality he said.
IF it is your desire, governor, and
the desire of your daughter and of the
people of Kansas that the battleship
should be christened with water, we
will, of course, concede to the wish. I
only ask that the fact shall not be gen
orally announced until after the launch
ing"
So the momentous question was set
tied at the eleventh hour. The time
set for the launching in the invitations
was IL o'clock but it was not until
12:43 that the Kansas started for the
Delaware The crowd began to assem-
BILE as early as 10 o'clock, and the throng
outside the gates of the New York ship
building yards was greater than the de-
tail of fifty policemen could well han
die.
At $3.50 o'clock Governor Hoch and
his party boarded the police tug Ash
flutter with flags from stem to stern
Half an hour later the tug tied up at
the shipyard, and the Kansans were ia
ken direct to the launching stand.
She was not decorated with flags, as
is customary. From the lowering PROV
the Union Jack fiuttered and at the base
of the staff was the bunch of sunflowers
grown on Kansas soil and brought to
Philadelphia in a refrigerator car. Far
back and at considerable distance be
lew the level of the platform that had
been erected for the guests. the Ameri
can flag fioated at the stern of the hull
This was the extent of the Kansas
adornment.
When the blocks were knocked out
Miss Hoch cracked the bottle of spring
water against the vessels prov and
said:
It christen thee Kansas
The crowd cheered cannon doomed
and the vessel slid into the river.
The Kansans returned to the Bellevue
Gtratford about o'clock had dinner
and took an evening train for Atlantic
City, where they spent Sunday, and got
their first sight of the sea.
They were all elated over the launch
ing.
christen the Kansas with water instead
of with wine," said the sponsor. Il am
an ardent prohibitionist, and I object to
1ntoxicants even when it is only to spill
them over ship. If the battleship is
10 10 fiat 7ic-i7f
as well have little Kansas flavor about
it. and certainly there would be moth
ing about champagne that would remind
one of Kansas"
Governor and Mrs. Hoch and their
daughter will go to Washington to visit
Homer Hoch. A son of the governor,
who is connected with one of the depart
ments at Washington. and who was
prevented by illness from attending the
launching. The party will start back to
Kansas tonight.
Local Temperance People Delighted.
1t was a proud day for the local
temperance workers. When they
heard that the battleShip Kansas had
been baptized with water their entIu-
siasm was boundless. They wired the
sponsor, Miss Anna Hoch,. and the ex-
pensive day-rate message was held
largely accounta BILE for the heroic de.
copy of the message which was sent
Miss Anna Hoch. Bellevue-Strat-
ford hotel, Philadelphia-To you, a.
a representative of the Christian
young womanhood of Kansas, we ap
peal that you use your every influence
against the use of alcoholic wine il
the ceremonies attending the launch
ing of the battleship Kansas. By 81
doing you will earn not only the graft
tude of the Christian women of kan
sas but of the whole world
1--WE are very much pleased at tn,
determination of Miss Hoch,' sais
VIII K. -Ream, one of the most earnes
workers in the temperance worlC
here.
sSOf course, you understand that in
eVariably. where the sponsors use waite
the builders, or some of the launching
party, always use, not wine, Blu
whisky, to appease a superstition, wa
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