The San Francisco call., 1908-12-06
Thousands Cheer as Steel Mon
ster Slips From Ways :
Native Element
Launching of Big Vessel Marks
New Era in Western Navy
Construction
Demonstrates Ability of Pacific
Coast Yards to Successfully
Compete With the East
Noted Men Throughout State
Attend Ceremony Held at
Mare Island

ware iSland
LIPPING majesticaIly from its
ways at the Mare Island navy
yard 20 the accompaniment OF
band music, siren shieks and
cheers. the giant new collier Pro
metheus-the hrst great steel yes
sci of the United States navy to be built
at a Pacific coast navy yard-piuuged
yesterday morning into the waters OF
the Mare island channel
With the launching OF the Prone
theus new epoch has been opened
in the history of naval construction on
the Pacific coast for the successful
building of this first big ship has dem
onstrated the ability OF a western navy
yard to compete In every way with the
greater yards OF the east. This the
people of California realized and many
thousands of them gathered yesterday
to witness the maiden dip of the Cali
fornia built monster.
Pr0metheus Unbound
.'Prometneus unbound gIided from
the cradle of It's birth into the element
that is To be its home under an omen
prophetic of happy future A cold
drizzle of rain in the early morning and
a leaden sky that threatened during
the forenoon hours had dimmed the
prospect for pleasant day. Then.
shortly before the time set for the
launching the overcast sky cleared into
patches OF blue and the mists thinned
into q golden haze. Five minutes be-
fore the vessel left the ways. and while
the saws Mere eating through the last
timbers holding it in place. the sun
shine came-a glow at first, followed
as the descent OF the ship began. by a
broad. warm beam. Ashore. a full ma
val band struck into the strains of The
Scar Spangied Banner" the sunshine
caught the folds Of two national Tags
as they broke from the bow OF the
moving ship. and the life of the Prone
theus began TO the glorious welcome OF
perfect California winter day.
Mare island awoke at reveille yester-
day morning with unusual stir. even
for the busy navyyard. At dawn the
first preparations for the launching
were under. way and by 10 O'Clock.
when all shops weEe closed and yard
work brought to an end. the prelimi-
nary arrangements We're complete
Evans in Command
Naval Constructor Holden A. Evans,
under whose direction the Prometheus
was built was for the day supreme in
command at the navy yard. and under
his personal supervision the work OF the
many gangs of ishorers was accom-
plished with absolute precision Naval
tugs and tenders patroled the island
water front. landing places We're
cleared on the quay for the excursion
boats from san Francisco and the bay
cities. the Enclosures FOR guests were
roped on and every rope and saw con
neeted with the paraphernalia OF
launching was in its place
By 1890 o'clock the last of the ex-
cursion boats had docked, the thou
sands OF spectators had found vantage
points in the Enclosures about the huge
black and red hull of the new vessel
and tne river in front OF the island
was closed to traffic. The PrOmetheus
itself. looming immense under the
giant travelling crane above II. was
gay with strings of navy signal flags
On board the ship Naval Constructor
a. T. Wright was in command, while
the orders for the launching were
given from the shore by Assistants
Naval Constructor s. NJ Henry. who
has had actual charge Of the buildins
of the ship under Constructor Evans
DolIie Evans, Sponsor
The lsunchlnx party consisted .ot
little Doliis Evans. sponsor for the
Prometheus: her mother. Mrs. H A.
Evans: Commandant Thomas S. Phelps
of the navy yard and Assistant Naval
Constructor Z. c. Hammer. who acted
as escort TO the sponsor. Dollie Evans
who is the daughter OF Constructor
Evans. was daintily gowned in white.
with a white lingerie hat surmounted
by bows OF pink ribbon and cape Of
pink broadcIoth- She carried large
bouquet of American beauty roses. and
as she reached the launching stand at
the Prov OF the ship picked up the
bottle of California champagne bound
in red. white and blue ribbon. with
which the christening was to be done.
Mrs. Evans stood with her daughter
and the two effcers.
Exactly at 1s:45 o'clock a whistle