The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-06-16
The Great Water Route.
IRON BARGRs-How TO INCREASE THE SPEED OF
VESSELS.


no doubt, If the premium offered by the Elk.
celsior Insurance Company Is increased,
plans will be abundant at the coming
fair The following communications upon the
subject have been received by Mr.. r. 8. Elliott,
secretary Of the Excelsior Insurance Company,
and handed to Us for publication for the benefit
"NEw YORK, June 3. 1868.
"R e. Elliott, ESQ Secretary. st. Louis:
Dear Sir-Yours of the Both Is at hand.
hone other parties will unite with you in the pre-.
MUM 10 be offered for the object you desire.
"It strikes me that unless the sum is much
larger than the one mentioned, the bes. engineer.
ing minds will not be called out. would suggest
that YOU call for plans and specifications" that
you may get at detail, better enabling you TO
Judge of the merits or dement's OF what IS offered;
at the same time you will be better informed as
to cost, etc.
"AIlow me to ask, IL at some additional cost Of
construction it is object to circulate AR about
the entire mass OF grain while on its way from the
upper Mississippi to the Gulf!
Again, will grain always be transferred at ST.
Mechanical Engineer.
"OFFIcE OF THE wIGeNs FERRY OoMPAsY,l
ST. LOUIS, June 5, 1868. (
"R s. Elliot ESQ., Secretary Excelsior Insurance Company:
Dear Sir-Yours of May 27th is before me.
requesting opinion in regard to the feasibility Of
introducing iron bsrges and steamboat bulls into
general use on the. Mississippi and western rivers,
and so far as my opinion or experience may serve
you, take great pleasure In adding hereto the
same.
"If the question was, 'Will iron take the place
of wood in bottoms of vessels in deep channels
il could be easily answered, for they certainly
will but when the channel 10 shallow, crooked
and Astounding in obstacles, making the vessel
liable to strike with more or less force many
times day. the case is different. That steamers
or barges can be built Of iron that will be light
draft, as strong and much more durable than
wood, there can be no doubt, but whether they
ba hui auffi Mt iUht u for
nsvig stion, and yet be SO constructed that they will
not warp or hog m loading or unloading, Is serious
question, for take ii for granted that when an
iron vessel is once hogged she will remain so,
while our river craft now built Of wood will in
most cases right themselves. Again, the frequent
knocks and jams to which our river craft Is sub =
ject, would bea serious matter, fer when an in
deniatioD is once made in an iron hull 1t remains
until the vessel is repaired.
I" II must also be acknowledged that the little
experience we have had with iron bulls on the
Mississippi river has been against them. Irefer
to the Valley Forge, the only iron steamer that
ever plowed the waters of the Mississippi. and
my recollection OF her Is that she was In use only
one year, during which time she sunk twice,
though she was built 10 compartments, and 1t was
claimed could not sink, the result Of which was
she proved failure, and the enterprise was
abandoned. Still, | am not prepared 10 say
whether the failure was the fault of the material
or the manner of construction. There Is another
difficulty in the way of iron bulls, and that Is the
fact that the original cost will be about as three
to one in comparison to wood. and while they
might last three times as long, still in a compare
lively new country like this, cbeapness enters
into the plans and. construction of everything.
To affect these objections. we have the fact that
they would be indestructible by IRE, end the
enormous docking and calking bills that are now
paid would be almost entirely saved, which, taken
together with the TACT that the lie OF wooden
vessel on the river is about ten years, while that
OF an iron one (if practical at ally would be at
II slx, uAA arlA
least three tunes inst' tne repairs saved woulu
be fully equal to the nrst cost OF the wooden
hull. lake 1t altogether, think the experiment
well worth trying, ana think your company nave
taken step IN the rignt oirecuOn lot IL Is All I'M
porsnt II the enterprise Is 10 De ried a. all tnat
it should be under the most favorable auspices,
| and the greatest care and Judgment should be
used IN the nrst vessels OF tnls knu SO As not 10
give setback 10 an enterprise so lrauBnt WIN
| advantages to our western commerce.
| at is my opinion that iron vessels properly
constructed can be made to answer all and be ter
purposes than wooden ones on the Mlsslssppi
| river and tributaries, and while the additional
cost may at the present operate as barrier
against the general use OF iron IN tne cohshucuon
OF bulls on our rivers sui tne umeis near AZ nand
| when IRON VIII cheapen ana WOOD VIII disappear
| in the construction OF the huns OF steamers or
barges on our western waters as Is iass Delng inc
case IN Europe and on our own seapoard. am
| very respectfully, yours, JOSEPH BROWN
capt. Joseph Brown Is wen known 10 TINS Guy
as an energeuc and progressive man, and we trust
In view OF the many interests this question OF iron
| barges VIII suDserVe, ne VIII not only induce the
Virgins Ferry company 10 aaa soVV 70 tne pre-,
MUM onered py tne EXCELSIOR, put VIII squ
soUO more from MS own pietnorc purse. ne
could not more enectsahy snpsetse lne inleres's
OF progress than py increasing ,nls premium 70
sum large enough 10 attract tne pest inventive H.
tellect OF the country. DO u capt brown.
The very ar is awe WIN tne spirit Oh progress
siye IDEAS. Brains are Decomhg scuVe every
where Almost everybody mas some new ides 70
pour INTO the great treasury OF progressive deVet
opment Here is letter addressed TO US upon
| how to increase the speed OF vessels:
Editors Missouri Democrat:
"Srs-Ihe wake up movement OF your city II
the matter Of shipping produce IN bulk via New
Orleans. If carried out, Is one OF great importance
TO ST. Louis. As a citizen, feel as every one
should who views the growth OF the city as me
gauge OF his own prosperity: In this sense every
one Is bound TO contribute MS mite 10 the success
Of the enterprise. In this light please allow m'
| TO make suggestion for public consideration.