Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1920-01-22
LAUNCHING WAS BIG EVENT
Members of l.. 5. Shipping
Board and Other Prominent
People We're Present.

OF Anna tOOk place on tne time
scheduled, 9;15 o'clock, Tuesday
morning, January 13, at Bristol, Pa
The tide being the right height at
that time necessitated the earliness of
the hour.
Rhe sponsor, Miss Esther Rhodes,
and her party consisting of Mr.. ].
w. Almondy of the U. S. Emergency
Fleet corporation at Philadelphia,
Miss Stubs from the same office
Lieut.. T. Arnold Robinson of New
York City, his friend, Lieut.. d.
Sullivan, from Fall River, Mass,
Mayor Chas. r. Murphy and Mrs.
Murphy, Mr. and Mrs. Charles G.
Rhodes of Alma, left the Bellevue
Stafford hotel at o'clock going by
motor to Bristol, 25 miles away.
The weather was mild and pleas
ant and the delightful drive through
the beautiful country surrounding
Philadelphia was an auspicious be-
ginning for the program that was to
follow.
Arriving at Bristol the government
officials of the shipyard met the party
at the administration building and
conducted them to the dry docks,
where, at present, ten ships in vari-
Gus stages Of construction are on the
ways.
There were many exclamations of
surprise and pleasure when the party
realized that the ship looming above
them painted a shade Of battleship
grey, decorated with flags and
streamers. was the City of Alma
and well may the citizens of Alma
have pride in their namesake for "she
is goodly vessel" that looks as tho
she too might laugh at all disaster
and with wave and whhlwind wrest-
le." Her length is an it,. "A ft
wide, draft 2512 it,. which places her
i'm the 5000 tonnage class. She will
ply between New York and South
America.
A platform about % feet high
gayly decorated with flags and bunt-
ing had been erected at the bow of
the boat as she stood upon the ways
This the launching party ascended
The sponsor was presented with a
beautiful boquet of American beauty
roses, tied with long ribbon streamers
bearing the name S. $. City of Alma.
Her picture alone, and then with the
rest of the party was taken by the
official government photographer.
Meanwhile below the workmen
were busy with AK and saw and al
signal from the manager of the
launching the party took their
places. The sponsor raised the rib
bon encased bottle which hung bv
red, white and blue satin streamers
from the bow and with a decisive
blow sent the champagne splashine
against the sides of the ship and with
the words, II christen thee City of
Alma" The ship slowly and beauti-
fully slipped quietly down the ways
into the water amid the cheering and
waving of hankerchiefs.
Then the party was taken to the
wet basin" and on board a sister
ship which would be completed and
ready for service the following day.
The inspection was most interesting
showing what the "City of Alma"
would be when finished.
Then back TO the government
building where a delicious luncheon
was served in the official dining
room. After which somewhat diff
ferent route the return drive to
Philadelphia was made.
Good byes and good wishes were
exchanged at the hotel and the
launching of the city of Alma was
an affair Of history-long to be re-
membered with pleasure and pride.
The ship, which is representative
of the fabricated type, was towed
Immediately after the launching to
the fitting pier where it is expected
that the ship will remain for several
weeks before leaving on her sea
trials. The ship will then be turned
over to the United States Shipping
Board all members of which were
present at the launching in company
with the Alma delegation and other
notables. The United States Ship
ping Board in turn will allocate the
ship to some American steamship
line for operation.
The forty ships which the Merchant
Shipbuilding Corporation, agent is
building for the u. S. Shipping
BOARD, are what are known as the ia
bricated type, that is. the plates
which enter into the construction of
the hulls were rolled to the proper
contour and holes correctly punched
at the steel mills, possibly hundreds
Of miles distant, from information
supplied by blueprints. The fabricat-
ed ship was a wartime expedient to
reduce the construction formerly re-
quired, and at the same time render
it possible to place the ships in op-
Grafton months ahead of the time or
dinarily required by the great ship
yards which the government develop
ed on the Atlantic seaboard, the