The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-14
steamboat nuilding in Indiann.

Eastern papers sometimes speak OF In
diana as if it were exclusively an agri-
cultural State. This is misleading. Agri-
culture is the largest single industry OF the
State, as it is of all the middle Western
States, but there are others. Indiana S min
ing industries, including coal and building
stone, are important and her manufacture
ing industries still more so. In one respect
the State is peculiar in that it builds ships
on its northern border and steamboats, on
its southern. Vessels for the lake trade are
bullt at Michigan City and steamers for the
Ohio, Mississippi ana Missouri river trade
at JeffersoLville. Some of the finest steam
! boats on these rivers have been built at
Towards ship yards at Jacksonville. One
of these has just been completed, the Kate
Adams, and will so into commission on
! Tuesday next The Jef1el sonvil.e News con-
| tains description of her which, as sam
| pie of the kind of craft built in an Indiana
city, may interest inland readers. The
| News says:
The Kate Adams is a side-wheel steamer
and her hull is Of steel communicated into
eighteen subdivisions The Dulkneaulns
separating these Is also of Steel thus MAX
ing IL impossible for her to sink even should
haIf tie bottom be torn on. Her upper
WORKS are wood except the cabin ceiling,
winch is sheet steel ornamented to CORE
| Sponu with The other eleRancieS of that de-
pdrtment. There are thirty-tWo staterooms
each eight feet In the Gear, and these are
supplied with electric light, hot and cold
water ana costly furnishings. The cabin is
40 Ieet lonS by lo1: feet vide, and its or
lamentations have a blend that is catchy
ana surprisingly pleasing TO the eye, being
painted pure white, with gold leaf tips here
ana there throughout.
The turnlture Is rich. of the latest and
most styllsh pattern, the carpets beautiful,
anu the ladles canln is veritable palace,
at the rear of which is a ladies' lounging
room, or recess, fifteen feet square, eXclu-
slVely Tor ladies who desire to read or be
alone
The doors of the staterooms are arched
instead of being after the old style square
lued, Wnlle the Ventilating transoms are
round, there being two to each room
The Kate Adams on the exterior is also
model OF beauty, being painted white and
trimmed in gold leaf. Her chimneys are
symmetrical with arched block panel tops
She is 240 feet long. 40 feet wide and OF 7
feet depth Her battery consists of four
fine steel boilers As inches in diameter and
% feet long, each having six ten-inch f1ues.
IN diameter, with feet inch strokes to
turn the wheels, 30 feet in diameter With
buckets l512 feet long. 49,
Her electric plant is one of the largest
ever used on a river steamer and will sup
ply light for signal and search purposes for
an the decks, even deep down in the hold,
besides the hundreds of incandescents for
the CABIN texas and engine rooms. She
Will nave no stoves aboard, the heat being
AIu ulSHeu Dy Il new system OF steam aD-
paratus that guarantees the most perfect
Satisfaction to passengers who chance to
make this floating palace their temporary
home.
Her culinary department is equipped with
the latest of everything belonging to the
pantry and kitchen, and surpasses those of
either the Eclipse, Alvin Adams or David
White of ante-bellum days. The lines of
china, glass and cutlery are the finest and
prettiest that could be made for her.
This is very different sort of craft from
those on which the early settlers came to
southern Indiana which Abraham Lin
coin navigated down the Mississippi The
Kate Adams will ply between Memphis and
Arkansas City and lEdianians who may
chance to be travelling down in that direc-
ton should not overlook Aer. Steamboat
travel has been Largely superseded by rail-
roads on account of the greater speed, but
for comfort, rest and a real sentimental
journey the Western river steamboat is
still without a rival. The travel on them
is not great, yet it is of a character that
always insures agreeable company while
the fine accommodations, the restfulness
and the surviving features of early steam
boat travel make it delightful mode of
locomotion