Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1907-12-08
"ia BstlIashIp Smoker" Develops
Into ErIlyabIs Banquet which
Will be Annual Event.
HOW II HAPPENED As0 WHY

Heads Of Departments and Naval
ohIcero Aiming the ouests Of the
"Tecks."
Representing every department. OF
the greatest shiphnldng plant on the
Western hemisphere. some two hun
drca OF The oficiais, forcmcn. scion
tinc men. draftsmen and engineers of
tho plant of tho Newport News SHIP.
nilding and Dry Dock Company gath
cred in the dining saio7n of the War
wick Hotel last night TO Join hands
in participation In what was Officially
termed "Dattlcship Smoker by Ye
Men OF Ye Shinynrd." This was tho
first cvant OF ita kind in tho history
OF tho Rhipynrd.
So enjoyable was tho affair that nj.
ready tho decision has been reached
10 make it an annual event. Gathered
around tho banquet hoard as guests
OF tho yard men were several naval
officers mid ship captains. who are
stationed hero In connection with tho
work in progress nj the yard, and
others h
How and Why.
Who stnrted tho movement which
resulted iii the Bmoker sust night &c
not known. How tho smoker came
about was explained by suporinten.
dent of Hun Construction Homer L.
Ferguson. who presided NJ toastmaH.
tor. in brief address. Mr.. Ferguson
said that about e p M, on date
now somo two weeks distant, drafts.
man had n houeht--and judging from
tho laughter and aop,auso which
greeted this remark. thoughts among
the craftsmen are few and far be-
tween. However, this craftsman had
thought. and that thought was that
no was hungry. Not caring 70 indulge
In q sumptous repast by himself. he
communicated this great thought to
several of his friends. With them
tho thought grew and they conceived
Tho plan of having all tho draftemen
take part In the proposed repast. Tho
IDEA spread and grew as It spread TN.
vi 1t WAC finally decided Is many
that the hends OF all tho departments
OF The yard as we'll as the craftsmen.
shonid come in" on tho dinner. Ar-
cordingly committee on arranre-
ments was organized and after some
labor on the part or the committee
men the "Battlcship Smoker" was mr..
ranged for. Those who started the
movement never dreamed OF the sue
cess that would eventually attend
1 their efforts.
What Happened.
! To begin with, thero were many
good things to eat and also drink
There was beautiful music This
music was furnished by Smidrs or.
chesira. Following tho good things to
eat came good things to drink. and
later there were speeches, most OF
which were very humorous.
! When Mr.. Ferguson opened the
speechmaking by explaining tho orl
gin and purpose of athe. smoker. he
was greeted with applause. He was
given much applause while he was
speaking and jhero was more applause
when ne took his seat. After the
Hampton Roads Glee Club had ron
dered beautiful selection. the toast.
master introduced Mr.. r. G.. Dlck.
FORD, attorney for the shipyard. and
later Commander V'r'or Blue. u. s.
~. Commander Ransom. u. S. N, AS.
sistant Chief Engineer. f. C. Palcn.
Mr.. t. L. Cunningham, government
weighmaster, and Mr.. William Nc.
Cnllum, head of the plpefttcrs dc.
pariment and Mr.. John L.owery. head
OF the joiner department we're heard
from.
"Warshn and Mudscowp
Manager walter 4. Post had been
slated to make an address ON war
ships and Mudscowa," but ho was
unable TO be present. However, tho
toastmaster read q very amusing
letter from Mr.. Post in which he dealt
with the subject assigned him.
Besides the speeches, the Hampton
Roads Glee Club. the Shlpyard Quar-.
tet and eoyeral OF the foremen pres.
ent rendered selections.
Tho:e Present
Those present were: SuperIntend-
ent of Hull Construction homer L.