The sun., 1898-10-02
NEW TWIN.SCREW STEAMER
Baltimore Steam Packet COmpany's
Boat Tennessee Built in Will
minU nUtOn

mingtOn.
About 7.3O O'Clock Friday night the
new steel twin-screw steamer Tennessee,
built in this city by Harlan & Hollings-
worth, for the Baltimore Steam Packet
Company, made fast to the cOmpany's
wharves, foot OF Union Dock, Baltimore.
She left Wilmington on Thursday morn
ing. and during the trip some little
time was lost by delays incident to new
machinery and the adjusting of COM
passes, which was done by M. V.
/ O'Neal. Captain Bohannon, the flag
officer OF the line, brought the ship
around.
The Tennessee has popularity of
ers generally. In building her hull a
flare was given to the sides, which ex.
tend outward from below the water line
to the deck, making her about six feet
wider at the deck than at the water line.
This gives her much more buoyancy and
in case of heavy weather she will be
much steadier than the average steamer
of her class. Mr. John R. Sherwood,
manager of the Baltimore Steam Packet
Company, supervised the designing and
construction of the boat, as he has
several others. She is built of steel
throughout, and the frame work is fully
20 per cent. stronger than in vessels OF
her tonnage. The idea was to give her
an AL rating, and she will be classed as
such for the next twenty years at least,
owing to the manner in which she was
built.
This boat is twin.screw steamer Of
2,OO0-horse power and ], 400 tons dis
placement. She is operated by triple
expansion engine, while steam is fur
dished by four Scotch boilers. The two
propellers, which enable her to turn
around in very small compass, will be
of great value in going around the docks,
as She will be obliged to do in the har-
bors OF Norfolk, Portsmouth and Balti-
more. About twenty-five different en-
gines are installed, which are used in
hoisting, pumping and running electric
light plants. The interior of the boat is
finished in oak, ash and maple, the fur
niture and appointments being the very
finest. 1t is doubtful if the vessel can be
sunk in the ordinary manner, as she has
longitudinal water-tight bulkhead, as
we'll as several extending across the
hull
In the furniture and appointments Of
the Tennessee the Baltimore Steam
Packet Company has followed its usual
custom in patronizing Baltimore mer-
chants. The carpets CT the saloons are
of Administer, and those of the state
rooms of velvet and Moquette. All were
furnished by Messrs. J. Turnbull, Jr., &
Co. NJ. V. O'Neil supplied the nautical
outfit; Messrs. j. Seth Hopkins q Co.,
the silverware and other tableware;
John Hubert, lavatories for the state
rooms; John 9. Knipp 4 Bro, the up
holstering, and A. W. Weems and Uriah
Pollack, the mattresses. The smoking
room floor will be covered with patent
rubber tiing, which is the first of this
kind to be used on steamers in this part
of the country. This also was secured
through Baltimore agency. The sa-
looms are lighted by electroliers fur
nished by Messrs. Afford & Lawder.
Since the Old Bay Line established the
route between Baltimore, Old Point Com
fort and Norfolk, over fifty years ago, it
has operated fully fifty boats. In its
early history its side-wheelers were car
rying cotton, tobacco and other products
Of the South to the great warehouses OF
Baltimore, there to be manufactured or
shipped to Europe. The business re-
uuired that the very best service should
be maintained, and as fast as improve
ments were designed the company
adopted them. Each new vessel has
contained some features in its machinery
or hull which is an innovation over those
preceding it.
The sister ships of the Tennessee, the
Georgia and Alabama, are known to
travellers over the Seaboard Air Line be-
tween Portsmouth, Raleigh, Charlotte
and Atlanta. The Baltimore Steam
Packet Company has always named its
passenger steamers after Southern states,
and has built so many in its existence
that several have been renamed.
The Tennessee will be open for in
spection on Monday, and in few days
after she will be placed on the route be-
tween Baltimore, Old Point Comfort and
Norfolk. She will be the only boat
tnd an tho Chooo MOO la ba wing + win