The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1897-06-03
FLOATING PALACES.
CHANGES MADE IN BAY CRAFT By TIME
AND PROGRESS.
The Fast Flyers of the Old Bay Line,
Merchants and Miners, Weems and
Others Plying the Chesapeake Be-
tween Baltimore, Old Point Comfort,
Norfolk, Richmond.

tween Baltimore, Old Point Comfort,
Norfolk, Richmond.
From i Baltimore paper we lake lie
following:
Ask the average steamboat captain
whose h&i: has grown Tray in treadlng
the decks of the vessel, about the
changes made III the methods Of build
ing steamships and steamboats, within
50 short period "A, 90 years, and he
viii acknowledge that the progress has
been wonderful
lie i, aston:>hed when lie thinks Of
the types Of marine architecture which
p!owed the waters Of the chesapeake
in the days Just after The war. and the
boats which now run from Baltimore
to the hundred towns Oh Tic shores Of
the bay. to Hampton Roads, to Rich
mond and gu; on the ocean to New
Eng land. and as far South as Savan-
nah. Ga. He can well remember the
popularity Of the SIDE hec!crs, as they
were termed. with their great walking
beams aud high smokcstacks. gaily
paiuted. sometimes in three or four
different cOlors.
While the bay steamers proper sell
dom use sails, the coastwlse craft, such
a, the liners Of the Merchants and
Miners Trans portation Company,
awaited themselves of all canvas posi-
bic. 1t is interesting to look over the
old Autograph advertisements Of some
of the companies. Many are still
hanging in various places in Baltimore
and other cities, which show the ship
with the smoke pouring from high
funnel, and possibly dozen sails set
to catch every breath Of air. In many
cases the toremast is square rugged,
while the mainma,t has the ordinary
main and -toi-sail cut in the fore
anG-ait fashion. The artist usually
represented the sea as being very
rough, while the big paddle wheels are
slashIny the water into foam. Aprar-
emily, the craft is travelling at the rate
Of l. or 20 miles an hour, judging from
the appearance OF the picture, but as
matter Of fact, many Of them did well
t. make 10 miles an hour.
With the bay steamers proper there
are also noticed many changes. While
the walkiuy-bcam engine had its advO-
Gates, it was destined to gradually give
way to tic propeller type, which util-
lied less space and avoided the neles-
sity of having machinery Oh the upper
decks Of the vessel, yet still many large
and powerful boats were constructed
with beam engines. Everyone who
has Travelled on the bay viii recall the
F2oyida of the old Bay Line. in her
day the queen Of ;he Chesapeake. y
The Baltimore Steam Packet Company
still has the Virginia, one Of the finest
| side wheel steamboats, ever built in this
country, which is giving excellent SER
vice on the James River route, between
Baltimore and Richmond. Although
the distance is near 200 miles, it is COW
cred in remarkably short time, con-
sidering the many curves i'll the river,
| which, although of artistic beauty and
interest, are very trying to the average
river pilot or captain. Modern types
Of idle wheelcrs are also shown by the
vessels Of the Wcems Line, which
cover extensive route, down the Ches-
apeakc and far up the Rappahanock
river into tidewater Virginia.
However, the "screw' boats, as
some term them, have come into favor
| for lOng-distance trips where the water
is of sufficient depth to permit handling
them with ease. They are capable of
| being developed into vessels Of great
| speed, as is shown by the recent run Of
the llaJama of the Old Bay Line,
which covered the distance between
Baltimore and O.d Point Comfort,
distance Of l72 miles, in time that
averaged 20 miles an hour. Yet the
| 1iaJama was the first large steamer
| built at the Marylan Steel Company's
Shipbuilding plant. The same COM
| pany built the Gloucester, one of the
| finest vessels Of the Merchants and
Miners fleet, and in comparing these
ships with some Of the liners of even
! - years ago the contrast is very great.
She is screw steamer, and carries two
masts, which are rugged very simple
with fore and aft sails. She is one of
the finest vessels Of the line. Yet Is
| years ago the cOmpany's best steam
| ships, as already noted, carried more
or less square sails, and, in fact, util
lied all the canvas power obtainable.
One reason for the employment Of
more mechanical and less wind power,
as it might be termed, is the cheap
ness of fuel. The price Of coal was
much greater Is years ago than to-day,
and it was considered more valua BILE
than time. In these days. however, it
Is very necessary to have fast, as well
as modern vessels, for passenger SER
vice, and the company which gives the
travelling public the best facilities in
this respect is the one which is most
literally patronized, and Baltimoreans
can take pride in knowing that in the
fleets of the Baltimore Steam Packet
Company, the Merchants and Miners
Transportation Company and others,
this port is represented by as many
modern types of steamships and steam
boats as any in the world.