Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1879-07-18
american Polar Exhibition.

A recent number of the Vallejo Call
Chronicle in speaking of the equipment
Of the American Arctic steamer Jeanette
says:
In the hold there have been placed, to
keep her from being crushed together,
three large double trusses, with stanchion
in the centre, and hanging knees, each
beam heing 10 by 10 inches. The trusses
are shaped in the form of an x turned side
ways. with the hanging knees reaching from
the deck down to the keelson. These have
been put in with the view of resisting the
largest Jam Of ice they way encounter.
Besides the trusses on each side Of the yes
sci there have been put on seven strakes OF
ceiling, each strake being foot wide and
about four inches in thickness, OF the
strongest wood for the purpose that could
be procured. Two new boilers, built for
the Jeanette at the Navy Yard, have been
put in her, which upon trial proved to be
without flaw or blemish, aud was acknowl-
edged by Enfineer in Chief, William ID.
Shcck, United States Navy, to be as hne
set as he had ever seen put together, after
having made personal inspection OF them.
In building the boilers they were completed
in less than one months time. There are
four fire boxes to them. The engine and
fire room are together, there being no d.
vision of apartments between them. In
addition she carries an extra donkey pump
two auxiliary pumps and dlstllllng ap-
paratus capable Of distilling 800 gallons OF
water per day. On each side OF the boilers
are coal bunkers, and in these and the hold
she can stow 160 tons Of coal. On the spar
deck is -igged hosting engine to be used
TS
fully arranged, and has been padded all
around the inside with a heavy thickness
of felt to keep out the piercing air they will
have to encounter. The poop deck has
been covered with three thi0knesSes Of
heavy canvas and painted. The forecastle
has also been lined with three inches OF felt
and berths built to accommodate thirty
six men, though that will be larger num-
Der than the vessel will take, as the great
trouble is if there are too many mouths to
feed the food will be used up too fast.
The officers and men will eat OF the same
food and cooked in the same galley and in
the same kettle. Pemmican, preserved
beef, will be the principal food outside OF
bread. It is said manscan subsist on four
ounces of pemmican day. No spirits will
be used. but for drink an abundance OF
beer. tea and coffee will be used. Beer, II
is found, is a healthy drink for the cold
countries and man can work better on
that than liquor.
Every available place will be used in
slowing provisions, &c. Two extra pro-
pellers will be carried in case of accident,
and a complete outfit Of maehinists tools and
stock to be used in case of accident to any
of the machinery. A roof has been put
over the deck, and is so constructed that 1t
can be easily taken down in summer
weather and replaced again on the ap-
proach of wintry storms, the beams being
mortised and fastened together with screw
bolts. 1t is expected that the Navy De-
paTtment Will detail the Alaska as con-
Yoy, though no ship has yet been deslgna-
ted for that purpose. The house VIII be
placed on board the convoy and carried
along. After it is set up on the Jeannette
it will be lined with felt for warmth.
The ship will carry one folding boat that
can be used on runners or in the water.
There will be also eight Arctic tents, 6 by
| 8 each, and large enough to accommodate
eight men. Every man on board will be
provided with good hair mattress, pillow
and blankets. She will carry a suit of
spare sails, including storm try-sail,
housing awning to cover space between
the poop and house on deck. The small
boats are rugged with sails and boat covers.
Every pound Of coal that can be saved
will be, and even the ashes WILDE sifted so
that none may be lost. Fires will be put
out as soon as she is outside of the Heads,
and not lit again until absolutely neces-
sary. The vessel has a brand new set of
sails, and to be provided with rolling top
sails that can be furled from the deck.
The area of canvas in the sails is as fol-
low:-Outer jib, 800 feet; inner jib, 267
feet; fore staysail, 800 feet; foresail, 1887
feet; foretopsail, 784 feet; foretopgallant
sails, 304 feet; main try sail, 919 feet;
spanker, 491; gafftopsail, 1913 feet. Total,
6,858 square feet.