The Republican journal., 1919-03-06
A Perfect Launchino.
The Builders BANQUET. A Record crowd
Entertained by Master and AGENTS

Inc 'ehhle FLOOD kreger slid off her
ways and made her maiden bow to an
astonlshed crowd Just so minutes in ad-
vance OF scheduled time, l D. m. with at
least halt OF Belfast and many visitors
on on the way to the yard or at their homes.
Inc docks had been started aft and
one hao been cut out forward, and then
"orkmen were to cut the blocking aft
when she settled Just trifle, hesitated
the 1Iaction OF second, and then made
perfect launching without accident of
any hlna, and every whistle blowing in
| saiute Inc only misfortune was the fact
tnat many missed the handsome sight of
seeing THIS magnificent vessel glide into
the water with all colors flyinp in Hpht
breeze and bright sunshine.
+ She was christened with beautiful
bunch of American Beauty roses and
champagne by Miss Julia Talcott of 16
East Doth St, New York City in the pres
ence OF an immense crowd including par
ties from New York, Boston, Cambridge.
Fairfield, Waterville and all nearby towns
Ihe city took half holiday in honor of
the unusual event.
capt. and Mrs. Kreger with their son,
f1enry r. hreger, student at the Har-
Vard Law School, entertained about two
hundred guests at dinner, with the la
dies OF the Methodist society catering.
AS a souvenir of the occasion Mrs
hreger presented Miss Talcott with a
beautiful little silver brooch made to
order at Iitfany's. 1t is octagon in form,
is set in emeralds and bears the tiny min
lature of the vessel she christened.
Among the many hundreds of guests in
the city were Miss Talcott and her friends,
Miss Gretchen Schoen and Miss Mollie
Crawford of New York, Capt. and Mrs.
kreger's son, Mayor and Mrs. E. C. Ward
well and party of Waterville All stand
ing room was taken on the morning train
and many came from the surrounding
towns in all kinds of conveyances.
Wednesday, March 5th, was gala day
for Belfast, as it witnessed it's first launch
ing In ten years from local yard, where
in times past hundreds of schooners,
brlgs and ships had been constructed: :
The keel of this very handsome five
masted schooner was laid late in March,
1913. In the Mathews Brothers yard, O
L. Frost, proprietor. The only delay in
her building has been in conditions re-
sultant on the war. The yard is one of
the best equipped in Maine, has up-to-
date electrical machinery and hosting
gear in the yard proper, while Just across
the street is the extensive wood working
plant, also the property of Mathews
Brothers. She is the largest vessel ever
built In Waldo county and one of the
largest to be built in Maine this year
Her keel is 225 feet long and she is 245
feet oVeEall. She measures almost 3, 500
tons. Her anchors are immense and
weights 5000 pounds with 110 fathoms
each of l-3 inch chain. She also has a
powerful hosting engine.
Her managing owners are Crowell &
Thurlow of Boston. Her first commander
and large owner is Capt. William R.
kreger of Fairfield, Me-, who has been
here to superintend the construction in
conjunction with Mr. Frost, her builder
Capt, kreger has had many years of ex-
perlence IN sea farng sailing last in the
Edward W. Lawrence. He will probab bly,
take the kreger on her maiden trip with
case Oil to Rotterdam, Holland.
The beautiful weather of the past few
months has been appreciated by all con-
cerned In her construction. Only on one
morning has ice been seen on the shore
none has collected under the wharf and
there has been no snow fall to cause de-
! lay.
/ Henry Staples of this city had charge
of the blacksmith work, Henry Gardiner
of Castine had charge of six men IN the
rigging force, Mr. Harrington of the Hyde
/ Windlass Co. of Bath installed her ma
chinery and Mr. Sampson of Bath made
/ the spars. Mr.. Prince of Bangor INSTALL
ed the electric lights Lewis A. brown
has been master builder, Luther Calder
wood fastener, B. B. Greenlaw and E f
Babcock, inside carpenters, Goodhue &
Co, plumbers, Leroy A. Coombs, drafts
man. Mr.. Coombs also built her hand
some yawl boat
She was,a beauty as she stood on the
ways ready to plunge into waters of the
Penobscot Bay Her hull is a copper
brown below the water line and dark
bronze green above the line. The houses
are white and the metal work is all gal
vanized. The after house is finished in
plain oak, gum wood and mahogany with
hard wood floors. The midship forward
houses are in Oregon fir. Her masts are
handsome sticks of Oregon fir and are
ITO feet long. The topmast are SIS feet
long and are of Maine pine and spruce
Almost as soon as the keel was laid she
was named the Jennie Flood kreger in
honor of the Captains wife, and he ex-
poets her to be lucky schooner for that
reason. Her home and her haIing port,
Boston, in unusually handsome gold let
ters on her stern, her trail boards and
fgure-head, which bears the shield OF
her builders-Mathews Brothers-were
the work of a local artist, Leroy A.
Coombs.
Tuesday evening Mr.. Frost gave ban
quet in Memorial Hall to her commander
her agents, her owners, to every man on
the vessels pay roll and to all employed
in the mill at the present time. The la
dies of the Baptist society catered anc
Mckeen's orchestra furnished music.
Mr.. Frost preferred to do this rather thar
furnish the traditional liquor treat of by.
gone days He wanted to personally
thank his men face to face over a good
feast Covers were laid for 125 from
handsomely appointed tables with most
delicious menu well served Rev. Arthur
E. Wilson invoked blessing. William
X. keene. for many years identified with
Mathews Brothers, was master of cere-
monies. Among the out-of-town guests
were Mr.. Lew ThurloW of Boston, Capt
Green of Rockport, Chester l.. PASCAL OF
Rockport, William McAuley, foreman OF
Beams shipyard in Camden. Mr. Keene
introduced Mayor Clement W Wescott
as man equal to any in the State and
the Mayor did himself credit and fulfilled
the prophecy of the toast-master. He
said the day marked a sign post in Bel
fast history. Miss Jennie Flood was his
teacher at Freedom Acadenu ND -