Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-03-19
A MARINE BEAUTY'S TRIAL
The Washington Takes a
Turn on the River.
ANOTHER LOCAL TRIUMPH
Finest Vessel Employed In
Inland Navigation.
A Mile in 3.O7 Minntes--A New Model,
the Lines OF Which Disprove Theory
Long Believed--Luxuriousiy Furnished
and Eitted--Needs of "a Better Channel
IN the Cnristlana.

The steamer Washington took her
maiden voyage to sea yesterday week in
trial trip from this port to Cross Ledge
Light and return, and served to eX-
emp!lfy to score or more navigators
and vessel owners the excellence of
Wilmington ships. She made the
long run without a falter aud at the
wind-up gave emphatic evidences of the
great need Of substantial improvements
to the Christiana. The big boat was
obliged by reason of the tortuons,
shallow channel and adverse tide TO
pick her way so slowly up the stream
that the landing was delayed fully two
hours. The tediousness was neither
the fault of the navigators nor of the
boat but was solely blameabe to the
inadequate waterway, and no further
proof Of the great necessity of giving
deeper or better channel could be pre-
sented TO the commission, having such
project under consideration.
The Washington is an iron steamer,
built to run to and fro between Wash
ington, Old Point Comfort and Norfolk,
as one of a night line of steamers She
has sister ship, her exact duplicate,
also nearing completion and these two
will give nightly transportation be-
tween the points named, starting alter
nate evenings from the termini. II is
the project of the builders to divert
southern passenger transportation of
passengers and freight by this route and
the mission of these twin sisters is an
important one. IL is further destined
that the line shall still further develop
Old Point Comfort as a pleasure resort,
but this is only an incidental feature of
the main purpose of her builders. With
such attractive, swift and luxurious
crafts as the Washington and her mate
the allurements to this route will be
strong and the project has therefore the
strongest element of success at once.
The Washington is of iron, 260 feet
in length and 246 feet long at the water
line. At the latter point she is 81 feet
in breadth, tlaring to 46-foot breadth
over all, and she is 164 feet deep, with a
tonnage of 100. Her single propeller
blade is driven by an inverted triple
compound engine, with cylinders, 25, SO
and 56 inches and with 29-inch stroke.
Two boilers supply the steam which
drives the engine, operates the steering
gear and all other navigation appli- |
ances, drives the dynamo and sends heat |
through the endless coils Of pipe and
radiators to every portion of the craft.
Aside from the fact that the steamer |
represents the highest development in |
the construction of passenger steamers,
she is conspicuous for being the first
iron boat constructed with flare sides.
1t has heretofore been regarded as
necessary for stiffness to have the sides
straight, but the performance of the
Washington yesterday proved this the
ory to be entirely erroneous and falla-
cious.
The Washington has 81 state rooms
each accommodating two passengers
and room for as many more second class
passengers, subdiyided into rooms for
white and colored people holding second
rate fares. Her freight capacity offers
facilities for 5000 barrels on
the main deck. The interior of the boat
is beautifully appointed with ladies
cabin, social hall, promenade deck.
gallery deck, dining hall, &c. with
laYatorles, pantries, lockers, bar, barber
shop, &c, The dining hall and social
hall are both finished in hard woods,
with the furniture to harmonize and the
other portions of the interior except the
part devoted to freight is finished in
rich, white tints picked in gold. The
furniture is of oak, upholstered in
dark neutral tint of plush. The iron
work visible IN the saloons or state
rooms is handsomely bronzed.
Edison electric ightsillumnate every
portion OF the steamer, and from ornate
in the saloons shed a flood
ot light. Call bells in every apart
ment centre in the social hall. The boat
9 "A Iat1 a I
hole losing its heated terrors while the
passenger compartments are light and
liry. Throughout the boat sluXuriously
and furnished. She is staunch
md strong, moving under high pressure
withouta perceptible vibration.
The Washington put to test of mile
)ver measured course yesterday week,
covered the distance IN 3.O7 minutes,
with the propeller driven ut 118 revolu-
ions per minute With the propeller
It a speed Of 150 revolutions to which
apidity it can be driven, the same mile
'ould be run out in about "a minutes or
quicker. Aside from the speed test the !
ase with which this gait was attained
vas most striking. There was not the 9
lightest abnormal motion precepti6le. I
Her performances in the river and in '
he rougher waters of the bay were such :
IS to elicit the warmest praise for her !
'uilders, the Harlan u lIollingsworth 5
company. and the Washington was 2
eadily accorded the distinction of being j
he finest, staunchest and best appointed !
teamer employed in what may be desig- l.
ated inland navigation. U
About 100 persons made the trip, the Q
arty including j. Taylor Cause, III. Il.
'ause, N. Il. Benson, L. b. Sadtler, r. J,
. Shaw, G. b. Whiting, II. l.. Peacock, u
|. g. Wilson, Captain w. Thomson,
ames Carmichael, Captain Thomas
S. X. Smith of the Harlan u r
Company, Il. G. Inger- ~
1ll, Il. G. Bradford, w. Harold Smith, r
|. l.. Fulenwider, Sinclair Stuart, fl
Toward B. Ensign, Joseph Jenkins, En- fl
lneer Strykman of the Edison Electric "
ompany, ]. Clarence White nj
Among the steamboat men and out of in
,wn guests were Captains Wilson and N
loomsburg of the Wilmington Steam h,
Dat Company, Captain Philip Reybold, q
aptaln Gushing of the Susquehanna, or
aptain Brickley of the Almy, Captain Ii,
Gorge W. Lackey, Mr.. jenkins, Presi- dt Il,
snt Appold of the Merchant and Miners ia
Company, Chief Engi- "
eer Sherwood of the Old Bay Line,
euben Foster, general manager of the
ork River Steamboat Company, and W
ngineer Lawrence, Engineer Gargen of W
e Susquehanna, Mr.. Clum Of the is
lmy, Mr.. Smith of the Alicia, 1t
resident Warfleld of the Chop eli
nix Steamboat Company, James OF
. Dumont, j. w. Douglas, w. L. en-