The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1894-01-23
sTEAMERs ZOE LIZ LAKEs.
The Floating Palaces 10 Run in Connee
tion win the Great northern.


The Floating Palaces 20 Run IN Conneo-
tion win the Great Northern.
There was launched al Clsve.Ani few
days ago tho hnost merchant steamship
ever turned out Of an Amsrioan shipJsfd
on salt or fresh water. aud, mott appropri-
ntsly. she is to be named North America."
This vessel Ia tho brst % pass niger heet
building 10 the order Of the Great No thern
railway that Is designed TO TsFOlutionizo
the travel Of the Great Lakes. For years
the freight traffic Of the northern lakes has
been carried on better and bette shilh'
until now thess boats are Ia oVefy point tho
peer. N NOT the superior, OF the ffelRht car
riera Of every other nation Of waters.
The No IA America aud her coneOrt. ths
Northwest. which will DO lauuohei IN lev
weeks. - 3s3 feet long. forty fouf feet vide
and twentY-six feet deep. They will have
accommodation for about 600 passengers.
half hrst-clnas and half emigrant. no
boats will be lighted throughout by cleo
Tioiiy. having 1870 incAndescent lighta.
] his quantity Of light can best BE- under
stood By the statement that the largest
present light plant on she lakes 90 one oi
$50 lights. while she superb Campania, OzO
feet long aud siEty five feet beam. has only
1850.
The vessel will DO driven by twin sets OF
quadTuple expansion engines, the newest
style, OF a c0mbined ho 50 power OF
1000. while tbs heaviest engines nov
on the lakes are 2eo o., hoLs. sS
steam furnished At very high irsssura
by twenty eight Bellevillo bollsrs. she
first Of these boilers ever used il the United
States, though several French uarships haV.
them. They are guaranteed speed oi
twenty miles an hour and will make much
more, probably twsnty-eiQht miles, in deep
a
around the Atlantic Rreyhounds New forh
and Paris evsrv twelve, while the full trip
OF 900 miles from BuhalO TO Duluth vii
be made inside OF iifty hours. Such speed
cannot be maintained Without the sIpenal-
turs Of fuel and the trip is expected 10 re-
quire the burning OF go tons. The boats
will carry a crew Of 100 N ~, Or about sil
times the number IN the first-class meta
freightera OF tue lazes. Twin screws each
fourteen feet in diameter Will propsl tht
snip. Outes and innei skins OF steel vii
urotect againat ahipwreck IA case OF aool'
dent.
Ihe vessel has four dsoka. On the lower
deck forward are the emigTaut quaTtera
room for $50 people, nicely arranged and
| fitted with iron bsdsteads. After this, IN
water tight compartments, are boilers and
engines. and in the stern are the crew
quarters. On the main deck are the crews
/ quarters forward next beautiful dining
i
cherry wainscoting There are to be grato'
and open firoplaoss. novel feature on shiE-
board. On the upper deck are the cabins
and staterooms. all elegantly husd and
many with moveable beis IN place Of the
customary berths. On the hurricane dech
are houses. u large lounRinR room, ladies
/ reading room, etc.
The boats are not only new in build anc
stvls, but they will be run on modern
/ plan shat will give points 10 even the oeeaE
/ carriers. They will be run IN the style o
/ an European hote.-one pays Tor MS pass
are according 30 his room and eats sccora
/ ing 20 his ssasickneEs or appetite. pay nj
/ for what he gets. IL is designed 20 MAKE
the vessels a charming link Of loo mile
I IN the trnnscontinal trip over the GreA
Northern, for which reason large emiRran
quarters are provided.
/ President Hill, of she Great Northern
has long had the plan o.; these boats IN IN
mind. aud they are now his pets. Ever
effort will be made to populsrzs them AM
/ So build up \ great traffic, and ell the force
/ he 40 we'll knows how 90 use will be bfough
/ into plny. hat these boats will be Of an
caloulabe benefit 20 the west cannot b
/ questioned.