New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-03-22
Tho Grasd Repablic.
An elaborate description of Captain Thor
wegan's new enterprise is contained in the

4 49, Se~>
St. Louis Republican OF Sunday last:
The time draws near for the departure
from this port of st. Louis built steamer
the Grand Republic, which is the largest
ever built any where for the navigation Of
inland waters. Where would it be more
appropriate to build such steamer than al
st. Louis, or what river better adapted to
her immense capacity than the Mississippi
| the Father of Waters?
The advent of this vessel in the naviga
ton of the Mississippi will, without doubt,
create q sensation, as she has been the sub.
ject Of cOnvereati0n along the rivers, and
even in the Eastern cities, for some time
past, by reason of her great magnifcence
| and size.
! She is the sole property of Captain w. II.
| ThOrwegar, q young and public spirited
| citizen of St. Louis. Under his personal
| super vision every stick of the vessel has
been put together, and he will be her CON-
| mander.
Some parties, interested in her cons.ruc-
! ton, have made series OF calculations by
| tho usual methods, aud have arrived at the
conclusion that she will carry 1000 tous
| weight OF cargo, or that she has capacity
| for from 10000 to $4,000 bales of cotton.
| Further calculation showed that che viii
| draw all along ten feet six inches of water,
| With weight in Of $4,000 tons. She
can be loaded still further, 10 twelve feet
| forward. Three hundred and fifty passen-
| gers will find accommodations at once ia
| her cabins-accommodation not surpassed
| on Eastern rivers or in older sections of the
| world-and 400 or 500 people can be colon
| ICED upon her lower deck, emigrants en-
| route from the Old World to the attractive
! fields OF tho South and West. or latorers
J migrating from the North to the sunny
| South. She is elegantly furnished, and is
| fully supplied with appliances considered
necessary to secure eafcty to those on board
| in case of accident.
The Grand Republic will be completed
and raise steam on the twenty-nintn iu-
| slant, end will leave for the mouth of the
| Mississippi on or about April |. by which
| time it is presumed that all her staterooms
| will be engaged for Ter first voyage. Sne
| will run at all seasons Of the year unless in
| terrupted by ice, her draft being go light
| thirt y-three inches forward and four feet
! two inches aft-that low water in the Mis-
sissippi will not prove hindrance to this
| leviathan.
It is stated on good authority that the
| Grand Republic could not be built for $3.50,
| 900. were the contracts to be made now.
| This throws in the shade all recent trans
| actions of the kind on the Western rivers.
| The dimensions of the steamer are: Hull,
$50 feet in length, l0l feet in width; beam
/
six inches floor; hull, ten feet six inches
! deep in the clear; bottom plank four and
| one-half inches; floors, eleven and One-half
| by four and one-hslfinches, binding streaks,
| iyht by ten; deck, three inches; entire
deck, frame, Outrggers and beams. oak; all
butts are plated and double bolted; frame
| is double fastened with three quarter and
| ve-eighth inch square bolts; knuckle kel-
| sons, twelve by sixteen inches; main kel-
aoDa tro1va hv fuoutv.fNur ;nchaa Tho
| fore and aft bulkhead is diagonal, braced to
form bridge truss, with sOlid three inch
| bulkhead on each side, has Hush boiler deck
guards, stationary tenders; every seam
caulked with mime threads of oakum; all
seams, spikeheads and butts white loaded
and puttied.
The main stair way leading from the M ain
seventeen feet six inches, is very elaborate;
geometrical open banisters, with scroll
work and mouldings, and very heavy. dou-
BILE hand rails.
The boiler deck is thirty feet long. with
thirty feet promenade guards On each side
and outside of the cabin.
The main or saloon cabin is go feet in
length. thirty feet in width and fifteen feet
in height; has fifty ten-teet rooms and two
fifteen feet bridal chambers.
The cabin is very handsome. being in the
Gothic style, ornamen,ed with columns;
scrollwork, ETC., thoroughly ventilated,
with extra high skylights, with many pas
cage ways from the cabin to the main and
upper decks.
The texas, or upper cabin, is large and
roomly; has accommodations for 100 pas
ssngers, and will bs thoroughly furnished
for our colored friends.
The pilothouse is large, light and hand
somely decorated with stained glass, SCROLL
work. etc; cupola on top. tipped with gilt
design; has all the modern improvements
and inventions; fire alarms, sounding and
speaking trumpets, wire tiller ropes. wire
bell cords, and complete steering outfit.
The bar, barber-sh0p, storerOOm and
blacksmith-shop are on the larboard
guards; pantry. cookhouse and messroom
on the star board gusrd-all large and
rOoDy.
Tho engines are Hartupee compound en-
gines. The two large cylinders are fifty
six inches; the smaller ones are twenty six
inches diameter, With ten feet stroke. Con-
nected with them are two of A. +. Blake &
Co.'S (Boston) improved airpumps, which
are twelve by twenty eight by thirty inches.
These pumps, in case of accident, can be
used to take water from the hull. and are
capable of throwing $1,000 gallons per
minute, as ascertained by Mr.. John Hartu-
pee, chief engineer. throwing a twenty
inch solid stream each. They are the larg-
est and finest wrecking pumps i'll the West
ern country.
There are two doctor engines with two
six-inch pumps each There are two fire
engines, one mdship aud one forward,
which throw a four inch stream each to any
part of the boat. There are two engines to
the forward capstan, one engine to the
after capstan and one engine to the freight
elevator, making fourteen distinct engines
The boilers, seven in number, are twenty
eight feet long, f0rty-two inches in diane
ter, and have two return fues fifteen inches
in diameter. They, with the steam drums,
are made of the best steel. Tbs fire fronts
and doctor engines rest in boiler-ir0n water
ways.
The chimneys are seventy-two inches in
diameter, seventy-six feet high from the
hurricane deck and ll3 feet from the water
to their tops.
The shafts are twenty y-six feet long,
eighteen feet six inches in the journals;
four Asnges on each, twenty-five arms in
the hanges; wheels thirty-eight feet in di.
ameter, eighteen feet bucket.
The standing rigging is wire rope. the
derricks. spsns, stsges. etc.. worked by
steam. The steamer has life-preservers,
yawls, life-b boats, h)ats, and all other safety
guards required by law.
The fire department consists of one very
large stationary champion chemical fire en-
CINE, with 600 feet OF hose attached, lead
ing to all parts Of the boat. 1t is charged
with 100 gallons OF acid matter, and is in
readiness ut all times in case Of fire. The
engine was built in Louisville expressly for
the Grand Republic, and it is thought to be
the best invention known. There are also
several of the same pattern Of smaller size
stationed in different parts of the boat that
can be carried by hand. The mid
ship and forward fire pumps, with
500 feet Of hose each, can be in full opera
tion thirty seconds after an alarm is given,
J, q ,rob IN of