New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-09-06
History of the Juniata.

The Philadelphia Eren,n3 Ietegrdph gives
the history of the steamship Juniata:
The vessel was built by Loring at Bos-
ton, in the summer of 1850, and was chris
tened the South Carolina, being destined
for the Boston and Charleston trade. She
was an iron-hulled steamship of 1915 tons
burden, drawing sixteen feet of water, and
rated as ALI. She had been scarcely a
year in this peaceful career when the
United States authorities, noticing her
many good sea-going qualities, purchased
her For few months she was employed
in transporting stores and troops, but in the
summer of 1861 was pierced for six heavy
guns and sent to augment the West Gut
Bfockading Squadron. She was commanded
by Captain Alden.
On the third of August of the same year
one of the tenders OF the South Carolina,
then blockading off Galveston, while return
ing from cruise to the southwark, was fired
upon by two rebel batteries. The fire was
returned in the most gallant manner, and
after exchanging these hot compliments,
the tender reported the atfray to Captain
Alden. About p. NJ. the South Carolina
got under way and stood down toward the
batteries, and while doing so sighted the
General Rusk, which had been preparing
for sea for some time, and which then tried
to put out. She was scared back into the
harbor.
The South Carolina then engaged the bat
teries, and their firing was so extremely bad
that not shot touched the vessel. On the
fifth of August the consuls of foreign powers
saw fit to send document to Captain AL
den, protesting against what they termed
the bombardment of Galveston without due
notice to the nOn-cOmbatants. Captain Al
den in reply said: Il must respectfully re-
mark that it is the first time that | ever
heard that the women and children OF IN
armed citizens of one of our towns were
under the protection of foreign consuls."
The South Carolina was thenceforward
cruising up and down the coast, watching
for blockade runners, many Of which she
captured, until the close of the war.
In the year 1866 the Philadelphia and
Southern Mail Steamship Company pur-
chased the vessel, which required no other
change than the removal of the guns on the
spar deck to adapt it to the necessities of
the merchant service. Her cost to the COM
pany was $4,000, the transaction being a
profitable one for the concern. She was
then named the Juniata, and placed in CON-
mand of Captain p. +. Hoxie, as able and
intelligent seaman as ever rode the briny
sea. She made her first voyage to New
Orleans via Havana, on the twenty-ffth of
December, 1866, and since that time, except
during short intervals when laid up for re-
pairs, has made an average of twelve round
trips year. The Juniata was two hundred
feet in length, with a beam of thirty-fou
feet, and attained a regular speed of eleven
knots an hour. In very short time she
became noted as one of the fastest coast
wise steamers ahoat, and whenever an
nounced to sail, the wharves were crowded
with freight destined for her capacious hold.
Last October the company withdrew Ter
temporarily from service, and she was
taken to. Neafie & Levys yard, where, at a
hauled; the Old wooden sides were replaced
with staunch iron ones, and her value so
much enhanced that she was estimated, at
the moment of the disaster off the Florida
coast, to be worth not less than 5000, 900.
She was insured for only one-third Of this
amount