The Minneapolis journal., 1902-06-14
BOATS in SECTIONS
Built at Great Lake Ports, Then
Cut in Two in the Middle.
FLoATED TO THE SEA SEPARATELY
The Two Ends Are Joined at East
ern shipyards and Enter -.
| Ocean Traffic.
Phi1adeIphia, Record.


Cutting in two a vessel of 1000 tons
capacity, towing each part of it more
than 500 miles, then, putting it together
again, is something Of novelty to the
world in general to say the least. 1t is
not at all common sight in marine cir
cles. Such thing has just been accom-
plished The steamer: Minnetonka was
thus recently sent to the coast. She is
one of two 1000 tons capacity steamers
thus to be transported to the ocean for
this years traffice. The second one will
go later. = q; I: r..
:. The steamer Minnetonka was built at
Cleveland, Ohio. shipyard. After the
placing Of the boilers and other machin
cry in her hold she was put in dry dock
and cut in two. Next in order was the
job of closing up the severed ends SO
that they would keep the water out. This
was done by means of bulkheads. Then
came the towing Of the two ends of this
vessel down Lake Erie and on through
the eWlland and other Canadian canals
parts were put together again and the
journey to the coast continued.
. Naturally those not directly employed
in marine pursuits query as to- why .ves-
sells for ocean traffic should ever be built
SO far away as at Great Lake yards, and
especially when the size of the boats or
dered is SO large as to make it obligatory
/
through the. locks at the Welland canal.
In the first place, many boats Of smaller
size have from time to time been con-
structed on the lakes: for ocean trade
These smaller boats have, in very many
instances proved highly satisfactory,
and the good workmanship of the lake
yards has been demonstrated. Then the
ocean yards are often taxed to o:their full
est capacity with rush orders, and some
ia-o MT n 10 0f
saving time for owners to have vessels
built at lake yards, when a favorable op-
portunity presents itself.
All Shipyards Busy.
But the :Great Lakes yards are busy,
Etoo, and, in spite of the fact that the ship
building interests of. the inland bodies
are constantly being Increased, it is not
an easy matter to keep up with orders
| there. In the construction of the steam
er Minnetonka it was expected that she
| would be completed and sent to the coast
before the close of navigation in 1901,
but this was impossible for two reasons.
yards with ~the large number of ships
then building that it was difficult to find
a berth for the work of completing her.
Then, again, the scarcity of steel delayed
the work. Finally 1t became too late yin
the ,yearto navigate through the Welland
canal, and the thought of getting the
beats to the coast last fall had to be
abandon ed until spring.
| 1t is not thought likely That the build
! ing of large ocean vessels on the lakes.
cutting them in two and putting than to-
lgether again will be a very frequent oc-
currence, although the smaller sized boats
/ from the Great Lakes may navigate be-
i tween the ocean and lakes often. Hew-
ever the two 7,000-ton boats now going to
the coast will undoubtedly prove even
4 more satisfactory. than any that have yet
tSbeen built on the lakes for the ocean.
They are naid to be of Just the right size
4 for trade along. the coast. Many of the
coast boats that are of larger capacity
4 l:than 1000 tons meet with difficulties in
navigating some of the important chan
! nels.
Demand for Oil Trade.
= Referring to the smaller vessels from
the lakes, which do not have to be cut in
1.-TWO to be transported to the coast, there
is a big demand for Them just. now tc
/ engage in the oil trade between Texas
and points along the eastern coasts "A
number of lake vessels have recently been
engaged to go to the Atlantic coast. foI
this purpose. Among the boats which
have passed between the Great Lakes
IClergue interests, most OF. which come
from Europe and which now ply between
Ontario and the destinations to which
i the new Canadian products are going
i Interesting In connection with taking
lake vessels to the coast is the trip oi
the steamer Meteor to Seattle Wash
some little time ago. The Meteor is 8
lake built boat, formerly owned on the
I lakes. but, last year sold to parties or