Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1909-08-05
IN and ABOUT WESTERLY
Schooner Florence Howard Launched Stonngton After
Some Deay-Seventh LAY Missionary Society to Ed
ucate African Youth-Missng Woman Went to Prov
idence-Sioux Chief Lectures.
.ar &.

So far as ordinary business went,
Wednesday was a semi holiday in
Westerly, as all who could journeyed
to Stoningtpn to witness the launching
of the schooner Florence Howard at
the Nat Point shipyard, so named In
honor of the late Capt. Nathan Palmer
In Stonington there was a general holt
day ana many came from New London,
NoanG and Mystic by trolley cars,
While the Colonial express from the
east landed fully two hundred pasHenA
gers from Providence. Boston and
other points in Massachusetts. This
party was composed of owners In the
new vessel and their friends, and when
the time for launching arrived there
were fully 5000 present
In the hsrbor were perhaps fifty
small pleasure craft bedecked with
flags, while the steamers New Haven
and Mohawk at the steamboat pier
displayed their colors. The new
schooner. too, was in full flag dress
from stem to stern extending along the
topmost heads of the four masts.
Noon Vas the time set for the
launch of the schooner, as finely lined
and substantially built vessel as was
ever constructed in New England
Scores of workmen drove the wedges
between the body oof the vessel and
the creased launching ways, SO as to
lessen the weight of the vessel upon
the keel blocks, This done. the work
of cutting out the keel blocks was
started, commencing at the stern, in
order that the weight of the vessel
would rest on the ways. Usually the
vessels Side gracefully into the water
before the keel blocks are all cut away,
but not so with the Florence Howard
Precautions had been taken to prevent
the Howard from sliding down the
ways by immense block and tackles
about nldship, until all was In readl-
ness for the launch. This is an I'M
usual procedure and was not required
at this particular launching. The men
cut the keel blocks away with maui
and wedge, one after the other almost
without cessation, until within fifteen
feet of the forward end Of the keel,
but the handsome vessel showed no
inclination of taking a bath.
Then the men cautiously cut away
all the keel blocks except the pier upon
which the bow rested. 1t was expected
that when this final keel block was cut
away the vessel would glide down the
creased ways into the Stonington har-
Dor The block was chopped clear.
Signal was given to the men at the
block and tackle to Let her gop' but
the big four masted schooner did not
bulge.
All that held the vessel now was two
timber shores well forward and directly
under the keel These were knocked
away by battering rams and then the
vessel was clear, nothing to hold her
from sliding down the seven eighths of
an inch, to the foot incline, so far as
those in charge could see.
Still there was a something, for the
vessel refused to move. Battering
rams were used on the side of the ways
in hope that the Earring might have
sliding effect, but to no purpose. On
board the schooner were fully five hun
dred people and many in the stern of
the vessel commenced throwing the
weight of their body in unison, and this
had a quivering effect on that part of
the vessel which overhung the end OF
the ways. Then hawser from a tug
was made fast to the stern of the new
vessel and hauled taut There was a
jump up and down movement of the
people on deck and after over an hours
delay the Florence Howard went grace
fully dawn the ways into the water, the
stern fetching up in the soft mud just
as the bow reached the waters edge,
the bottle of wine wine broken and the
vessel christened.
And there the vessel stuck hard and
fast, and hundreds on board began to
wonder how they were going to land.
They were all entertained with refresh
ments and speechmaking. Then men,
women and children clambered down
the vessels side on ladders and were
taken in boats and rowed to the shore
1t is probable that the Florence
Howard will be hauled from, her mud
bed at high tide at about midnight.
The new vessel is owned by the At
lantic Shipping company of Boston, of
which d. Burrows Spaulding is presi-
dent and Capt. Cornelius S. Davis man
ager. The vessel was designed and
built under the supervision of w. judi
son Baker. She is $50 feet length of
keel, 40 feet in breadth and IA feet
depth of hold.
The gross tonnage is 500 and the net
$685. and her carrying capacity will
equal about 1,400 tons of COAL The
vessel is named for Mrs. Florence
Howard, wife of Prentice Howard, of
Webster, Mass, a large stakeholder in
the company. Capt. William E. Farrow
will command the new vessel.
About three years ago schooner Fan
ny Prescott was built at Stonington for
the Atlantic Shipping company. The
keel for five masted schooner for the
same company will soon be laid at Nat
Point shipyard.
s
Twas n GInrinue Nin+aru