New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-07-14
THEPASSlNG OF THE LIGHTER
ADVANTAGES OF THE BARGE FOR
FREIGHT TRANSFERS.

FREIGHT TRANSFERS.
1T IS EASY TO BUILD. CARRIES ENORMOUS
LOADS AND is CHEAPER.
Among the hundreds Of craft which on the
waters surrounding New-York may be seen a
fee, OF vessels which probably outnumber all
Others not excepting the ubiquitous tugboats.
which not at all conspicuous for their beauty.
and glide BY unnotced by passengers on the ferry
boats and the travelling public generally. but
which are the carriers OF vast quantities OF mer-
chandse. and without whose aid the enormous
trafflc Of the port would come to a sudden stop.
These the lighters and barges used In trans
porting heavy freight from point to point from
ship 10 warehouse or warehouse TO ship from rail-
roads ending at the Jersey shore to factories In
Brooklyn, lumber from the Southern steamers to
yards IN Harlem Gowanus. machinery from tho
great shops to foreign steamers. logs stones. rails.
castings and heavy and bulky freight in general.
outside of railroad freight now moved on floats.
It would be manifestly impossible to move this
class of freight on trucks. but 1t Is handled with
ease and economy by the aid OF these vessels
1t will have been noticed by any one who has
lived in New-York for number Of years that the
lighter which was so common fifteen or twenty
years ago. Is being superseded by the sailess barge
or scow. There is a reason for this. The lighter
was and Is an excellent craft for the purpose. She
carries an enormous load. Is easily handled. and
with any kind Of fair wind and tide can be de-
pended to make her trip quickly and safely.
SOME DRAWBACKS OF THE LIGHTER.
But. unfortunately. it happens that the tide
binders about as often as 1t helps. and that the
wind has way OF being contrary or OF utterly
falling when most needed. When II is only con-
trary a little patience and good deal OF lacking
will bring her to the desired haven. but when 1t
dies down to a dead calm. II any sort OF dispatch
Is wanted the services Of a tugboat must be OBJ
Apfr
Now. steadily increasing competition between
tugboat owners and consequent lowering OF
charges. with other conditions. eventually made II
possible to build a vessel similar In general ap-
pearance to the lighter. but with no sails and
somewhat larger tonnage. On tho original lighter
the hoisting tackle necessarily suspended
from the top Of the mast. the Take OF which
brought 1t near the centre OF the boat where It
needed. In the process OF the evolution OF us
successor the tall mast was unnecessary. and IL
was supplanted by a shorter one standing perpen-
d!cularly near end OF the boat. with strong
boom Joined to II some distance above the deck.
and long enough to sweep 1t from end to end This
allowed room for another innovation-the winch
which Is IN the original lighter. but
which reduces the manual labor OF loading and
unloading and is much quicker than hosting with
the rope.
THE SCOw-SHAPED CRAFTS ADVANTAGES.
lighter must be bull, Of the very best OF timber,
and In a strong. thorough manner. to stand the
strain Of the heavy loads and the pounding OF the
winds and waves. II is not necessary 10 be sea-
farng man 10 understand that scow-shaped boat
with square sides and ends would be unframed
In a sea or gale which would give . vessel OF
soop build unmerciful shaking. A barge or
scow OF the sort mentioned does not have to be
laid down by q master shipbuder. There arc no
planks to bend. no knees TO hew and ut, no DOW
or stern. rudder or bowsprit TO shape. and with
the vital exception Of having to be stanch and
ss IIttle skill as would suffice for hencoop. and
at cost. ton for ton. OF less than half that OK
These barges will carry an enormous load with
safety. Some OF the larger ones nave mas, IL,
tee, up from the deck from which two booms
worked They are heavy saiefs and the so m
'u Sil of these barses have room in tho hold for
the storage Of extra lines, tools and other ODDS
and ends. with stove and bunk for the Waterman an
for a permanent watchman. which is arranged for
For man Of moderate ambition and a small
family this would seem to be an enviab.e perth
He would have change of scene almost daily. plenty
tenement. the ashes and garbage question easily
settled, and during half the year az Least Eta coun
door Still. perhaps. II has Its drawbacks
STEAM BROUGHT IN TO HELP.
Some OF this build Of barges have a hosting en-
gine permanently fitted up at end This makes
a seryceable craft, which Is not TO be confused
with the steam lighter having Its own propeilins
engine as well as steam winch. The number OF
these latter is increasing daily. and they leave
nothing TO be desired In the OF compact salts
factory transportation. loading unloading and quick
The modern shipper begrudges every hour hi'
vessel is detained In port. and these and other I'M
nroyed appliances help to shorten II year by year
The old times, when a steamer stayed weeks
in port, have gone. never to return And 80 me
iichter is passing Possibly new one will still
occasionaly be built. They are a stanch. longyed
craft and II will be many years before they Dis
appear from the harbor. A., .
The old captains still stand by them, and say they
"a do more work and quicker with them than with
the new boats but 1t is evident that they will soon
70 among the back numbers along with the an
,ouated steamboat with exposed boilers. on
each edge of the boat. which was the universal
type five and twenty years ago.