The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-09-16
A CURIOUS CRAFT
HeIng BuiII In Cleveland Iron the Sol
Material being Used. .I ..


CLEVELAND, September ll.-Quite nov
city In the way Of marine cNft Is in pro-
rcSs OF construction in this city; and the
exertion incident upon q visit to the scene
Of operations, just'yest Of the waterwprks
tower, would bemnplytepdid Tlieyessel
when launched will be tic largest on the
lakes, her capacity being 5000 tons, OF
something more than 100000 bushels Of
gNin. The bout Is 3O2 feet 0 inches in
length, breadth Of beams 80 feet, and depth
Of hold %, .g,lvtg Mn .iFyjIg
The material used IN the construction is
Of iron; 10 wood whatever will he utilized
except for decking and finishing, The
work is under the superintendenCe OF Mr..
]. II. Smith, a gentleman of large exper.
ience in the business, he having built the
iron craft used in transporting railroad
trains at Port Huron, and the boat at Buff.
alo, beside Others The iron Used for
plating Is boiler plate, Of IiVe-eigliths and
six.eighths thickness, There are at present
about one hundred and twenty-five men
employed, getting the iron In proper form
and rveting the plates to the frames. III
was expected when thejw6rs was begun
TINT Tie boat would be launelled
In October, but owing TO the diff.
Guilty In procuring iron, the work will not
be completed Until about January first.
The maChineryis Is now being manufactured
the engine is similar to that Of tlie CHS
holm, and is Of 1000 horse power When
laHnnhcd the boat which Is owned by u
stock company, will probably be put in the
iron ore triIde, although It Is possible she
will carry gFaig. The manner, and style il
which tie immense piIair Is being put to.
gethsr is study. with Mr. Smith TO ex.
plain the details, reporter examined the
boat yesterday. The bottom and bow
are. already plated, there being some
thing more than d third of the work done.
Looking along the lQttQm, ofthe boat not an
inequality in the sliriaCe can be seen; the
plating u ms smooth Ns g.hilliard table. On
The sides the edges Of the plating lap, but
on the how II Is laid flush, 60 there Is no
oletftGtiO1. I Thp ioakCdtrieg har breadth
at q pottit iorty,sx feet from tho how, md
| the Curvature 70 the steatn pipe fsas gtNGe.
ful and symmetrical ifcarved from block
Ot WOOu, lnbtctu VI DelllB VI. " lllVuWnu
tiUetad platcs. The rivet holes on the bot.
tom and how are Al aegntef Ailk, a1dtlle
heads riyetea I'd Afhi1yj jiledyiag ile work
perfectly smooth. mani,
The frames curve inward slightly, destroy
ihg thereby th9t Etrpight up. and down
lWall.sided appeafande, Wiijph HtttlCts st
much froth thelOoks Of large lahU vessels
The iron boat is built with two bottoms, the
inside or water bottom being about eight
feet higher than the true bottom. Thetwt
plating Ia perfectly water and air tight, ant
divided Into siS compartments, 80 that j
the ships bottom lie stove1 but little hind
rance In sailing viii be experienced there
ata, 1000 fIiN1. 1.C I
Forward the water bottom rises gradual
", until at the bow there are nearly teii
feet between the two pldtes. The frames
are about two feet apart, and the rivet'
which secure tho Iron sheets TO The ffalnes
four inches. Lateral braces are pat III
wherever tllenecd or opportunity arises, sc
there Is no question rs TO the statihchhes.
Of tile boat. As aTOfding a slight idea OI
the size Of the enterprise, Il may be re,
marked that 800 tuIs Of iron will be used
before the engines are In place,