Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-15

| precedents were followed for 100 years and
more, lake vessels being built as rule on
| ocean models. Changes came in shortly
after the advent of steam. The new motive
| power found different conditions on the
| lakes from the ocean. and just as partlcu-
lar type of steamboat was evolved for the
Western rivers, so a modification of type
occurred on the lakes The steambarge of
the lakes carries her engines and boilers far
in the stern instead of amidships as in the
ocean steamship The need of more matches
on the decks for the handling of such bulk
freight as COAL ore and grain made this
change advisable, and as it secured a saving
of room and enabled the loading of heavier
cargoes it was economical as we'll.
Ths Machinery Slowed Astern.
The practice of towing schooners, how
ever, was probably the most powerful in
auence in making this location of engine
and boilers fixed feature of the lake tyne.
As it was not deemed necessary to put the
engines amidships to insure stability, and
as the change gave more room for matches,
increased the capacity, insured quicker
handling of vessels and resulted in general
economy of operation, no considerations of
mere atcultecturdl peduiy coulo opeiate W
change it.
But the location of the engines is not the
only structural difference to be noted.
Especially since the building of the great
steel steamers, costing SIZE, 900 to S225, 900
began, lake shipbuilders have been dispens-
ing with keel and using instead a water.
bottom. That is, instead of the old plan of
a backbone of great timbers, a water-tight
foundation, as it were, is built, from three
TO four feet deep in its deepest points, and
the frames of the hull are built into this.
While tine result may be a somewhat weaker
vessel in other respects, this change insures
absolute freedom from danger if the vessel
strikes rock. The water bottom fills, in
such case, but the vessel still has stan ch
and solid bottom above that and can reach
her destination without difficulty.
The Water Bottom Stands the Test.
Eminent English naval authorities, sent
here in the interests of the English Lloyds,
have not hesitated to pronounce this plan of
building superior to that pursued on the
Clyde, at least so far as the requirements of
lake commerce are concerned. Thus it hap
pened that McDougal when he planned his
famous "whalebacks' without keel, was
not making an innovation in that respect in
lake shipbuilding. However, he did in
troduce some very notable changes that
have apparently come to stay. The whale
back" is already tolerably familiar to every
one interested in marine matters. 1t is built
according to patents issued to McDougal in
1881 and 1882, which cover freight boat
with parallel sides for a considerable por-
tion Of Its length, tapering to points at bow
and stern and semi-cylindrical above and
elllpsoidal below the water line. Turrets
for look out and cabins are provided re-
spectively in bow and stern.
The McDougal type came because there
was place for it in lake commerce. 1t is
cheaper than the ordinary barge or schooner
and tows more easily, because the rounded
top offers less resistance to wind and wave.
1t follows that it can be more cheaply
operated than the old type OF vessel. This
is the secret of its permanence.
The Freight Rates of tho Day.
In day when the freight rates on the
lakes have been cut down to all average of
" mills per ton mile, every saving possible
business at a profit. To make this rate
more clearly understood, let us state it in
another way. On an average, ~ cents
carries ton of freight ten miles on the |
lakes, while there have been times, both last
season and already the present one, when a
ton of wheat, in round figures "a bushels, |
has been carried between Chicago and |
Buffalo at the unparalleled rate of cent
bushel for 800 miles, or a ton nearly "a |
miles for cent. Such marvelously cheap |
rates can only be rendered possible by the |
most careful economies in the construction
and handling Of boats, and it is that fact
which opened a place for the exceedingly |
homelv but valuable whaleback.
The New York company, in which Rocka-
feller, Hoyt, Colby and other capitalists are
that bought large interest in |
McDougai's patents and established very
large shipyard at West Superior, Wis, to
"whalebacks, is rapidly making
these odd and homely vessels common on
the lakes More than dozen are already
ahoat and ten more are on the stocks and
will be launched before fall
Enormous Freight of One Boat.
As an instance of the remarkable feats of
these boats, the record of the Joseph L.
Colby, "whaleback" steamer, last summer
is worth notice 1t carried $4,000 bushels
of wheat itself and towed three Of the
barpes with more than $4,000 bushels each
aboard. That is, the Colby in one fleet
brought down from Duluth to Buffalo 312,-
900 bushels of wheat
The saving manifest in the ''whalebacks'
has set other lake shipbuilders to design
ING and figuring, and the results are two
new models upon which half-dozen boats
are building at lake yards. The first is the
"monitor" type, drawn by Presi-
dent H. D. Cofinberry, OF the Cleveland
Company. The first vessel on
this plan, the Andaste, was launched here
hn+ a 70 az, yepks since She ia A compromise |