Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1894-08-11
THE ERICSSON AT ST. LOUIS
Iowa's Bomb Throwes . Great Curiosity
I'm the sleepy City.

in the sleepy City.
ST.. LOUIS, Aug. 2.-Robbing around
among the fiotsam aud jetsam just be-
low the old elevator on the river north
Of Cherry street lies n small marine
construction, having much the shape of
a butterfly chrysalis. Two yellow
painted smokestacks rise above the
peculiar shaped hull, and are the first
TO attract attention from "a distance.
This peculiar craft is the torpedo boat
Ericsson. which is the first OF her kind
to be built in an inland town ia this
country.
The Ericsson foated down from Du-
buque, Ia, where she was built, some
weeks ago and is lying at her presentlo-
cation in order that some OF the finish
ing touches may be put on the interior
construction. This work done, the
Ericsson will clear for New Orleans by
Saturday.
To reach the boat one must walk
north from the foot of Cherry street to
n point just below the old elevator. A
gang plank starts from n small sign
post, which reads, Rive cents admit
lance" To view the boat from the
shore IL appears to be an insignificant
affair. but, like "a certain yankee
cheese box" of the early COS, it is de-
ceiving in its looks TO tho uninitiated.
The Ericsson can, SO say its builders,
throw "A torpedo weighing 900 pounds
with such force that il will float swiftly
through the water for a mile and a
half.
This harmless looking torpedo,
which is generally fred at night,
floats along on the sufacc Of the water
and when an enemy's ship comes in
contact with IL there is II swish, a fizz,
a boom. Then the worst anarchist hat
ever infested Chicago would dance with
Joy to see the beautiful work of de-
struction. Maybe u big hole is blown
in the ship and the vessel sinks; or,
perhaps, the ship is blown to atoms at
once.
The Ericsson is designed 70 carry
only three of these g00-pound torpedoes
at one time, and when they are fired
her attack on the enemy is ended for
that trip. Most of the work of tor.
pedo boats is done in the nignt time,
when darkness favors the most effect
i've work in defense of a harbor. The
Ericsson is only $50 feet long, Is feet
aud / inches beam and IL foot hold.
owing to this small size ii is practic-
ally impossible for an irouclad or any
warship TO take aim and hit the Eric
sson when the little boat is dancing
around on the waves like a cork. In
fact, IA warship might just as we'll try
to hit IA cork. The Ericsson is sup
posed to dart ont into the darkness and
fire her deadly missiles among the en-
envy and then dart back to harbor
again. If she were ever hit by a shot
it could be only a chance shot. But a
chance hot would tear the Ericsson
into smithereens, for she is not SO con-
structed as TO resist any such force.
None of Carnegie's pepperbox armor
plate even is used in her construction.
Torpedo boats are not supposed to be
hit.
The Ericsson was not completely fin
ished at Dubuque, and the mechanics
are now working night and day in put
ting large sheetiron jackets on some
parts of the machinery, and in placing
a coating of magnesia over all the
steam pipes and cylinders. The mag
nesia acts as n nonconductor of heat,
and makes it possible for the engineer
and members of the crew To work in
their narrow quarters. This work will
have been finished by Friday.
Mr.. Dickey and Captain Dolson OF
the Iowa Iron works, which firm blilt
the Ericsson, are in charge of the boat,
and will remain so until she is
turned over TO the government,
when she arrives in New York.
But Lieutenant n. II. Usher of the
United States navy, who was recently
first lieutenant of the Dolphin, is with
the Ericsson and will make the trip to
New York. He will be placed in com
mand Of the boat after she has been
turned over to the government.
The Ericsson will leave st. Louis
Friday or Saturday for New Orleans.
Short stops for coal and mail will be
made at Cairo, Memphis, Vicksburg
and other points, but it is expected the
trip to New Orleans will be made in
one week, only running in the day
time. Two days will be spent at New
Orleans in adjusting the compasses,
and then the Ericsson will set sail for
New York. Charley O'Neill, the well
known pilot of the steamer City of st.
Louis, will pilot the Ericsson to New