The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-01-01
THE ERNEST OF THE FLEET
THE NEW OCEAN STEAMSHIP
KANSAS CITY IN PORT.

ooo0ASSE neutrality-suspicious. OnSur-
passed by Those of Any Coasting
Vessel - Her Carrying Capacity
5000 Bales OF Cotton - The Vessel
Inspected by Gen. Alexander and
Members of the CentraIs Directory.
Contrary TO the expected programme, the
new steamship Kansas City got to Tybee in
time to catch the incoming tide before day
break yesterday, aud arrived at her slip
about 4 o'clock She brought nearly 100
passengers, the greater portion of whom
were ladies, who were delighted with the
voyage.
The vessel made a good record on her
first voyage south, and the weather was de-
ightful. There was no effort to speed the
vessel, as it was thought best to work the
engines carefully for the first few trips, but
the vessel, Gen. Sorrei says, showed that
she will easily make her fourteen knots,
and at one time, when she was given full
play, one of the crew said that she YVES
going at the rate of a good fifteen knots an
hour.
GEN. ALEXANDER INsPRCTS THE VESSEL.
When it became known through the city
that the Kansas City had reached port and
was in her slip at the Ocean Steamship
wharves, a steady flow of visitors set in,
and the vessel was inspected with interest
and admiration. Gen. Alexander, with
Mr.. John G. Calhoun and MIR. Pat Calhoun,
was driven to the wharveS at noon, and went
over the vessel with Gen. Sorrel, and was
highly pleased with her general finish and
furnishings.
The Kansas City is the most elegant ship
or the Ocean steamship feet, and was built
at cost of nearly $4,000. She was built
at the celebrated shipyard at Chester, Pa,
and Is steel vessel Of 1000 tons gross
measurement. Her dimensions are $40 feet
length, % feet beam, and 2719 feet depth.
THE VESSELS ENGINES.
Her engines are triple expansion, to
secure economy in coal with the best results
for speed, steam at 100 pounds pressure
being supplied from eight boilers heated by
sixteen furnaces. Toe engines are $500
horse power, cylinders 80 inches. 81 inches,
and 50 inches, respectively, with 81 inch
stroke. The capacity Of the vessel is the
bulk OF 6,O00 bales of cotton, and the vessel
is supplied with swift-running noiseless
friction winches and freight elevators for
rapid and careful loading and discharging.
The vessel is divided into five watertight
compartments by strong transverse bulk
heads extending from the keel to the main
deck.
Having in view the growing trade in the
shipments of the fruits and vegetables of
Florida and Georgia to the northern
markets, special attention was given to the
scientific ventilation of the freight spaces;
and, in addition to the regular means, the
steel masts of the ship are SO arranged as to
create powerful currents of air from the
upper between decks, where perishable
cargo is usually carried.
A FLOATING PALACE.
In planning accommodations for passengers
no details have been omitted which would
conduce to luxurious ease and comfort In
the main saloon the eye is greeted by a soft
combination of colorings, the dull reds in
the thick carpetings and rich upholstery
harmonizing with the golden effects of the
panel work in satin wood and white
mahogany, which melt into the delicate
tinting of the ceiling. Six tables provide
seating capacity for 100 first-class passen-
gers. rich, exquisite and rare buffet of
Mexican onyx, fourteen feet long, furnishes
the forward end of the saloon, while from
the after end, and leading to the deck above.
is beautiful mahogany stairway finished
in the chaste and severe style Of the day.
THE MAIN SALOON.
Surrounding the top of the stairway, and
extending far forward and aft, is the
| spacious social hall, paneled and tinted like
the saloon below, but appearing more
brilliant from the furnishing in old gold
| and peacock blue, lighted through the
| ground glass and colored skylights ia the
! symmetrical dome, which extends over the
entire length of the hall Alcoves from the
| social hall and from the after saloon on the
| deck below lead to the choice state-rooms,
many of which are filed with double lower
berths, and the upper berths are patterned
| after those in Pullman cars, TO be turned I'D
| when not in use.
On the hurricane deck forward is the
| smoking room, and a number of state
rooms opening on deck, as so often desired
| by gentlemen passengers. The second
| cabin. neatly paneled and painted, is on
| the spar deck forward, and will accommo-
| date sixty passengers.
DAZZLING IN THE ELE CTRIC LIGHT.
The Kansas City is lighted throughout by
electricity, and the curren { carried through
the oxydized silver lamps in the saloon and
above the stained-glass sky-Ights, and
reflected back by massive plate-glass mir
rors, make the scene one of lovely effect.
Electric bells in the staterooms, bath TO oms,
and other points in the beautiful fabric
place the stewards department in con-
venient communication with the passengers.
On the center table in the main saloon
when the vessel arrived was a floral horse
shoe of white balsam, trimmed with white
and yellow rosebuds and maiden hair fern,
the gift of New YORK friends. 1t was the
only one of the many elegant floral decora-
tions at the table at tho reception given at
New York the evening before the vessel
sailed, the guests taking away the flowers
as a souvenir of the occasion. On one side
of the floral horseshoe in raised red letters
are the words "Bon Voyage" and on the
reverse side 'Kansas City,"
THE SUTp1S CrJTSTNE
The culin airy department of the vessel is
in keeping with the tout ensemble Of the
rest of the vessel. The floor of the pantry
is of tessslated tiling, and within step Of
the kitchen, which IS supplied with three
ranges, and in the rear Is the chilled room,
or succession of ice houses, with meat shop
attached, the les rooms aud shop being
about forty feet in length.
On the day following Christmas Gen.
Sorrel sent the following telegram to
ex-President l.. E. Irwin OF the CONNER
cial Club Of Kansas City Mo-:
NEW YoRK. Dec. 26.
TO Mr.. L. E. Tr1vtft Kansas City, Mo-
The steamship Kansas City performed admir-
ably on her trial trip from Chester TO New York.
She is now at our pier taking on her furniture
and elaborate cabin outfit. She sails for Savan-
nah on Dec. %. She is a noble Ship and will,
think excel anything on the coast, proving
herself, | hope, worthy of the great and
growing city whose name she proudly bears.
/ am SAILING with her Saturday for home, where
hope we shall one day see you. and some of
our Kansas City friends. Please let our fair
enonsor know 80 as To have her good wishes