Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-12-26
SUCCESSFUL TRIAL TRIP
OF the Steamer General PlersOn, the
New Transfer Boat Of the Mem.
phis and Little Rock
Railroad.

J tctoOhi Tue bthu6Ier DOat Oh Tue MdW
phis and Little Rock railroad, to be pres
ent at her trial trip and enjoy the sensa
ton Of being the first passengers on
boat destined to carry thousands, per
haps millions, of people as well as myri
ads Of tons of freight which would rep
resent the teeming capacity and lavish
abundance of our great Mississippi
valley. The time selected for the occa
sion proved iuauspicious as far as the
weather was concerned, for the clouds
looked lowering. and occasionally rain
in mists and then in showers fell upon
the plsasure-seekers chilling the enthu.
siasm with which they had looked for
ward to this occasion. The city which
they had just left was q sea Of mud,
where slosh covered the streets and the
drops Of water from previous rain-talls
stole their way down awnings aud shell
ters and trickled 10 streams from cutters,
which in addition to the frowning clouds
overhead took away from man all the
zest and enjoyment Of this holiday sea.
son, when his mind is supposed to be
fitted for the appreciation Of the bless.
ings he enjoys, and to contemplate in
humble devotion the useful life Of him
who 1877 years aEo opened for all gener-
atoms to come the immortal Book OF
Life.
The effect Of the weather upon human
nerves, hopes, wishes or fears is almost
boundless in its limit. If Adam on such
a day as yesterday ate the apple which
condemned the whole human race to sin
and misery, who is there in this city who
experienced and appreciated yesterday
would rise up and say that in Adams
place he would not do the same thing2
The chilly wind ripping the wav
and the occasional pstter of a light
shower forced all enthusiasm below zero.
All felt grati6ed, however, that the sue.
cessful management of the road under
the superintendent of N. B. Prich
ard, general manager, and Capt. W. E..
Smith had compelled the necessity of
building a new, larger and better trans
fer boat to conduct the increasing bust
ness of the Memphis and Little Rock
railroad, which is now and has always
been one of the best feeders TO oar city.
Though ofttimes mismansged before
and not working as it should for the ben
eft of Memphis, yet now we can feel
that our Western trade is in good hands
and have an opportunity Of making our
merchants names as familiar as house.
hold words to the producers west of us.
To manage a railroad to the interests
and approval Of the stockholders % well
as to the benefit and commentator Of
the travelling and mercantile csmmunity
is almost a herculean task, but both re-.
suits have been happily attained by
Capt lin Smith, who stands the peer of
any railroad man throughout the South.
As q worker he is indefatigable, and de-.
serves ana receives the hearty good
wishes of every one whom business
brings him in contact.with.
The new steamer was a necessity on
account of the increasing traffic of the
road, and with that wisdom and foresight
which has characterized Captain Smiths
management Of the road he let out the
contracts for building and furnishing the
boat only to men in whom every conf.
dence could be placed as to the faithful
discharge of the work delegated to them.
The hull Of the new steamer was built by
Mr.. Alfred Cutting, of Metropolis, III q,
uader the direction and supervision of
Captain James Lee, ir., OF this city. It
is 2O2 feet long, has a breadth of AZ feet
beam and depth OF 6 feet in the hold. On
top of the hull and through the entire CEN
ter Of the boat from stem to stern run two
parallel railroad tracks for the accom-
mediation Of either freight cars or pas
senger coaches. TIE trt aks are long
enough to carry twelve box-ears or six
passenger coaches. On either side Of
the tracks are the engiae-rooms, inclosed
like the cabin of a steamer, and to the
rear Of these are the wheel.houses, be.
hind which are the captains room, en-,
gineer's room, carpenter shop, etc. On
an elevated and inclosed platform over
the tracks and stretching across the
boat, from the roof Of one engine-house
to the other, is the pilot-house. The
machinery of the new boat is for the
most part the same as used in the Com
modore Nut, the old transfer boat Of the
company. The boilers, however, are
new and Of ample size to fll the require.
ments Of the service, being % feet long
and 81 inches in diameter. The engines
have two cylinders, 81 feet stroke by 2Ol
inches in diameter. The wheels are "a
feet in diameter, with lO.foot buckets.
So much space ia left for the accommo
datiOn of cars that the engin- rooms,
ETC., all seem to be crowded for want Of
roem.
The hull, on its arrival at our port from
the builders yard at Metropolis, wal
given in charge of Randle, Heath q
Livermore, the well.known and reliable