The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-09-14
GOT THE DUCHESS
o. S. s. co. SECURED STEAMSHIP
FROM THE PLANT SYSTEM.
TO BE MADE A FREIGHT SHIP.
PASSENGER ACCOMMODATIONS WILL
DE GREATLY REDUCED.

President EGnn of the Ocean Steam
ship Company Back From New
York, Where the Trade for La
Grande Duchess Was Concluded.
From 500 to 900 Tons, the Vessels
Freight Capacity Will BE Increas-
ed to About 1.75O TOns-Her Pas
senger Accommodations Will Be Re-
duced From TAO to 13O-wiII Go on
the Savannah Line About Dec. L.
Confirmation of the report that the
Ocean Steamship Company has pur-
chased the steamship La Grande
Duchesse from the Plant System was
furnished yesterday by President John
the Ocean Steamship Company. Some
days ago the Morning News printed
the first announcement of the acquisi-
ton of the magnificent ship by the Sa-
vannah company.
President Egan is just back from
New York, where the deal between his
company and the Plant System was
contaminated. He met President r.
G. Erwin Of the Plant System, with
whom the trade was concluded. Presi-
dent Egan was asked what price his
company had paid for the vessel, hut
that was a point upon which he did
not care to express himself. The
Duchess cost the Plant System about
100000 and the Newport News Ship
Building Company, which built her,
lost about $25O,OOO on the contract.
The Grand Duchess, the president
said, will be placed upon the Savan-
nah Line, between Savannah and New
York. about Dec. 1. In the meantime,
she will be remodeled on the interior
and fashioned for the accommodation
of more freight. She will also have
new propellers put on.
The enlargement of the vessels car
ry:ng capacity for freight will be Sc
cured through the taking out of many
of her staterooms on the lower decks,
President Egan said. Freight will De
slowed where passengers have been
accommodated, and the capacity of the
ship for freight will thereby be increas-
ed from 800 or 900, to about 1850 tons,
which will give her about the same ca
pacity as the Kansas City.
Built primarily as passenger steam
ship, the Grand Duchess now has &C
commodations for far more than the
ordinary coastwise vessel. She can
carry 740 passengers comfortably, but
the transformation that her interior IS
to undergo will leave her no such &C
commodations. When she has been
changed to a freight steamship, she
will accommodate only 100 passengers.
Bids for the changes in the interior
of the ship have been requested by the
Ocean Steamship Company. bid has
already been made by the Morgan Iron
Works of New York, and the Delaware
RIVER Iron, Shipbuilding and Engine
Works have been asked to bid. The
latter company is that now engage
upon the construction of the new YES
sci of the Ocean Steamship Company
that is to be known as the City of
Memphis.
The name of La Grande Duchesse
is not to be changed. She will con-
tinue to be known by that name, which
was given her by the late Henry B.
Plant. President Egan said that it is
matter of no little trouble to secure
change in name for a steamship.
and his company will adhere to La
Grande Duchesse."
The ship has been chartered by New
York parties. President Egan said. to
follow the yachts that will race for
the Americas cup. When the. races
have been sailed the ship will be turn
ed over to the Ocean Steamship Com
pany, and she will go into dock at once
for the alterations.