The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1919-05-21
This Will Be Second of Big
Steel Ships to Go Off the
Ways at Pensacola Ship
Plant. ....An.
KEEL FOR SEVENTH
SHIP TO BE LAID
"Cushnoc" Launched During
March Will Be Ready for
Sea in About Two More
Weeks. ts

THE Escambia,' the second of thai
nine thousand ton fabricated steel
ships to go off the ways at the plant,
of the Pensacola Shipbuilding cons
pany, will be launched next Saturday
afternoon. May "a, at 8 o'clock, it is
announced by the management.
The launching will be sponsored by
Miss Valerie Reese, Daughter of j. S.
Reese, who was instrumental in bring
ing the large modern plant and indus
try of which Pensacolians feel proud,
to this city. the clearing in a dense
wood for which was made only about
Is months ago.
Miss Reese has selected for her
maids on the occasion the following
well known young ladies, daughters of
other public spirited men of the COM
munity who were also equally as in
strumental in bringing the plant to
this city: Miss Elizabeth Merritt,
Miss Ruth McLane, Miss Katherine
Eitzen, Miss Bessie Milton, Miss Adalia
Rosasco and Miss Hilda Bear.
The young ladies We're visitors at
the plant yesterday afternoon as honor
guests of President sweeney, and de-
tails for the launching were arranged.
Since the launching of the "Cushnoc."
the first of the big steel hulls complet-
ed, during the early part of March.
much interest has been manifested in
the launching of the second ship and
numerous queries have come to the
management from local people and
from others in the territory adjacent
to Pensacola as to whether it would
-.
management is arranging for the
launching to be a public affair and all
who come will be permitted to witness
the sliding of the big vessel off her
ways into the water. the dip into Bayou
Chico to be about seven feet. She will
be launched sidewise as was the
"Cushnoc.''
The gates at the plant will be open
about / O'Clock. it is asserted, and
people who come to witness the launch
ing will be permitted to view the
plant, with of course, the observance
of such restrictions as are absolutely
necessary. 20 insure safety to visi-
tors and room for workmen, a space
around the large vessel will be roped
off and guides will be provided for
the purpose of directing the crowds
inside the grounds and in the vicinity
of the ways.
The tEscambia" was only few days
ago given this local name, 1t will be
as result of efforts OF
the local Chamber of Commerce,
which authority was secured
by Senator Duncan u. Fletcher, from
the Emergency Fleet Corporation The
name tWelka' had been selected for
her until it was determined that she
should bear a, local name. First the
name Pensacola" was decided on. but
upon inquiry it was found that the z.
S. navy now operates a freighter by
that name. The name t'Welka" is now
being painted out ON the big hull and
the name "Escambia" viii be Inscribed
instead in ample time lfor the christ
ening.
The "Escambiap is 40 feet on her
keel and is of AIT feet deck length.
Nine thousand tons is her carrying
capacity. dead weight. She is to be
equipped with all modern machinery
and for burning either coal or fuel oil.
Her boilers and much of the other ma
is already installed. and after
she goes into the water Saturday it
is expected that She viii be made ready
for the sea in even less time than has
reason of the fact that more of her
machinery is installed and she is other
wise nearer completed
The ''Cushnoc" is now being fitted
out and is expected to be ready for
sea in about two weeks. AS soon as
the "Escambia" is off the ways the
keel for the seventh ship will be laid,
it is announced, it being the plan OF
the management to keep five hulIs in
course of construction all the time.
Four others are now well under way
and three of them viii be ready for
launching, it is expected. soon.
The plant management reports that
since undergoing some recognizing
policies which were inaugurated at the
of the Emergency Fleet
some time ago. a great
deal more satisfactory results are be-
ing obtained and all considered. things
are reported as going well at the plant
now