The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-26
CHESTER BROKE THE RECORD.
CAME UP THE RIVER DRAWING
"a FEET OF WATER.


The Largest Transport Which Has
Yet Visited the POrt-Was Form
erIy the City of Chester of the In
man Line-Is Well Equipped for
Carrying n Large Body of
Troops - Freight Capacity Wen
Taken Up AIready-NHI Carry the
Fifteenth Infantry to Nuevitas.
The transport Chester. which is to carry
the Fifteenth Infantry to Cuba, arrived
; yesterday morning from New York. via
Newport News. The government seems
vannah's river and harbor facilities, as
each transport that arrives for troops Is
larger than the one that preceded it.
The Chester is the sixth transport to
arrive here, and is the largest of the lot.
She broke the record for depth of any
vessel entering the river. The Chester
came up drawing "A feet of water, and
was safely locked at the Central press
wharf two hours after high water. Other
vessels have gone down the river draw
Ing this depth, but the Chester is the first
TO come up drawing that much.
The Chester is not only the largest of
the transports which have visited Savan-
nah, but she is the best equipped. being
a passenger steamer of the irst-class. She
is an old Inman liner, and was for a
number of years on the line between New
York and Liverpool While her freight
capacity is limited her passenger carry
Ing capacity is large. She is fitted up TO
carry 1900 men in the manner in which
troops are usually transported, and be-
sides, has accommodations for about
eighty cabin passengers.
The Chester came down from New York
with her freight capacity already pretty
well taken up, having on board sixty days
rations of oats and hay for $50 horses. She
has, besides, 1900 tons of coal and 800 tons
of ballast. Her draft light is q feet, and
the cargo brought her down to q. The
addition of nearly LOCO men with stores
will not be much for a big ship like the
Chester.
The officials who directed the loading
and equipment of the Chester in New York
must have had the Eighth Cavalry in
mind, judging from the amount of horse
feed on board and the further fact that
accommodations for $50 horses are pro-
vided on deck. Capt. Damn said to a
Morning News reporter who visited the
ship that he supposed that he was coming
TO Savannah to take on cavalry, and he
was somewhat surprised when he heard
that it was an infantry regiment that
he was 10 transport.
The Chester is 465 feet in length. 25 feet
longer than the Minnewaska, previously
the large transport 20 visit the port Her
gross tonnage is 4,770 and net 1925 and her
engines have $50 nominal horse power.
She has double tunnels, which are rarely
seen in this port. Capt John Damn, her
commander, is an old sea dog, having
been with the Inman Line for fourteen
years. He was on both the
City of Paris and the CITY
of New York Of the Inman Line.
when they made their record breaking
trips across the Atlantic several years
ago. As 10 the City of Chester, her name
with the fnman line, Capt Damn said
that he had known his vessel to carry
on one occasion 1920 steerage passengers.
This gives some idea of her passenger
carrying capacity. The men of the Fiji
teenth Infantry will not be so badly
crowded, however as there are less than
500 men to accompany the regiment.
The accommodations for first-class pass
be asked, and the officers will evidently
have very pleasant quarters on the trip.
No work was done in the way of loading
yesterday. On account Of the amount Of
freight already on board Agent Treze-
want of the Central Railroad is afraid
that he viii find some difficulty in getting
room for the supplies and transportation
to be put aboard here. He is figuring on
how 20 make use of the room which will
h. I'D ~
Der of men with the regiment Is less by
800 than the capacity of the transport.
The work Of loading will probably begin
this morning, and If everything is in read
tness there is no reason why the work
should not be completed and the vessel
ready to take her departure within twenty
four hours.
Gen. Lee received notice yesterday that
the Fifteenth Infantry had left Huntsville
for Savannah. Handling troops by rail
is usually slow work, and the train bear
ing the regiment will hardly begin to ar
rive here before some time this morning
The troops will not go into camp, but viii
remain in their cars until the transport
is in readiness to receive them. Ii is like
ly that their stay in Savannah will be
brief
Maj. Ruthers, depot commissary. said
that he expects to send rations
for 1850 men for three months on the
Chester. To do this it will he necessary
to unload a portion of the supplies now
on board.
The remaining six troops Of the Eighth
Cavalry will leave Huntsville tomorrow
for Savannah. They will probably arrive
Monday and viii take the transport Mani
toba for Nuevitas, Cuba, which is expect
ed 10 return here in a day or two. from
her trip with the other six troops of the
Eighth Cavalry.