The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1869-09-01
The Grand Era.


+ Below we publish letterfrom G. /.
k.ouas, which tells very plainly al
Fal,out his new, Gne steamer, now being
completed for our river
Nrw AtnASY, I'm, Aug 3. 1860.
Messrs. DILLAnp s Co:
GcJdleaaea My new boat, the Grand
Era CID is growing fast so completion,
and viii be realty for service by the
20th OF September, IL water to come
ont. She will be the lightest sifausht
boat of her size ever built. l have
carried ont my theory and plans in her
construction as close as did the Era
No. . and all forner Efas, to make her
very strong and at the same time very
light draught. II | succeed in getting
her speed, with her great capacity she
viii he tile model boat of the period.
For tlie benefit Of my friends, who feel
Interested, | will give you a detail OF
her dimensions, to wit: Length over
al, 2i5 feet; beam Of hull, 40 feet
width from guard to guard, 20 feet !;
hold in clear 81 feet, with capacity for
1850 bales of cotton (1200 tuns) and
will accommodate 700 head OF stock.
Her guards forward of her wheels are
ID feet wide and 20 feet long will
work two low pressure engines %
inches in diameter and 7 feet stroke :
4 tiue boilers 30 feet long; water
wheel 30 feet in diameter with - feet
buckets. Her cabin will be the most
gaudy and comfortable ever built, with
the modern designs of my own eype-
Renee. With four different classes
and prices; with privileges of each
passenger to choose his price and class
OF passage, say to have room and no
eating, or rooms and passage and live
restaurant style, on to use old stylc
with all in one price. BY using the
restaurant style merchant can take
his family with him, taking his rooms
for the round trip, and when on aIriv-
al ut the city, in place Gifts taking hin,
half day to take his family to the ho-
tel and half a day to get them back on
board, can ut once go with his family
shopping aud have their purchases
sent to, say room No. %, Grand Era.
When through, they come on board
and order their meals, dinner or sup
per, as much OF little and pay for what
they get. Such convenicnces, in my
opinion, will greatly increase travel.
Once again. say your family wishes TO
go to the city a shopping, the same as
they do elsewhere by packet boats and
cars, and you have not time to go with
them, You can place them on board in
my charge on Saturday evening, with
their rooms at their dispositions, they
go to the city, have one full day to
shop, and return the following Friday
liayingneyer left the boat, only to shop,
and ut comparatively little expense.
Why will it not pay ? My main cabin
saloon is ZOE feet long by III feet
wide, with berths for 99 passengers
with comfort. Ny second cabin is so
feet long between decks, with berths
for forty passengers, and my third
cabin is above ll2 feet lsug with ac-
communications for the boats entire
crew, to dine and % passengers. and
with all full 1855 passengers without
cots. To he fitted up in the most gor-
geous and magnificent style ]; to be
managed with perfect system through
out; and with all modern inventions
to extinguish fire. All she will lack is;
speed to come up to what | have built
her for, and that's to be seen yet rs
no one can tell how a boats speed win
be until tried and proved.
Now, if your people wish her to come
to Shreveport is a weekly packet, let
me hear from. them, as she is 81 feet
longer than Insurance limits. Yon can
not get the comforts on a shorter boat.
Why should not your people have as
good a boat us any other trade. even ii
they do not help to build them. rs all
ether merchants do in other cities |
| viii sometime in future send you Il
prospectus OF Grand Erals Torchlight
Daily, aouble sheet to be issued on
board. | have patented glass sky
light advertisements. Send me yout
card for one. Also notify merchants
to send if they want to avail them
selves of the best advertisement medi-
um yet got up. Passengers win read
them over and over again. | get them
up ground in the glass, and will last
the life time of boat. We are building
Era II to fill place of Gossamer.
Yours,
G. L. KOUNS.