The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1890-03-29
SO E:ICENSZSE INDUSTRY
Plans of;.,e an,cr;ca ara Steei sGarge Cos.a-
casy fn Il. New Location


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! WEST SUPERIOR, WIS. March "a
| Capt. McDGgall, concerning the plans
/ of The American Steel Barge COMPANY
which Lately removed from Duluth &c
this city, stated that four boats would
be on the stocks and well under way
! by .Iuly Ist., and the whole Il.lnt with
its capacity for building eight vessels
at one time, be running at full capac-
ity within eight months. The first
boats TO be built at the West Superior
shipyard VIII be the los and 1o9, the
former to be in al probability steam
En- Each of the steamers have d car
rving capacity of 900 tons and the
c3nsorts $3.50 tons. Each steam barge
will be sufficiently powerful to tow two
or three c0ns0rts at a fair rate OF speed
and with greater economy in every
way than other crafts. 1t is eStimat-
ed that an average of twenty of these
vessel; " IL be bull, yearly at the West
Superior yard, furnishing employment
to | 900 men, earning from $50 to 81
per day, and entailing and annual ex-
penGiture of 2,00e, 900. Two million
dollars is a large sum Of money to be
expended every year, and an interest
ing fact in connection is that the mon
ey which it is now necessary to Pitts
burg and other points for material viii
be expended right here in Superior at
no distant day. At a recent meeting
III Yew York the Superior Iron and
Steel company decided to Immediately
construct Il Bassemer steel plant for
the manufacture Of the steel plates
which enter into the construction OF
these boats, ana all manner of struct-
ural iron and steel work. This new
LIANT will be very extensive, involving
the expenditure Of $3.50, 00G, as estmat-
ed BY President Weeks, being built as
quickly as possible and located at the
company pipe foundry. Contractor
Anderson is pushing the dock build
ing rapidly at the plant, and busy
scene is occasioaeI by a half dozen
steam pile drivers in operation and the
large force OF men engaged. The eN-
Iend;ture for machinery by the com
pany VIII he no small item, as viii be
seen. The punch shop Will be build
ing oiGxiG0 feet in size and contain up
wards Of E.lG0, 600 worth of machinery.
Here it is That the steel plates will be
punched, sheared and fitted. The di-
mansions of TIE carpenter shop Will be
I80xtG feet. where VIII lie tiraed out
the forms for frames and other neces-
sary carpenter work. About 5000
feet Of oak and 50, 009 feet of pine VIII
enter into the construction of each
vessel for floors AM tenders. The sho }
where the forms are submitted to the
bending process is l2oxi9 feet i'll size,
and adjoining is furnace where the
frames and plates are heated. There
VII be four distinct docks, upon each
of which it is designed to build tive
vessels at one time The vessels VII
rest iengthwi7e of the docks and it is
intended to launch them sideWise ard
III opposite directions into the sir.
The store and Office building Will be
two stories. high and soN30 feet in size
The lower floor viii be used for stor
age ana Office room and the second
foor for 4 Graughting room. The new
machinery Will be on the ground by
the middle Of April, and the Dulath
plant viii be removed some time III
jane. The company is having manu-
featured especially tor the plant one OF
the hrgest rolls i'll the United States
for rolling plate. weighing over 60 tons.
The American Steel. Barge company
when III full operation Will be one OF
the most extensive hull building cen
Germs in the world.