The Portland daily press., 1889-10-15

Among the gentlemen from other States
were l. j. Bassett Of the HOOsac Tunnel
Line, G. +. Williams of Boston, NJ. N. Day-
idson of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, w.
S. MCGOWAN of the Metropolitan Steamship
Company, E. s. Merchant and Abbott Coffin
OF Gloucester. George Z. Smalley Of the Mer-
chants Despatch Company, Horatio Hall Of
New York. agent of the Maine Steamship
Company, and l. ID. Dana Of Boston.
Mr.. j. b. Coyle and Mr.. j. +. Liscomb Of
the Company, devoted themselves to the en-
tertainment Of their guests. who left Portland
in special car on the 1920 train on the
Maine Central. The run to Bath was pleas
ant and so was the brief time spent In the
parlors Of the Sagadahoc before the excel
lent dinner served there for the party. I'M
mediately after dinner carriages were taken
for the drive up and down the Bath hills,
along the river front to the yard Of the New
England Ship Building Company. The
location of the yard was made known by the
merry music Of maui and adze before the
first glimpse was obtained Of the great white
steamer, towering on the stocks far above
the vessels In course OF construction with
which she was surrounded
OF course the visitors climbed the species
OF Jacobs ladder, whose twisting and
trembling steps led to the main deck OF the
new steamer, far above the level of the
ground. Once on the deck, the visitors for
the first time realized the size Of the vessel.
10 say that the length over all Is 271 feet and
275 feet on the load water line, from rabbet
TO rabeet, Is about as Ineligible as Greek to
the uninitiated But view Of the ship
from the bow back through amidships. be-
tween the great paddle boxes to the open
deck at the stern. makes one quite ready to
los hot koha to khrI okf a.
east OF the Sound lines, larger than all the
other coastwise steamers which run to Port
land or the State OF Maine. Or to stand on
the hurricane deck, beside the opening
through which the engines will be lowered
into place, and look away down TO the keel
In the hold, into which small house could
be lowered so that its roof would be be-
meath the observer on this upper deck gives a
vivid impression Of the dimensions Of the
craft. Many took this method Of looking
over the vessel, and large number OF ladies
climbed the ladders to these elevated posts
OF observations, where the blue surface of
OF the Kennebec could be seen extending for
miles on either hand and the busy workmen
In the yard beneath look looked like pigmies
under the vessels towering sides. Up here
Is the officers cabin, a r0Omy house Just be-
hind the wheel house, which opens from it.
Staterooms on each side afford comfortable
sleeping places for the men who will have
charge Of the Portland. Another method Of
appreciatlng the size Of the steamer was to
go down underneath IL, a way which did not
commend itself to timid individuals who had
visions Of the great mass Of wood and iron
toppling over before they could get out from
under
The handsome white panellng with its
trimmings Of mahogany and brass, which
will incl0se the engine room, the saloons and
staterooms, Is not yet in place and its alb
sence and the unplanked spaces in the decks
reveal the strength Of the vessel, giving
glimpses Of the frame of oak and hackma-
tack, filed with big bolts and bound together
with iron bands and braces.
All these things were seen by the visitors
yesterday before they gathered around
the steamer, while the workmen wedged her
up, knocked out the blocks and let her set
tie slowly until her own weight sent tho
cradle smoothly sliding towards the water.
As the steamer started, Miss Emma Coyle,
daughter of Mr.. j. Il. COyle, christened her
Portland by throwing bottle of champagne
against the bow. As the Portland swung
round to the current after the two anchors
and tug boat had brought her to stand
still, she looked the handsome craft that she
is OF course, In exterior appearance she Is
much like other side wheel steamers. Her
great height is noticeable, especially now
when she has neither engines nor boilers
aboard, and also the graceful sweep Of the
lines from the bow to the prettily curving
stern. With her big paddle wheels in place,
smoke stack and two tapering masts she will
be among the prettiest Of the steamers on the
ALldDLlC COAST. a Olk kOlu ttkl5 on Tue
pilot house and the other decorations will
add to her beauty.
After the launch the Portland peo-
pie returned TO the station and
spent the time on the home trip talking over
the success OF the day: MIR. Haggett OF tne
New England yard had charge OF the launch
ing.
when the greater part Of those who saw
yesterdays launch again see the Portland,
they will find the main saloon, 20 Ieet IN
l.. a.. dfafa
and the other cabins elegantly upholstered
and furnished. The arrangement OF berths
in alcovcs in the ladies' cabin will be found
to be a convenient one. Steam heat In all
parts of the vessel will make her comfort
able In cold weather. The saloon will be
furnished In the Corinthian style and for
ward there will be gallery with several
large windows.
The lmotive power will be furnished by
two flue and return tubular boilers II feet &
inches In diameter and "a feet 8 inches long,
each having three furnaces. Each boiler
will weigh about forty tons. The boilers
were built by the Bath Boiler Company.
The machinery Is furnished by the Port.
land Locomotive and Marine Engire Works,
and Is OF the common type Of condensing
beam engine, having an upright cylinder 81
inches In diameter and II foot stroke. The
engine Is similar In design to the ones recent
ly built for the steamers State Of Maine aud
Cumberland, excepting that all the working
parts have been strengthened to meet the re-.
quirements OF the extra power to be used.
Inc engine under 90 pounds pressure will
give 20 revolutions Of the wheel a minute
AID speed Of Is miles per hour. The walk.
ing beam Is 20 feet IL inches long. The tC-
tai weight OF the machinery, including the
water and the coal In the bunkers, is esti-
mated at about $40 tons
Inc Portland will be commanded by Capt.
w. w. Snowman. The chief engineer will
be Geo. IL. Coyle. The purser will be Mr..
W. III. Liscomb. and the steward will be
Mr.. Cornelius Harris
The boat was designed by William Patten
and was built by the New England snip
building Company. She will be ready ior
use next May. 80