Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-10-23

aud the Arkansas four months. Only
two boats can be employ ed-the Ma
comb, which is already on duty in the
Missouri, and will subsequently be de-
tached for the Arkansas river, and the
| Long, which will begin work in the
| Mississippi as soon as low water sets in.
] must again call attention to the fact
| that the great Importance Of this work
seems to have been entirely overlooked
in recent appropriations. Considering
| the extent Of the work and its necessa-
| rily costly nature, the sum OF one hum
dred thousand dollars, which has for
several years been the amount appIOpri-
ated, is entirely inadequate. The d.
| rect benefit to navigation derived from
! the work Of the snagboSts is fully as
| great as any which can be accomplished,
and ii Is moreover q cOncomitant Of any
| plan OF radical improvement which
! may be undertaken. But to make 1t
| success requires more or less constant
work, and the possession of boats and
| machinery as nearly perfect ss possible.
| Our wooden boats with which the work
was so successfully inaugurated are no
| longer in condition to do efficient
work. Their great draught of water en-
tirely units them for work in the side
streams, and they need, under any cir
cumstances, more expensive repairs
than their value as snagboats would JUS
ttiy. One OF these boats could, howev-
er, be fitted up for wrecking purposes
with much advantage. We have now
only one boat which is at sll up to the
mark. This is the iron snagbost, J. n.
Macomb, which was put into service
last winter. This boat has fully justified
the high expectations which were
formed of herr
The Mary Bell.
AS will be seen by reference to Cap
tain J. T. Westinghouse Especial no.
dcesn in another part Of this issue, this
immense fresh-water navigator and
cotton carrier will be in port to-day to
leave at four o'clock this evening. The
whole world is invited to visit her dur
ing her stay here, and as q guide 10
those wishing to take in the great
aquatic monster, We suGjoin few par
ticulars of her proportions, ETC.: The
Mary Bell, which, be it remembered,
wss built expressly for the Memphis
and New Orleans trade, is 1926 feet in
beam and ii feet hold. Add to this q
sheer of feet from smidship fora and
aft, and guard Is feet around; then
some idea of the proportions OF this
gigantic vessel may be formed. There
are 800 floors in the boat by Is inches,
one main keelson 10 by 20 inches, two
bilge keelsOns s by IA inches, four
clamps, four pointers and fourteen floor
stTeaks. The bottom and knuckle
plank are 5 inches thick, and from
5O to 20 feet long, In the construc-
ton Of this boat over a million feet of
wRter.seasoBed oak has been used, and
$4,000 feet Of Florida pine consumed
in laying the main deck, besides q great
quantity Of other kinds of timber. For
fastenings over 100 tons of iron have
been used, 13 600 drift bolts driven, be-
sides nails innumergble No one can
look at this magnificent vessel without
feeling impressed with its superior
strength and safety. The tonnage is es-
timated at 1850 tons, storage capacity
10000 bales Of cotton. Draft, aft feet,
forward feet. Thus it will be seen two !
points Of great interest have been at |
tained light draft of water and crest |
carrying capacity. The power Of this |
immense craft consists Of boilers 80 |
feet long by AZ inches in diameter, each |
containing tiues, and made from Otis |
patent homogeneous steel, by the house |
Of Rohan Brother. The same firm fur |
nishes the chimneys, which are con-
structed of galvanized iron. The cyllD-
deTs are 30 inches in diameter, with 10 |
feet strokes, turning a water-wb 50 |
feet in diameter by l64 feet bucket The |
boat is also supplied with several other |
small engines, such as doctor freight
holster, steam pump, etc. Her model, |
for craft Of such immense tonnage, is |
easy, and she will doubtless prove as |
speedy as she is perfect in every other
respect. The cabin is certainly one of |
the most elegant ever constructed, and |
surrounded as it is by extensive prom
enades, strikes the beholGer at once as
the embodiment Of luxury and comfort.
The pantry, barber-shOp, saloons, store
rooms and Kitchen, are in keeping with
the rest of the boat. while the " bureau"
and colored cabin in the rear of the |
texas, ATE marvels of elegance. A
special feature OF the colored peoples
quarters is thatDO white person is allow
ed to enter them, thus guaranteeing to
this class OF passengers the same select
privacy enjoyed by the whites. Cap
tain ]. Frank Hicks, her commander,
has been successful bostman for thirty
years, and has commanded in the Mem
phis and New Orleans trade, the steam
ers John Simonds, Henry Won Phul,
magenta, Belle Lee, and others OF less
note. Captain Alt. Grissom, chief clerk
and part owner, is young gentleman
with brilliant record. He has spent
dozen years on the river on the steamers
Rubicon, Belle st. Louis, Belle Lee,
Albert Pearce, etc. Mr.. Grissom's as
sistant is VIM. Thomas, well known in
the Memphis and New Orlenas trade.
Frank Smith, caterer of much reputa-
ton, is the steward. J. Ed. Mont
gomery and Charles Pearce are pilots.
NJ. J. Hicks, chief engineer; John
BrittOD, mate, and Jhon Streeter, car
penter. The total number of officers ard
crew OF this immense steamer foot up
over one hundred.
LATER.
A dispatch received from st. Louis
last night, says: "The Mary Belle,
which has been aground between here
and Cairo Learly week, got off last
night and will probably get through
without further detention" A dispatch
from Cairo also says that she left that
P TT at six o'clock yesterday evening,
which will bring her here about one
o'clock this evening, il she meets with
no trouble at OSceols.