Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1919-05-24
ALL READY FOR
SHIP LAUNCHING
Betsy Bell Will Go Over
board This After
noon
CITY IN FESTIVE GARB
MANY Prominent Visitors Here For
Ceremony-Expected Next Boat
Will be Launched June Ia.

The big freighter Betsy Bell will
glide from the way at the plan. of
the Virginia Shhpbuilding Corpora
ton at 2 O'clock this afternoon as
Mrs. Livingstone, wife of Col. Colvin
H. Livingstone, president of the cor
poration will break bottle of cham
pagne over the prov of the vessel.
Bands will play as the second boat
built by this corporation goes over
board.
Practically all of Alexandria was on
hand long before the hour set. The
old city made the day a semi-aoli-
day and King street, the rain
thoroughfare of the city was eaily
bedecked for the occasion. stores
closed for two hours.
The big plant of the Virginia Snip
building Corporation also is festive in
garb, and the Betsy Bell is decorated
with the pretty set cf colors. Attend
ing the launching will bs many prcmi-
nent visitors from Washington. Bal
timore, Philadelphia an dNew York.
Included in the number of visitors
will be Congressman, members Of the
{Cabinet, members of the diplomatic
corps, members of the shipping beard
and others, including practically all
of the officials of the Virginia Ship
building Corporation.
The Betsy Bell is sister ship to
the Gunston Hall and has reached a
state Of completion far in advance of
THAT ordinarily reached prior to
Launching.
immediately following the launch
ing an elaborate buffet luncheon win
be served in the administration bu;ld-
ing. The affair will be enEveneG by
music furnished by a band from
Washington Barracks led by Capt.
Murphy.
The vessels is 9,40O ton steel
+. clghter and has length of 402 feet
6 im:hes and beam oil SO feet, waich
gives her great size and cargo cap
acity, but at the same time keeps her
within the limits OF useful beat
for general trade. She is to be an oil
burner driven by reciprocal engines
developing $500 horsepower, and vii!
have guaranteed speed of ten and
Ione-hal knots an hour. She Wi. be
steel in structure and equipment
with a powerful wireless outfit and
Will be upIto-the minute in every
phrase of structure and power.
These ships are :; par, Of u c"u-
sract for twelve ships Nnw !, ing
built 10y the Virginia Shiphul.. ns
Corporation for the Emergency l. .eet
Ccrporation, e&ch II which is 400
ION steel cargo carrier.
The Gunston Hall, the first ship
launched at this company's plant,
went overheard February p. She will
be given her maiden trial trip May
e7. In addition to the Gunston Hall
and Betsy Bell there are now three
ships nearing completion on the ship
ways and work on five other ships Of
this CONTRACT is proceeding with
equal strides in the assembling yard.
Officials of the company stated to-
day that ship No. 3 named the Vanada
will be launched in three weeks, OF
Saturday June IA and ship No. 4, yet
to be named. will, it is expected, go
overheard July 4.
The Virginia Shipbuilding Corpora
ton has one of the most modern and
Eup-to-6ate yards in this section. Al
the present time $500 men are en-
ployed at this plant.
The coming of this plant to Alex
an,5r:a has put new life into the city
and Alexandria today is a hustline
bustling wide awake city as result
of the coming Of this concern to Alex