The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-09-07
THE FIRST IRON VESSELS.
WE'RE BUILT IN SAVANNAH ALONG
IN THE THIRTIEs.

MIR. VI A. Cohen Recalls the Com
structiOn and Operation of the
John Randolph. the Lamar and the
Chatham-The First Two Built by
&. II. Lamar, the Iron and Frame
Work BEING Imported From Liver
pOOI-Thc Three Boats Piled for
Years on the savannah River aud
the Lamar Ended Her Days as q
Confederate Transport when Caps
tured by the FcderaIs.
Savannah was not only the first seaport
in the world from which a steamship de-
parted, but it evidently has good claim to
being The first city In the United States,
and probably in the world. from which an
iron vessel was launched aud operated.
The item in yesterdays Morning News
stating chat an inquiry had been received
by the collector of customs from the COM
missioner of navigation for Information
concerning the steamers Randolph. Lamar
and Chatham, launched here in the thir-
ties, and believed to be the first iron
steamers built in the United States. re-
called to the memory of some few of the
older citizens scenes of their youthful
days.
Mr.. NJ. A. Cohen said that he remem-
bered perfectly the building and the
launching Of these steamers.
THE John Randolph was the first OF
these steamers TO be built" said Mr.. Co
hen. Il remember seeing her in the
stocks here some time in 1884 'S5 or 'ss.
She was built by c. b. Lamar, one OF
Savannah's leading citizens and business
men at that time. MIR. Lamar ordered the
iron and frame from Liverpool, and the
cargo was shipped to Savannah on a sail
ing vessel The vessel met with stress OF
weather on the voyage, and reached Sa-
vannah I'm a lealy condition. the iron hav-
ing been damaged by salt water. The
cargo was sold for the benefit of the I'M
derwriters and all concerned. and MIR. La
mar bought the material for the steamer
which he then proceeded to put up. 1t
was the first iron vessel constructed in
the United States, and probably in the
world. Many people regarded the venture
with doubt, and Ii was freely predicted
that the steamer would go to the bottom
the moment she was launched She was
launched successfully and was operated
for a number of years between Savannah
! and Augusta"
THE Lamar was built a year or two
later" said MIR. Cohen. She was of very
lighters running many years between Sa-
Vannah and Augusta. The Chatham was
| built by the Steamboat Company of Geor-
eia and also ran between Savannah and
Augusta, the river trade being very large
/ in those days. All three of The vessels had
long lives. The Lamar was stlll In SER
vice at the beginning of tho civil war and
was fitted up a Confederate transport
She was captured by the Federals near the
mouth of the ORoechee river"
The construction and successful opera
ton of the iron steamboats, al Savannah
proved TO the world that vessels could be
successfully built Of iron. Up to that time
the operation OF steamships had not prov
cd success, although the Savannah had
demonstrated that steam could be used
for the propulsion of vessels nearly a
score of years before. Steam and wooden
vessels did not match well together, but
| when the construction of iron vessels was
begun the day OF the steamship was inau-
| gurated.