The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-08-18
THE THOS. L. PARKER.


last weeks Pilot the large schooner Thos.
L. Parker, built for G. W. Elphicke and
Capt. Fitch, of Chicago, was successfully
launched at the yard of Messrs. Hanson
& Scove On last Saturday Afternoon in
the presence of an unusually large num-
Der of spectators. The construction of
| this vessel constitutes many new and
valuable features that have not been
| practiced among our shipbuilders here
tofore, which viii undoubtedly attract
| the attention of vessel men generally
| Her full dimensions are as follows:-
Length of keel, 1S5 feet; over all, 200
feet; breadth of beam, 80 feet; depth Of
| hold, 49, feet. One new feature of this
| vessel is, she has three distinct keels in
| stead of one as of old, which are thorough
ly bolted together side by side with
one inch iron, forming width of 3S
inches. Her garboards are eight inches
| thick, diminishing in thickness at each
end and are through boIted to the keels.
Her floor frames are 13xl5 inches and %
inches from center to center. The keel
son is 80 inches deep and 80 inches thick,
| besides sister keelsons 10x12 inches each
| through and edge bolted with iron, all
| of which cannot help but give great
strength. Her bottom plank are II inches
| thick, and on her bilge inside she has
seven strakes of six inch plank edge bolt
ed, while on the bilge outside there are
five strakes six inches thick and edge
bolted. Her outside plank are A. inches
thick, and the vale strakes, six in num-
Der, are 81 inches thick and notched
onto the frames one inch, the whole be-
ing edge bolted. Her clamps are 5!
inches thick and 81 feet wide, and edge
bolted. The deck beams are l1x13 inches
with shelving under them At inches thick
and three feet wide extending from stem
to stern and edge bolted through the
side in every frame, and keyed in seams
every four feet. The clamps are also
keyed in like manner. Heavy knees are
put under every beam and bolted through
the side of the vessel. The beams be-
tween decks, of which there is one every
twenty feet, are secured to her sides with
two knees at each end. She has extra
floor timbers forward and aft of the GEN.
terboard box for about eight feet which
makes her bottom solid with oak timber
and overcomes a weakness formerly eX-
listing III large lake vessels. Her venti-
lation is undoubtedly the most complete
of any vessel ever constructed on the
lakes. Her salt pockets are unusually
deep and calculated to preserve, while
her deck beams are soaked with coal tar
to prevent moisture from penetrating
and decaying the wood. The rail is 5x15
inches and surmounted by built mon
key rail about twelve inches high. The
rail stringers inside are four inches thick
and 90 inches wide, edge bolted through
the rail, and on the outside they are 3x12
bolted in the same manner, closely fitted
and hook scarfed. She has subtantial
breast-hooks forward and aft to give ad-
ditional strength to her ends. She is to
be fore and-aft rugged; the fore and main
masts are each 100 feet long and the r1iz-
zen sc feet. The cabin is built on the
main deck, is spacious and divided into
large and convenient rooms. The mold
ings are elaborate and of the most APP
proved patterns.
No money has been spared in the con-
struction of this magnificent piece of
marine architecture, and she will IN
doubtedly be one of the finest, if not the
finest finished vessel from truck to keel,
ever set afoat on the great lakes. For
strength and adaptability to lake COM
merce she will certainly have no superior.
In point of material and workmanship
she is par ercelIence, and will sail away
from Manitowoc herbor living monu
ment to the consumate skill of her build
ers, Messrs. Hanson & Scove. A large
number of ladies and gentlemen were
here from Milwaukee and Chicago, among
whom was our Gown and only" million
! aire, Hon. Alexander Mitchell, to witness
the launch. They without exception ey
pressed themselves as delighted with the
| new ship, and as some of them were old
thoroughly trained seamen of ripe exper-
| fence in all matters pertaining to our
lake marine, her gentlemanly builders
may well be proud of their compliments,
particularly, as they cannot but be con-
| scious that they are not unmerited. A
champagne supper was given in her
| honor, by the owners to the invited
guests on Saturday evening at the Win
date House, during which many hearty
toasts were drank. and many compli-
| mentry speeches were made to both
| owners and builders.