The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-07-27
MINNESOTA READY
FOR Her OWNERS
Big G. N. Steamship Will Be
Turned Over by Builders
Aug. IL

Inc magnificent steamer Minnesota.
OF the Great Northern Steamship COM
pany, will be delivered to the company
Aug. II from the New London Con-
necticut yards
This great, ship, having a displace-
ment of 21,OOO tons and a cargo ca
pacity of $4,000 tons, and a passenger
capacity of 253 first-class passengers.
% intermediate, and 2,40O in the steer
age, will take a short load of coal
something like 1900 tons in her hold,
and will proceed from the Atlantic
coast around Cape Horn to Puget
sound.
The trip will commence about Sept.
L, ana will occupy in the neighborhood
OF seventy-five days. The ship will
not be forced on her maiden VOYAGE.
and the trifiing cargo of 1,eoe tons has
been provided for her because it would
be difficult for such a tremendous ship
as the Minnesota to take more than
that and clear the bars at the point
Where she is scheduled to assume the
load.
little later this difficulty will be
obVlated and the leViathan will be able
to load to the Plimsoll mark.
The contract for building the ship
was awarded in the spring of 1900 and
the vessel was built under the direction
OF Charles r. Hanscom on the Thames
river, near New London, Connecticut.
She was launched April Is, 1903.
The Minnesota is $50 feet long, 10
feet inches on the beam and Sc feet,
1 inch deep from deck to keel.
When she was launched she weigh
ed 1000 tons, now she weighs $1,000
tons, after having her machinery and
fittings placed upon her inside.
The vessel is divided transversely
into thirteen water-tight compartments
and is equipped with a stout system of
double bottoms.
She carries an elaborate refrigerat-
ing plant, which is capable of keeping
cool 1855 tons Of perishable freight
aside from the provisions of the ship,
wines, milk, fish, etc. The insulation
of these refrigerating holds is very
perfect and in most of the work of in
sulation sterilized pumice is used on
account of the satisfaction that char
acter of insulation has given to ship
pers.
The chain cable by which the Min
nesota swings at anchor weighs eighty
tons, and with the anchors brings the
total up to 100 tons.
The rudder is operated by electricity
and is carried by a roller bearing on
the upper deck.
The electric lighting of the ship is
complete and the equipment includes
about 1,300 lights of all kinds. On the
bridge is installed a tremedous search
light like that of a battleship.
Electric heating is furnished in the
staterooms, baths and officers quar-
ters, in addition to the hot-air system
that is generally used all over the ship.
The speed of the big boat will not
be extreme, but her engines can de-
yelop fifteen knots under forced
draught. While this speed would not
place the Minnesota in close competi
ton with the Atlantic liners, it will
be sufficient to traverse long voyages
with great comfort and safety.
The ship is designed primarily as a
cargo carrier, but the passenger accom-
modations. while limited, will be of the
most commedious. The Pacific pas
senger trade with the Orient is still in
it's infancy, but it is expected to be
developed to a certain extent by the
advent of the Minnesota and her sis
ter ship Dakota when the latter is COM
pleted.