Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 60, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 April 1898 — IN GENERAL. [ARTICLE]

IN GENERAL.

The trotting sire Alcantara has been sold for $600.-' As a result of a secret meeting of the Cleveland, Mahoning and Slieuango districts Bessemer pig iron men it is expected that a pig iron trust has been formed. Mrs. Thomas Watson, nee Emma Spreckels, has taken the first step to recover the property in Honolulu and in the Hawaiian Islands, amounting to more than $1,000,000, which she deeded back to her father, Claus Spreckels, at the time she married. Her attorneys have placed with W. G. Irwin & Co. notices for all occupants of the property in dispute, ordering them to vacate at once. In the batch of notices the occupants of the Spreckels Block and about twenty others were served and ordered to vacate. Irwin & Co. will pay no attention to the notices, claiming that the property rightfully belongs to Claus Spreckels. They hold a long 1 lease on the building and sublet to the present occupants. Mrs. Watson’s attorneys will be forced to go into court and seek the ejectment of the tenants; then the matter will come up for judicial determination. Mrs. Watson admits that she deeded the property over to her father, but insists that the deed is invalid because it does not bear, the signature of her husband. Mr. and Mrs. Watson will return to Honolulu from the orient in May, and the case is expected to come up in the courts at that time.

Fully ten thousand persons witnessed the launching of the mammoth United States battle ships Kentucky and Kearsarge, the latest additions to Uncle Sam’s navy, and probably the most powerful fighting machines afloat, at Newport News, Va. The Kearsarge was the first to receive her baptism. When the army of workers knocked the last shores from the cradle of the vessel Mrs. Elizabeth Maynard Winslow, wife of Lieutenant Winslow, U. S. N., grasped the cut-glass bottle of water, wrapped in a miniature American flag, and crashing it upon the bow of the big battle ship, said: “In the name of the United States I now christen the Kearsarge.” The vessel sped gracefully down the greased ways, and was one of the prettiest launchings ever witnessed at the yards of the Newport News Shipbuilding Company. At 11:35, an hour and a half later, the Kentucky left the ways, with ceremonies the counterpart of those already witnessed. The duties of sponsor were performed by Miss Christine Bradley, daughter of Gov. Bradley. Miss Bradley was an attractive figure on the boat’s bow, with the emblem of purity in her uplifted hand. When the anchors of the big Tiont had been dropped nnd she had come to a halt in midstream, the distinguished party J on the christening stand were served with* refreshments. A number of felicitous speeches were made. Among the speakers was Gov. Bradley of Kentucky.