The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-06-18
NEW SHAPE FOR VESSELS
Ships Like Needles Invented by a
Washington Man.
RE Thinks it Will Revolutionixe the
i Shipping Industry. Built Express
" for the Central and South
American Trade. It is
Apparently Success.

the first specimen Of the new type Of
ocean vessel, will make her trial trip
down tho Potomac river from her dock
Mt Alexandria. The Cassard was built
at Baltimore, but she has been lying at
the Alexandria dock for year fitting
up for this trial. She was brought to
Alexandria to be completed because tho
Arrow Steamship company, which owns
her, sterted to build au OCEAN vessel OF
this type at Alexandria and was driven
almost into bankruptcy by attacks made
on the new ship by New York ncwa-
paper AIR. Fryer, the inventor Of the
improvements in ship construction to
be found in the new vessel, had feel
ing about sending the Cassard on her
trial trip from the vhnrf from which
the Pecuhontos would haFe started If
her construction had been completed.
Any one who knows nothing what
ever about ship construction and no
moro about ships than can -be seen from
a dock would DO interested in tho Cas-
snra because of her odd shape She is
enSy l6 feet across at the widest point,
yet Hfe is seagoing vessel, and her
ownaas expect to put her in tho Central
American t1Sffs from New Orleans or
from some psint on the Florida coast
Mr.. Flyers idea Of tho usefulness Of
the new typo OF vessel is assooiatcd with
the development Of tho Central Ameri-
can republics. He has two engineering
echsmes which no thinks will open mp
ths,interior 81 these mountainous coun-
tries where now only the pack mule can
carry freight. This road, Mr. Fryer
says, he can construct Mt cost OF
$4,000 or $4,000 mile. There is I'M
doubtedly fortune for the man or men
who will find means Of opening up
the interior Of Honduras and other Of
the little republics.
The construction Of the Howard Cas-
sard is not exactly what the construc-
ton Of the larger vessels Of the type
will be. In the CaSs2rd the boilers e1-
tend:above the engine deck. and the two
snokestaclis stand out above tho ship
just back of the wheelhouse. In the
transatlantic vessels Of thig typo tho
stacks will be carried up at the sidos of
the vessel, and thnre will bo nothing TO
break the line OF the saloon from one
end to the other Of the ship The on
Sines are all bolo,y tho cabin deck in
tho Csssard. They will be below tho
water line in the big vessel They arc
8 great part Of tho weight which pre-
serves tho specific gravity Of tho ship.
1t was serious question IN the minds
Of some people when AIR Fryer made
his plans public whether the new vessel
could be Kept upright in the water. Some
people asserted th;.t she would turn over
end sink to the bottom on the first trial
A"newspaper asserted that MIR Fryer
knew this and that he was practicing O
"bunko'' game. This papar hns been
sue8-for Gl;000,o00 by the company.
Against great deal Of encouragement
tho promoters of the Arrow company
have gone ahead with the slow develop
saent Of the Fryer plan. They have now
working model 222 feet long, which
cost $3.50. 900, and which has not only
honted, -but weathered quite q little
gale in the Chesapeake bay And her
cnptais reports that, while the wind was
blowing ehant 40 miles IN hour tho
Cassard rode the water az easily Ms
though she were standing at her dock
In the transatlantic vessal OF the Ar
Sow type there will be two cabin decks,
each lined with staterooms. No smoke
stacks viii make break in the line Of
the saloon on the cabin declea, and the
engines vial not rise through the saloons
IA they do on the great Atlantic liners
now. Ia this respect tho new veasei sug-
gests thee Aississippiriyer steam boats
With their long saloon cabins opening
into Eta&ereoms en- each side. In the
sraaller vesss}there ID NO break IN the
passageway between the ssaterooms for
the engine. That Is entirely in the hold
OF the weasel, Its weight "a 80, 900
pounds, and there ID 10000 pound
keel Ct iron, which assista the engines
tctilsep the oenter Of gravity below the
wafer line and to prevent the vessel
suIning Over. It ia in this Line Of state.
rooms, extending down the sides Of tho
vessel, thatsshe appears remarkable TO
the casual observer.
Imagine sleeping car aaoat, and you
viii get good idea Of what the How.
ard Cassard viii be when she starts Out
next fall 10 taEe parsy Of 90 excursion.
lists to Central Anerioa to Investigate
the possibilities Of oomnereial develop.
ment there. The vessel, through its en-.
tire length, is divided at regular inter
walls into "s6cfions' On stateroonns Tho
sections will be divided from the aiale
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