New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-04-01
The Steamship Crescent City.

Citv in New York on wednesday last was
thought OF Importance enough to be tele-
graphed 10 New Orleans, and as great
many of our citizens have traversed the
'treacherous sea- successfully upon this
ship, little sketch OF her career will doubt
less prove interesting 10 them.
The steamship was built at South Boston
in the wear 1860, by Harrison LoriDg & Co,
for the purpose Of establishing line be-
tween Boston and Charleston, South Caro-
lima. Upon her completion she was very
properly called the Massachusetts. At the
same time another ship was built after the
same mould, for the same route, she being
called the South Carolina, which vessel now
bears the name Of the Juniata, and runs
between this port and Philadelphia.
At tie commencement of the war the
Crescent City was bought by the govern
ment and Immediately commissioned as
supply ship for the naval feet along our
Southern coast, making monthly trips. In
the fall of 1867 she was sold by the govern
ment and purchased 10y William +. Weld &
Co, OF Boston, for the Merchants Steam
ship Line, between New York and New Or
leans, which was established the following
spring. She was bought tor the sum OF
$50, 600, and under their supervision her
hull was most thoroughly overhsuled The
old boilers were replaced by new ones. and
her saloon elegantly fitted up. The repairs
were estimated at $4,000. Her first trip
was made the latter part Of March, 1868.
That spring sne was literally crowded with
passengers from this port, being then the
most comfortable and best arranged ship
on our coast. In addition to that, she was
fast, of light draft, always crossing the bar
readily, and was an excellent sea boat
The Crescent City was the first coastwise
steamship TO carry bulk grain away from
this port, taking on that trip 22,C00 bushels
besides 500 bales Of cotton and other freight
on draf. Of seventeen feet six inches Of
water.
From tie commencement of 1868 TO Sep
tember, 1871, nearly four years, the Cres-
cent City made forty-three successful trips
between New York and New Orleans. In
October Of the same year, after making
satisfactory trial "Trip, in the line of the At
lantic Mail Steamship Company, between
New York and Havana, che was sold to
them for the handsome sum of $l25, 5,000-a
most excellent bargain for Messrs. William
+. Weld & Co., but rather an expensive
one for the Atlantic Mail Company, for the
reason that the ship was not adapted for
their roHte in consequence OF not having
passenger accommodations enough. Then
again the boilers were so constructed that
in moderate ard hot weather it was diff
cult TO get steam enough TO make her as
fast as other competing steamers in that
trade, and so surface condenser was
found TO be Indispensable. This was put in
at a cost of over $4,000. Then her saloon
appointments were made much more
elaborate and extensive, and many other
alterations, in all amounting to over SAC, Coo
For while all went well, but before
many mQcths had elapsed it was found
that with all the Improvements they had
not got q lew ship. An iron hull at twelve
years of age is only in its prime, provided
it has been well taken care of. During the
war all vessels were more or less neglected,
and especially il on ones. Instead Of being
docked twice year, some of them were
allowed TO run until their bottoms were so
foul and full of marine matter that their
speed was greatly affected. In the case Of
the Crescent City it was soon found that
under her engines and boilers several of the
plates were very thin. This recessitated
docking, and putting in many new sheets
at considerable expense After this was
done another perfectly natural circumstance
came TO light. This ship being built Of iron
to her upper between decks, then wooden
top, even novice upon reflection would
know that twelve years Of hard service
would weaken the parts where wood and
iron came together in fact, so much SO that
coDdemning would be inevitable, and more
especially in a trade subject to intense heat
and cold.
This, no doubt, was the principal reason
why she was sold for the small sum Of
Sc, 900, at least two-thirds less than her
actual cost to the Atlantic Mail Steamship
Company Only few months since. The
sale OF the Crescent City closes cut one OF
the longest established lines on the Allan
tic coast, which was managed before the
war by the well known 1rm Of SpOford Il
Tilerton, the Moro Castle and Columbia
having been sold some time since.