Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-03
FIRST LAUNCHING
AT BRISTOL YARD.
Initial Fabricated Steel
Ship Built at New Della.
ware Yards
CEREMONY TO BE QUIET
Photographs illustrating this article
appear on the back page Of this edition

Photographs illustrating this article
The first fabricated steel ship built at
one Of the new shipyards on the Della
ware River will be launched this after
noon at the Merchant Shipbulding plant
at Bristol +
This also will be the first ship
launched at the Merchant yard.
Edward N. Hurley. chairman Of the
United States shipping board, found It
impossible to be present. but in spirit he
was there, and expressed his good dishes
in telegram. 1t was addressed to the
officials and workers of the Bristol yard,
and read as follows:
Il regret being unable to attend
launching. You may be certain that 1t
gives me The greatest satisfaction to
know that the Merchant Shipbuilding
Corporation has reached it's first launch-
ing
I'VE shall now confidently look to you
for production launchings and deliveries
on a scale in keeping with the great
ganization you have carried out Kindly
convey my good wishes TO the thousands
of employees in your yard who now, after
the long months of preparation. are able
to show tangible results to the nation
and the fleet and receive credit for their
work / believe they will make big rec.
ords.'
Quiet though the cermony will be
when compared with the launching Of
Hog Islands first vessel on Monday, It
nevertheless will symbolic the spirit that
pervades the shipyards along the Della
ware Rivera whole-hearted determina.
ton to rush construction to the utmost.
At least $4,000 persons will be present
when the big cargo-carrier glides from
the shpway into the river at 1E3O
o'clock Mrs. w. Averill Hartman,
bride Of the head of the Merchant Com
pany, will christen the ship Watonwan.
Only brief. simple program for the
launching itself has been outlined. After
the crash of the champagne bottle
against the stern of the big ship and its
tourney to the water, there will be little
| speechmaking.
sehwab Only Speaker
Charles M. Schwab. director general
of the Emergency Fleet Corporation.
u
the day. Although it is his first address
| TO shipyard workers since his return
| from the Pacific coast and western ship
| Yards II is to be short: crisp with the
message of confidence in the nations
ability to show Germany what can be
done at home as we'll as abroad when
| America is aroused.
Governor Brumbaugh and his staff,
| Admiral Bowles, other officials Of the
Fleet Corporation and prominent ship
building heads will attend. Each of the
| 5000 shipworkers at the shipyard Will
bring at least one member of his FAM
lily, some as many as three or four.
Immediately after the launching
luncheon will be served to apout $50
| guests in the new restaurant at Harri-.
| man. the shipments village that has
| sprung UP to house the workers. A pro-
| gram of boxing bouts, wrestling matches.
| running and hurdle races, broad and
high Jumping tug-of-war and baseball
| will conclude the program. The last
event will be a game between the mines
| of the Merchant yard and the New York
Shipbuilding Company. In the evening
! there will be a dance for the shipmen
and their friends.
The Watonwan is a 9000-ton dead
weight cargo carrier. Sc has a length
| of 401 feet and beam Of fifty-four feet.
When she takes the water she will be
virtually equipped with the exception
| ,f engines All the boilers, as we'll as
the uptakes, pumps, condensers. turbine
gears, shafting propellers, rudders and
piping are In place.
The keel of the vessel was laid Feb
ruary 12, just five months and nineteen
days ago. Although it is not a record
breaking performance. 1t shows the speed
with which American mechanics can be
trained as shfpbuilders, as virtually
every man employed in the yard had
| to be famiiariZed with present-day
methods of shipbuiding.
The Merchant Shipbuilding Corpora
tion was organized last fall. The yard
has twelve ways for steel ships, and Is
pledged to deliver sixteen vessels this
| year.