Daily Republican., 1879-08-18
[YRox YEsrzRDAY's LATE EDITION. !
THE ssDECATUR. II. nILLER.~ ~


IL II Launched This HIosning-
ThOusssd People Present = The
Vessel . Perfect Model OF MssiNo
Architecture.
The interest manifested in the launch
Of the Decatur II. Miller, - was unusual.
The opposite bank Of the creek was
crowded with spectators. Temporary
seats had been erected on the monitor,
which were all occupied by ladies and
their escorts. The deck OF ths boat II.
self was filed with anxious people, the
shop windows commanding q god view
were filled with anxious people, eager
ly awaiting the first indications Of the
great vessels movement.
SAs she stood upon the stocks free from
the heavy timbers her fine proportions
were shown to an advantage. At 1l.03
she moved amid the cheering Of the
crowd. The chief honors of the occa-
sion were done by Miss Miller in a
graceful manner. When the vessel got
in the stream ore of the cables being
drawn too tight snapped with crash,
and at the same instant on the other
side heavy pile was pulled from posi-.
tion unloosing q long iron extension
line which turned in the air and fell
among crowd Of boys and men, creating
considerable excitement. A couple Of
boys were slightly injured.
The decatur H. Miller" is an iron
screw steamer and Is built for the Mer.
chants and Miners Transportation Co.
whose steamers ply between Boston and
Baltimore. 1t is $50 fsot long on the
6 foot water line, measuring from the
outside Of stem to outside Of main post.
Her beam moulded at the widest place
is 3S feet s inches; depth Of hold from
base line to top Of upper deck beams NJ
dead fiat is 26 feet. The ship has sharp
ends for IL feet draft forward and IA
feet aft, and is full above, with broad
deck lines at the stern. She has a
fine model for combined freighting and
passenger steamer, such as are employ.
ed on our coast.
The idea Of construction gives her
three full decks with an iron middle
deck and iron beams to all the decks,
iron water ways, buiwarks and exten.
sion for forcastle. The passenger sa.
loon is on the upper deck aft, centain-
ing is state-rooms, pantry, and water
closets, &c., &c. The saloon commences
about 6 feet aft of the after freight
hatch, and will be fitted up in the best
style with hard wood, with a large
open, circular staircase leading to the
social hall, on the promenade deck.
The saloon Is GO feet long, and the
width of the vessel, excepting a narrow
space between the house and rail. On
the upper deck, amidships, there is a
house commencing about 4 feet forward
of the after freight hatch, which is 70
feet long and Is feet wide, and which
encloses the machinery, smoke stack
kitchen, ice house, steerage and boys
rooms. On this deck is the top-gallant
forecastle, As feet long, 6 feet high, and
divided for the quarters Of the sailors
and firemen.
On the promenade deck, abaft the
smoke-stack, there is house Is feet
long and II feet wide, containing mess.
room, engine-room, officers rooms, So
cial hall, and state-rooms for passen-
gers. On tlis deck, forward Of the
smoke-stack, there is a house. 40 feet
long and Is feet wide, containing the
pilot-house, captains and officers
rooms. The vessel is schooner-rigged
with wire standing rigging, a straigh,
stem, and in general arrangements and
joiner work she will be very much like
the steamer "Johns Hopkins" of the
same line.
The machinery will consist Of Q
double compound engine with cylin
ders 24x54 inches, and 4S inches stroke
of piston. Four cylindrical boilers, II
feet in diameter AMI II feet long, car
rying working pressure Of so pounds
of steam to the square inch, The high
pressure cylinders are placed over the
low pressure cylinders, and the engines
placed at quarter angles; this arrange
ment being in accordance with tn,
latest and most approved type of Eng
lish compound engines.
The vessel will be completed in /
very short time as the contract provid
: ed that sit must be finished in 81,