Alpena argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1893-1909, 1893-03-22
Steamer City of Alpera.

Steamer City of Alpsra.
The new palace steamer City of
Alpena was launched at Wyandotte
on the 18th, and the hull has been
lowed to a Detroit wharf to have
the machinery put in. Her dimen-
sions are: Length of keel, 266
feet; over all, $50 feet; breadth of
hull, 3S9 feet; breadth of hull over
guards, 70 feet; moulded depth, Is
feet. The hull has been construct
ed somewhat different from the old
steamer whose place she takes, being
not so sharp forward, her lines re-
sembling those of a fish. This
shape, it is claimed, will give her
more buoyancy and yet permit of
great speed. The steamer City of
Alpena is expected to attain max
imum speed of 20 miles per hour,
and her average speed, while on
regular route, is to be 1S miles per
hour. Her route will be from To-
ledo to Detroit, Alpena and Mac
kinac, distance of 40 miles, and
she is to make two round trips per
week, calling at this port on her
way up and down.
The hull is divided into water
tight compartments by steel bulk
heads, so that if one of the compart-
ments should fill with water the
remaining compartments will keep
the steamer afloat.
The propelling power consists of
a low pressure compound vertical
beam engine of 5000 horse power.
There will be two cylinders, one
high pressure, being AZ inches in
diameter, and the other low pres
sure, being 66 inches in diameter.
The length of stroke is II feet.
Her boiler will be a double-ender,
equaling four boilers, with Howden
force draft. The steam pressure
will be 100 pounds. All water is
heated to the boiling point before
it enters the boilers. The improve
ments are said to save 20 per cent
of coal and make the engine equal
to triple compound. The paddle
wheels will be Of the Morgan feath-
ering pattern, adopted for their
speed, without jar or noise. The
running time from Toledo to Mac
kinac is to be little less than 30
hours.
The steamer will have one rud-
der at the bow and another at the
stern, being the first lake vessel to
be SO equipped. The bow rudder is
situated at what is known as the
forefoot. 1t is set into the hull and
is part of the stem, it's shape con-
tinuing the vessels lines. It rests
on a pintle, and when the vessel is
steadily forging ahead it is locked
in place, making it immovable. The
stem rudder will be very useful for
such harbors as Alpena. The river
is not wide enough for the steamer
to turn around, so she will have to
back out the same as the steamers
did in the past. With the stem
rudder she can back out without
the aid of a tug. Each rudder will
have it's distinct steam steering
gear.
1.-THE cabins will be furnished in
mahogany, and possess the novel
feature, on the upper lakes, Of an
additional tier of staterooms; the
upper tier will be reached by a
broad, endless gallery. There will
be $50 staterooms and parlors, each
provided with electrical annuncia-
tors, wire and patent mattresses,
Pullman blankets, and illuminated
by electricity. A separate cabin
will be provided on the main deck
for passengers without staterooms.
The lower saloons will be devoted ex-
clusively to the dining room, kitch-
ell and pantry, thus separating the
culinary department entirely from
the main saloons and sleeping apart
ments, an improvement only possible
on large steamers of this company.
In fact, all departments will be
supplied with every modern con-
venience to make steamers unsur-
passed for safety, comfort and
pleasure. The crews will have sep
arate mess rooms. There will be
separate bath and toilet rooms for
men and women. Men will have
the additional luxury of barber
shop. The dining room will be
twelve feet longer than that Of the
Cleveland, and the cabin Of the
same length as the Cleveland's.
She will be heated by steam and
lighted throughout by electricity.
1.-THE decoration of the main sa-
soon is carried out in the Louis XIV.
period. All the woodwork, panel
ing, ETC., is in mahogany. The
staircases and balustrades present
very pleasing appearance with their
enrichments of brass. The large
mirrors at each end of the ship are
finished with heavy, carved, Louis
XIV. frame, relieved with gold. All
the wood above the second tier of
the main cabin will be finished in
ivory enamel, enriched with gold;
it will present delicate effect, with
the ivory carvings and delicately