New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-12-26
DINNER AND INFORMATION
FACTS ABOUT SHIPPING MINED WITH
THE COURSES

HER TOWARD THE KLoNDlKE

There was an unusual sort Of dinner party on
board the steamer Earnwell down at Elizabeth
port the other evening. 1t unusual as to It's
place and as to its purpose though dinners are
given for many purposes, not counting 'he
primary one Of nourshment, that no purpose
ought perhaps, to be regarded az unusual
good MANY parties are given on board ships. too.
but the ships are usually anoat and have sound
bottoms. while this ship was on the drydocK
and had next to no bottom The point was thal
the guests were to take a look at the ship with
the bottom out and everything on board, except
the dinner upside down. fguratively. so that
they might see the difference when they should
gather for another dinner on the trial trip OF
the vessel few weeks hence.
For the repairing Of the Earnwel is one of>the
biggest drydock jobs ever attempted in TINS
country She is not among the biggest shps
that have ever been on American drydocKs'
though she is pretty big ship too but she Is
to get so much repairing that she VIII come OUT
of it practically a new vessel
The host Of the occasion was James McCaldin,
who Is at the head Of the Ross Iron Works'
which has the job in charge When the guests
from New York arrived they were taken over
the ship and under the ship and through the
ship and things explained to them IN q
way that was altogether edifyng to landsmen
who were accustomed to being snubbed by sea-
men whenever they ventured on question IL
was cold day and the position OF the vessel
more suggested that Of a balloon than tEat OF
shin SO that when the inspection was over the
visitors were just uncomfortable enough TO ma
the little cabin where the table was set a ue-
Mghtful place to &c: into. Perhaps you VINO
have crossed the In big liners think that the
saloon Of a ship built to carry cargo Is about
the same thing. Well, II isn't 1t Ii httIc
room at the stern, with staterooms and pas
sages around II and little skylight, and II Is a
tight fit for a table and eight diners But the
table was there with things to eat and drink on
IT, and there was a fire, and these were the NAN
things and the diners were willing to sit
trine close together for the sake of them The
party was thus made up: The host and another
partner Of the Ross Iron Works. a business
agent and a supervisor OF the work for the
owner Of the ship, two New York lawyers
New-York broker. and an eighth person. whose
only claim TO notice Is that he writes this ac-
count.
THE LEARNING BEGINS TO FLOW
1t was while the soup was Its way to the
right spot that the guests began to learn In
terestng things about the ship. where she came
from where she was going and how she was
going to get there. The representatives. OF the
owners and the iron men answered the Ques-
tions, and the Others asked them. For instance:
How did you get the ship here from the place
where she was wrecked with the bottom OUT
"The bottom wasn't out She had been rolled
and pounded around on the rocks. and the bot
ton WIS pretty well battered up, but 1t was all
there But even if she had had some pretty DIG
holes she would still have hoated. for she had an
inside bottom and she could be towcd easily
enough"
And how much longer is 1t going to take to
get her into shape|
"She will be here about two weeks more;
then she will go up to the yard in brooklyn
where a lot more will be done to her and she
ought to be ready for early In February
Then we send her OFF around Cape Horn FOR san
Francisco. So she Will be ready TO carry pas
sengers to the Klondike as the rush
begins in the spring.
and won't 1t cost about as much to get her
70 San Francisco it would to build a new
ship therc?'
"Oh no; We shall send her with cargo, and
1t will pretty nearly pay for the cost OF the
voyage"
what cargo Will she take?'
GOAL"
What nothing but coal?"
Nothing but coal"
"And can you sell coal there for enough to pay
for carrying IT by steamer"
YES pretty nearly. 1t is what Is called
Cumberland coal. from Maryland. and 1t is
highly priced by bIacksmtl,s. 1t is hard to get
on the Pacific Coast. We can buy 1t here FOR
81 a ton We shall lead the ship right up with
it-put in all she will carry. Then az she goes
along she will burn what she needs, and when