The Sunday herald and weekly national intelligencer., 1891-04-05

Moored to her wharf at the foot of Seventh
street, and slowly rising and falling with the
gentle swell of the broad Potomac, lay one of
the most beautiful steamers afloat on this sheet
of dull-grey water-the steamer Washington,
belonging to the Norfolk aud Washington
Steamboat Company. About her upon the
wharves and issuing from her sides were scores
of begrimed and oddly-assorted roustabouts
and deck hands, who hustled here and there
with heavily-freghted, rumbling trucks,
Gathering across gangways and the barely
completed wharf of the new company.
confusion, arising from the conflict of their
lusty throats that sent forth CHEEKY songs or
shouted orders, reigned equal to that generally
supposed to exist alone in Pandemonium.
But once aboard the Washington the pair of
HERALD men forgot the din in admiration of
this two hundred and sixty feet of solid
beauty. They stepped from the passenger
gang plank into the social saloon, where those
people addicted to the tobacco habit are en-
Joined to repair by sundry warnings placed in
state-rooms when they wish to undergo the
luxury of The fragrant narcotic. This social
saloon is Immediately ''fore' of the ladies'
cabin, and communicates with it by two hand
somely carved doors The genial and courteous
purser of the Washington, Mr.. r. e. Pilkin-
son, seeing that THE HERALD men were al
most lost in astonishment at all the beauty
surrounding them, kindly volunteered his
services and under his guidance they started
on tour of inspection.
Ascending a magnificent staircase of pol
ished brass and carved oak--by the way, there
seems to be more rich carving in the orna-
mentatiou of the Washington than on almost
any other boat the reporters ever saw, and they
have seen lots of them-the main saloon was
reached. Here more luxuriant loveliness was
exhibited. 1t is saloon that could grace a
palace. Long and spacious and as broad as
the width of the vessel will permit, it is fur
nished in marvels of artistic furniture of
carved oak, upholstered in plush of beauti-
full shade of blue At the head of the staircase
leading up to this saloon and Immediately on
the landing is an immense mirror, in front of
which score of passengers might stand and
arrange their hair or adjust their cravats, ac-
cording to their sex, while above the glare of
the sun is softened as it lights the saloon by
one of the loyeliest effects in skylights ever
perfected. 1t is fitted with innumerable panes
of yaricolored glass and ornamented with
carvings, gliding, and painting The walls
and doors of the saloon are decorated in white
and gold, which, under the blaze of the
electric lights, gives dazzling effect. There
is nothing here of gaudy brilliancy or over
layishness of display of beauty which may
for time impress one with a sense of beauty
sure to wear away in very few hours, but
everything is in good taste 1t is a beauty
that grows upon you. Although one may
keenly appreciate it at first, still in time he
realizes that there is grandeur and stateliness
about it that was not apparent to him on a
casual glance. Nor is this elegance confined
to this particular saloon. 1t extends through
out the boat from the keel of her iron bottom
to the top of her smokestack. And no wonder
she is beautiful Before the Washington left
her builders, the Harlan g. Hollingsworth
Company, of Wilmington, Del, she cost a
triie more than $4,000 Dust take a few
dollars from your pocket, allowing eight of
them to the inch, and see what pile that
would make-29,5O0 inehes or 3,6372 feet, or
considerable more than a half mile of dollars.
Above the main saloon, and as handsomely
furnished, is the balcony saloon. Here there
is slight change in the furniture, which is
carved oak aud brown plush. Opening upon
this saloon are twelve bedrooms, so that
when some people are travelling who like
plenty of room they can get 1t by simply ap-