The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1886-06-07
THE SAPPHO.
Trial Trip of the Maine centraIs
New Steamer.
Especial to the Press.]

Especial to the PresS.l
BATH, June 5.-This forenoon, about 10
o'clock, the Maine Central steamer Sappho
left Union wharf with flags flying and a gay
crowd of some 300 invited guests seated on
her spacious decks. A large number of citi-
zens had gathered to witness her departure
and these cheered as the most perfect steam
er of her size that floats, was driven through
the water by an engine of corresponding
perfection. The employees of the New En-
gland Shipbuilding Company's marine en-
CINE works formed a long line along the
edge of the wharf at which she has lain for
the past month receiving her engines.
The invited guests who constituted the
party upon her decks represented the wealth,
the business interests, and the society of
Bath. They found their way first to the
main saloon by way of twin staircases open
ing upward from the forward gangway.
Reaching this apartment the eye is pleased
at once with the harmony of colors. The
carpet of small figured, neutral tints blends
with the rich old gold of the plush furniture
and its cherry red completes, with the sub
dued chocolate color of the wood
work and the brighter hues of the stained
glass skylights most pleasing display of ar
tistic taste. The touches of gilt add need
ed element of brightness, further developed
in the polished brass of the radiator screens
and handsome chandeliers. Around the
whole of this saloon, which occupies all of
the upper deck aft the pilot house is an up
holstered settee of material and color to
match the furniture. Passing aft, by broad
tables laden on this occasion with fragrant
flowers, we reach the stairs which lead to
the ladies' cabin below. They are broad,
and the opening through which they descend
is so large as to give the person standing at
its rail the impression that he is on prone
made gallery overlooking the luXuriant sa-
loon below. The newels of this stairway
arei crowned with three lamps each, of de-
sign and workmanship to correspond with
the elaborate carving of the balustrade.
This retreat of the ladies is an exquisite af-
fair of very daintily tinted joiner work, and
is furnished to correspond with the main sa-
loon, Rich tapestries at the after end of the
apartment form portieres that can be grace
fully draped at the sides or arranged to cut
off the after end of the saloon as a ladies
toilet. Mrs. Mulligan, the stewardess, in
charge of this delightful saloon, served in
She endeared herself to many of the ladies
today by thoughtful attention to their COM
fort during the misery of sea-sickness, with
which many of them struggled
We will not minutely describe the Sappho,
for her hull and engine have both been ac-
corded much space in the PRESS, and will
merely state that in every respect Superin-
tendent Hyde and Architect Pattee have
more than fulfilled the terms of their con-
tract, and far surpassed the expectations of
their most sanguine friends.
The trip today was a trial trip only in
name; the real trial trip having been taken
yesterday morning at o'clock. The super
intendent and the designer stole march on
the public and the press, neither of viii h
infallible critics were allowed to know OF the
early morning cruise until too late to partlc-
ipate.
The trip today was a most delightful ex-
cursion. The swift steamer left Union
wharf at 1870 a. M, and steamed down the
river amid the din of saluting steam whistles
She was u miles from Union wharf before
the first hour had passed away, and was
passing Seguin, 10 miles from Bath, as the
sixtieth second completed the circle. The
run to MOnhegan was made in two hours
and thirty minutes approximo, and return
ing, the Sappho steamed up to the wharf at
Boothbay in the middle of the afternoon.
stay of one hour permitted the excursionists
to permeate the thoroughfares of this fish
metropolis, when the bow was headed down
the bay toward the Kennebec which was
to Bath at O'Clock, at which time
the new steamer made meteor course
along the river front, and Stacked up at her
She turned her propeller shaft at
one time at the rate of 100 times per minute,
using like number of pounds of steam Q30
times in one minute, on 130pounds OF steam).
As the steamer was in the harbor of Booth
bay, DR.. A. j. Fuller called the excursionists
together. and an informal meeting was held:
After remarks by the president OF the board
of trade,..J. NJ Hayes, Esq, presented res
olution of gratitude for courtesy OF the Maine
Central railroad and its Bath born president
This resolution having been unanimously
adopted, President Sewall made compliment
ary remarks on the steamer, her designer
and builder, and the designer of her engine,
closing by saying that he always felt conf
dent of the city's ability to produce steamers
the equal of any on the coast.
Gen. T. W. Hyde and Capt. G. G. Goss al
so spoke, eulogizing the brain and muscle
that has given to the world $50 grand speci-
men of the work of man in the field OF ma
rine architecture. Praise unlimited, but de-
served, was accorded Supt. Hyde, who was
works and the yard were mentioned as de-
serving no small share of the credit.
These" said Gen. Hyde, ''are to be tender
ed an excursion in the Sappho before she
leaves for the scene of her duties" The
field of compliment and fact having been
harvested, the speakers and their audience
after applauding the oratorical eff
forts A fresh southerly wind caused the
waves to rise during the day, which made
the return trip. remarkable chiefly for the
amount of salad and salmon distributed to
the inhabitants of the sea from Boothbay to
P0pham.
A lunch, consisting of delicious cold sal
mon, with salad dressing, Holsters escalloped,
crackers, cheese, sandwiches, ETC., was serv-'
ed at noon by G. ID. Robinson of Portland,
who on this occasion received many well de-
served compliments both for the manner in
which the luscious viands were prepared
and served. He was assisted by corps of
colored walters in the latter duty.