Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1886-02-18
raE PIONEEn ZION STE sMER.
Description and History of n will
ningtOu Boat Launched AZ Years

Description and History of n will
TningtOu Boat Launched AZ Years
ago.
Specially Reported.for the Gazette and Journ Al.
The steamer Bangor built in 1913 by |
the Harlan ~ Hollingsworth company Of |
this city, then doing business under the |
firm name of Belts, Pussy Il Harlan, and
was the first iron hull steamer built for
outside service in the United States.
She was built for the Bangor Steam
Navigation Company of Maine, and was
of the following dimensions; Length
between perpendiculars, 1876 feet beam,
nodded, % feet depth, feet, inches.
The machinery consisted of twin screw
horizontal engines 22x24, of the Lopez
type, with propellers 81 feet in diameter.
The boiler, 20 feet III length, was located
in the hold and the total fore and aft
machinery space was % feet. She was
built for passenger and freight service
between Boston, Mass, and Bangor, Me.
Tho frames were of bar iron secured with
iron clamps, and her plating WIS put on
in clinker-built style in place of the
present system of in-and-ont strakes.
The history of this steamer has boon
full of vicissitudes, and forms very in-
teresting chapter in the story of the
| development OF American steam naviga-
ton. Her appearance marked the err of
the rise of the coasting trade of the
| United States and likewise a very dis
| tinct stage i'll the course of our national
ship building industry, large impetus
| toward the construction of an American
merchant marine having been given by
what was considered in those carly DAYS
its a radical departure in the policy of
| ship. owners.
1t is unfortunate that tho particulars of
her first ventures have not been more
carefully preserved; though we have
obtained the following meagre lie
tails from her builders Of what befel her
| after she lett the waters of the Christiaua.
On her second trip from Boston she took
| fire and was burned, but was afterwards
| repaired and rebuilt and continued to ply
upon the same route until purchased by
the United States government in Deccm-
Der 1916, at n cost of 1913, 1875. Whilp in
| the government service her name was
changed to the 'Scourgen and she was
equipped with three guns and changed to
u war vessel at II cost of Sl5, 1885. In 1913
she was sold by the United States gov
eminent to Messrs John E. Hyde and
Joseph II. Oglesby of New Orleans.
The trial trip of the Bangor took place
on the Delaware, the run being nude
from the navyyard, Philadelphia, to Fort
| Miiflm, n distance of 16 miles, and the
average speed being 10 81 miles per hour.
although the first five miles were run
with low steam and tue engines making
but Al revolutions. The pressure Of
steam was under IG pounds the whole
trip. This event was fully reported in
the newspapers of the period and was
considered matter of much importance
i'll the progress 1f the art of steam nayi-
cation, no little stress being put upon the
high % speed attaired.
There was a large and somwhat diStin-
guished party of excursonists on board,
and their deep interest in the result Of the
test of speed mny be inferred from the
fact that no less than three Judges orc
selected FROM heir number tor Keen m
accurate account of her performance.
each being furnished with log-blanks and
other necessary information for the iur
pose. Quite nnmhyr of still familiar
names are to be found on the list of the
passengers on the Bangor, such ms John
W. Mlerckrp. muster Of the packet snip
Susquehaunn Francis Cope of the firm
, of II. A. Cope 4 Co.. Rowland Parry,
publisher of PENNSYLVANIA james
I
Patterson, John A. Morell, Joseph
Wilkinson, W. w. McMnin, Charles III,
| Snndgram, James Smith, Jr., John w.
S Mickle, j. MOrrell, Robert b. Morrell,
! james l.onghead, William Bonsall, Norris
Stanley, Samuel Harlan, Mahlon Belts,
one of the firm of Belts, Pusey Il Harlan,
Captain Alexander Kelley, Ziba Ferris,
! Samuel N. Pussy, Charles Warner and a
number of ladies'
Q The officers of the boat ut the time
: We're as follows Master, Alexander Par,
. ker first engineer, Henry Dockery sec.
! ond engineer, w. N. Ray: pilot. JOb1
Fuller agent and part owner, Ed. c.
,, Hyde.
q No more instructive bit of compnriso,
Q could be found throughout the annals OF
3 ship building in illustration of the won
b derful advance which has taken place il
: the past 40 years in the achievements O
Z marine architecture than to note the diff
" ference between the steamer Bangor ant
i any of the Harlan & Hollingswortl
10 Company's recent vessels, such for ex
10 ample, las the mammoth steamer Excelsio
1t Git type of her name), the large SounC
n steamer City of Worcester, OF, better still
= the steel yacht Nourmahal, built last yea
!, !, for Mr.. William Astor of New York.
l. It would be hazarding too much, how
II ever, to assume that we have arrived a
l. anything like the limit of improvement
le either in design or successful mechanical
devices for the attainment of create
= speed, safety and elegance.
"a We merely wish to record our modes
" gratulations on our past successes for tn
) special benefit of the antiquarian of tn
d year 1926.
y WILMINGTON, DEL, 1886.
Is
Y sCOTr's EMULSION OF PURE