The Portland daily press., 1898-05-19

eagerly waiting to see her come into the
harbor. About half EAST four O'Clock
she hove in sight and from the time she
first appeared until she was safely moored
at her dock the footing of whistles and
ringing of bells of harbor crafts was con-
tlnuous. The new ship is called the Ho-
ratio Hall and a gallant craft she is. She
looks enough like the John Englis to be
mistaken for her and in fact very few
ships look as much alike as do these two
palatial steamers of the Maine Steamship
company. AS the Horatio Hall hove in
sight with bunting flying from every part
of her rigging and at all points along
her deck and with her black smoke stack,
the handsomely painted hull and bright
upper works SIC presented Eost at
tractive picture.
A tow boat opened the ball by footing
three times on her shrln whistle, and to
this the Horatio Hall replied BY giving
three deep toned toots in reply. Then one
of the Casco Bay steamers took up the
strain, and another and another harbor
steamer. and even the dredges in the har-
Dor welcomed to Portland the handsome
new ship.
For the first trip to Portland the Ho-
ratio Hall had very large passenger list.
When the ship was docked and these pas
sengers had come down over the gang
way, a few people managed to get on
board the ship to look her over, but many
who wanted to go aboe ~ere not given
an opportunity at Il t ii because Of
the army of workmen .J ware present
to do some necessary work on her. As in
the case of the steamship John Englis,
the fittings of the magnificent boat were
nearly. all manufactured by Portland
firms. L. P. Beals Il Co. had the con-
tract for furnishing the mattresses of
wire for the Horatio Halls state rooms.
These were in the freight sheds when the
steamship came into the dot and In
short order they were being hui led on
board and placed in their proLor places.
Capt. Beal was present in person to su-
perlntend the work. Then the Walter
Corey Company, which had the making
OF all the handsome saloon and state room
furniture, all the mahogany dining
TALES and saloon tables, and many other
articles of furniture, began to put these
articles on the ship as soon as she was
tied up at the dock and they kept a crew
OF men at work all night putting the fur
hlture IN place. The saloon furniture
was very handsome and was yery credit.
aoie to the Walter Corey Company. The
.aoie linen was furnished by Milliken,
cousins and Short, and was also put
on boar the ship yesterday.
On stepping on board the Horatio Han
one Is at once impressed with the mag
innocent manner in which her saloons and
state rooms are finished. Every room
is an outside room, that is, ! every room
has window on the outside of the chit,
giving fine view and excellent ventila.
ton. Then, in either end OF the shin there
are four large sized state rooms. magnif.
Gently fitted up and four smaller ones in
10th the bow and stern, which are very
Handsomely furnished. In all there arc
139 state rooms and 1856 berths, so that
the Horatio Halls passenger capacity is
over 500. The saloons are carpeted in
the most expensive kind of carpets the
dining saloon in the forward part of the
ship is very handsome apartment with
windows looking out directly under the
water. The pantries, Kitchen, toilet
rooms and other accessories of a handsome
ship are finely arranged and most com.
plete. The promenade deck is large
enough to accommodate a regiment and
there is smoking room abaft the wheel
house which will be the most popular
part of the ship for the male passengers.
The Horatio Hall has triple expansion
engines of the most modern style and is
good for l6 knots an hour or better. Her
relght capacity is immense and steam
Elevators facilitate the handling of
freight. She is 80 tons larger and eight
feet longer than the John Englis, built a
year ago. Her length is 1886. feet, 40