Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-07-03
THE NEW LIBERTY.
THE HANDSOME LITTLE STEAMER
LYING At THE
WHARF.
IS IN AN INCoMPLTE STATE
VIII He Given a Trial Trip In About
Ten Days-Her Dimenstons-rhe
New wheel and Rotary Engines.
The speed Antfcipated-Other
River News From the Ohio and
Its Tributaries-The Marks.

The handsome new side-wheel packet
Liberty came up Monday evening from
Darlington and tied up at the foot OF
the wharf. where she attracted much at
/ tention yesterday. The boat. which was
built on a new model by Capt. Asa
Booth and others of this city, Is $50 feet
long with 20 foot inch beam, and
she contains a number of new fea-
lures, which are radical departures from
the ordinary river steamer All are de-
signed TO add to her speed and should
she reach the anticipation of her build
ers II will be the beginning of another
epoch in the history Of river travel.
The wheels are unlike anything ever
seen on the river. Thy are geared in
an eliptical cam and fitted with feather
ed buckets attached TO the inner rim OF
the wheel, and are so adjusted that
they always strike the water in YER
teal position. but in rising from II does
not lift any waeer In the ordinary wheel
much OF the power is lost by the bucket
lifting the water when revolving. The
new wheel prevents this and 1t is
thought as a result will have about
three times the speed of the Staggert
wheel, the best now In use. The two
wheels are each Is feet 4 inches high
and contain 20 buckets.
In the engines another radical change
is found, there being no reciprocal ac-
ton. The piston remains stationary
while the cylinder revolves. This mo-
ton being rotary. there is a constant
steady pull.
The engines and machinery are the
inventions of Geo. w. Montgomery, of
Bellaire. They have ten inch base
with Ave foot stroke, and are capable
of making AZ revolutions of the wheel
per minute with SO pounds of steam.
The engines are each Of 100 horse pow
er, and the inventor claims they are
capable of doing the work of four or
binary engines.
The steam enters the cylinders
through two wing valves Numerically
opposite each other, so that the steam
is on constantly. On so pounds of
steam the boat, 1t Is claimed, can do as
well as other boats on 100 pounds.
Advantages claimed for the engine is
economy in space and power and con-
venience in handling, the engineer be-
ing operated from the pilot house.
AS The boat is as yet unfinished, no
attempt was made to bring her UP on
fast time, the average rate being 31s
miles an hour. The boat at present is
only braced and has to be chained. The
i'boilers have to be jacketed and blowers
put in. When she came over the rifle
below the wharf, there was only 35
| pounds of steam.
| The boat will be finished here and 1t
is hoped the trial trip can be made in
about ten days. The interior decora-
tons will be very elaborate when com
| pleted. The cabin is full length and will
be finished in white, while the boat will
be illuminated by electricity through
out.
| Engineer Montgomery says he is well
| satisfied with the boat and that the
, worth Of his engines and wheels will
be demonstrated at the trial trip. Riv-
ermen are greatly interested in the
packet and unite in saying that a trim
mer or lighter set boat never was on
| the Ohio, but over her machinery they
are divided and all await the test.
The Bessie Smith will leave the morn
Ing of the Fourth for Sistersville at Z
o'clock, returning at dark
The Queen City did not get away for
Pittsburg until noon yesterday on ac-
count of the unusually heavy freight
and passenger traffic. The Keystone
State went down on time in the morn
ing with all the freight she could
handle.
Work was started yesterday erecting
the platform for Carnival week on the
| wharf.
The marks on the wharf at midnight
recorded a stage OF feet 6 inches and
falling.