The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-03-20

By CORA CHAPMAN BoTERwEG
 With the recent launching of the Fairfield City" from the yards of the Chickasaw Shipbuilding and Car company at Chickasaw another mes- senger to foreign ports has been added to the fleet of sister ships now bearing Alabama's productions to the outer world and bringing back the commercial offerings of distant coun- tries.
 At the recent launching Mrs. Groesbeck Walsh, prominent Fairfield woman &C., companied by Misses Marion MilIar and Annabel Cary. Mayor A. F. Decker, members of the Fairfield city council and a representative body of Fairfield citizens, broke bottle of Volstead champagne ross the bow of this newest handiwork of the Chickasaw ship yards and the Fairfield City, glided into the water.
 The sponsor and her maids stood on special platform erected for the cere- mony, Mrs. Walsh holding in her arms bouquet of American Beauty roses, presented on her arrival. Following the launching, c. J. Barr, in behalf of the company, presented Mrs. Walsh with a handsome barpin set with diamonds.
 The ship is an oil burner equipped with Scotch marine boilers .and Parsons com pound turbine engine of 3.100 horse power. She has displacement of 13,500 tons and 9,650 dead weight ton capacity. The length is Al feet and 11A inches, with a beam of 56 feet. The depth from the up- per deck is 30 feet and to the bridge deck SS feet. The depth from the upper deck is 30 feet and to the bridge deck SS feet The ship will make F knots an hour. The crew complement will consist Ilof 56 men.
 The steel used in the construction If the Fairfield City, was made at the Ersley steel plant of the T. c. l. Co, fab ricated at the Fairfield plant and made into the finished product at the Chicka- saw Shipbuilding yards. The ore was mined from the Alabama hills. The float ing monster will bear to the world the message of the power of the mighty in- dustries of the Birmingham district ana latent resources of Alabama
 Fairfield having obtained permission to make the launching of the Fairfield City" civic affair. Mrs. Groesbeck Walsh was appointed by the company as sponsor, and she selected Miss Marion Millar daughter of the general superin- tendent of the Fairfield plant and Miss Annabel Cary of Fairfield for her maids.
 The party left Birmingham Friday aft ernoon, reaching Mobile early the next morning.
 Joseph H. Lyons, collector of the port, carried the sponsor. her maids and the of ficial family to Chickasaw on the gov ernment launch, "The Messenger On the return trip Mir and Mrs Lyons ten dered the party luncheon on board the launch. The remainder of the party was sponsored by Henry Martin, we'll known Ensley man. who is now secretary to the genera! superintendent. c. J. Barr,
 In the afternoon the entire party was given an automobile tour through Mo bile and Chickasaw village. and were wonderfully impressed with the improve ments of the latter. Although only three years old. Chickasaw is equipped witr electric lights. water works. storm ane sanitary sewers and concrete curb, gut ter and sidewalks, making an ideal resi- dence section for the men and their fami- lies employed at the shipbuilding yards.
 Saturday evening the members of the Fairfield party were guests at dinner dance at the Battle House. They left Mobile at an early hour next morning on a special train to Birmingham.
 Those attending the launching were: H. c. Riding, vice president of the Chick asaw Shipbuilding and Car company; Mayor A. c. Decker. who is also sanitary engineer for the T. c. I. and Chickasaw companies; Dr. and Mrs. Groesbeck Walsh. Misses Marion Millar and Eliose Cary, Aldermen S. c. King, w. E. Lewis. A. c. Hazen; Dr. Lloyd Nolan, Dr. and Mrs M W. Glasgow Dr. and Mrs. T. w. Tucker Mrs. King, c. N. Gilley, F. l.. Crocker. Isaac Morris. Mrs Sarah Decker of New York. mother of Mayor Decker, and Maj. and Mrs. Frederick