Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-09-20
STEEL COAL BARGES.
New Departure in River Navigation
Made by W. b. Browns Sons.
THE DAY OF WOODEN CRAFT PAST.
Some Danger Anticipated From CorrOsiOn
by Sulphur Water,
WHERE A SAVING WILL BE EFFECTED

w. Fl. Brown Sons have built q steel
barge, the first ever constructed, and they
expect that it will revolutionize the coal
carrying business on the river. The barge
was launched yesterday afternoon at the
Brown station yards. 1t is an experiment,
and will be tried at the first opportunity.
j. f. Hammett, foreman of the Brown
shops, superintended the job, and he is
proud of his work. Captain Sam Brown
has left orders that as barge is needed for
coal the steel one shall be used.
The barge is feet inches in depth, 135
feet long and "a feet wide. 1t is an exact
reproduction of a wooden barge in shape
and size 1t was thing of beauty as it lay
at the wharf yesterday afternoon, and ap-
peared to be too fine for its surroundings
and intended use. The idea is Captain
Harry Browns When the barge was
launched it went straight into the water
without being twisted, as frequently hap
pens to the wooden ones. This shows its
great strength and stability. The only
thing Mr.. Hammett is afraid of is the
sulphur in the water. In the upper pools
it is plentiful, but the danger from this
corrosive substance will be greatly reduced
in the lower river
A Large Saving on Repairs.
The expense of building and repairing
barges every year is a big item to the river
coal men. Most of the large operators keep
on hand from 800 to 400 wooden barges.
One of these costs 8, 400 to build, and its life
is on an average 10 years In that time the
repairs Will amount to another 81 400. Aft
er every trip the barges are weakened and
they require constant caulking The
Browns build annually about % new barges.
The steel barge cost good deal more
than was necessary, as the men had to be
taught and considerable experimenting to
get the best results was done. 1t is esti-
mated that the steel craft will cost three
times the wooden ones, but it is believed it
will last from % to 80 years, if not longer,
and in that timewill not need much repairing,
so that in the long run the Browns think
the steel barge will be the cheapest The
new barge can only be wrecked by running
into bridge pier, which is the constant
menace of pilots along the Ohio river. If
the barge sinks 1t will lie in the same place,
and with its cargo can be raised. Wooden
barges in wrecks frequently 20 to pieces,
and the coal is scattered and never recov-
cred. Often a barge will sink and will
float of, leaving its cargo behind.
The only wood about the new barge is a
sort of rim around the top to protect the
sides and receive the shocks from collisions
A hole can be punched in the bottom and
the sides, but it can be easily repaired.
Should steel barge stick on a sandbar it
can be pulled off without much damage.
VIII Soon Have a Steel Fleet.
If the barge should prove a success, the
Browns intend to gradually replace all
their wooden ones They will build about
ten per year until the old barges are all
used up. They have no intention of going
into their manufacture except for them
selves. Other coal operators are not expected
for some years to come to adopt the steel
barge on account of the original cost, but it
is believed they will finally adopt them.
j. Morrow Arnold, the confidential man
of the firm, explained that in recent years
timber has greatly advanced in price. There
was a time when lumber was cheap, but the
price has increased from 13 cents per cubic
foot to 20 cents This is what makes the
wooden barges so expensive. The
logs at this rate are very small
also. The trees have been cut down
away from the streams and it costs q great
deal more to send the timber to market
than formerly. Mr.. Arnold is enthusiastic
over the new barge and he confidently ex-
poets that it will prove satisfactory. There
is on the surface no reason why it should
not be success unless the sulphur will
corrode the bottom sooner than anticipated.
The Browns have employed always more
than 100 men building and repairing barges.>
This will give some idea Of the expense.
There are never less than from 20 to 80 on
the docks and during the busy seasons the
delays are costly.