The Washington times., 1904-06-26
LARGE AMERICAN
MERCHANT SHIPS
Two For the Pacific; One
For Great Lakes.
TO FLY STARS AND STRIPES
Departure in Building Of Mighty Hulls
to Engage in the Country's
Carrying Trade.

carrying Trade.
The steel shipbuilding industry in the
United States IS not what it will be
some day. nor what it might be tomor-
row. II Uncale Sam would lend Gov
eminent aid 10 fostering this industry.
but despite handicaps. there viii be
completed IN this country. ere long. mon
ster craft each Of which Will be pre-
eminent in its own field. At New Lon
don. conn. the finishing touches are be
ing put to sister steamers, which rank
as the largest passenger and freight
carrying craft ever turned out on this
continent. while at Lorain, Ohio. there
IS nearing completion the biggest YES
sci ever built on the great lakes. and.
IN fact. the most capacious burden bear
ct which has ever floated on fresh water
anywhere on the globe.
1t is interesting and significant to
note that each Of these new monsters
viii sail seas where the American flag
and American commerce. are present.
nent. The twin ocean queens Dakota
and Minnesota. viii ply between our
Pacific seaboard and the ports Of the
Orient which constitute the gateways
10 the splendid new markets for AmeTi-
can goods ia the Far East. while the
steamer A. 3. Wolvin. viii be in service
on the thousand-mile water highway
along the northern border of the Repub-
lie where the American vessels have al
most a monopoly of the business of
transporting coal. iron ore. copper. and
grain.
Tonnage Comparisons.
The two steamers which viii carry
the products OF American mines. manu-
factories. and farms to our new found
marts on the other side Of the world
and which are distinctly an American
northumberland by an American
ard built By Americans Cor an Amer
can steamship compan y-yvill not only
be the largest cargo carriers on tn,
largest ocean. but they win rank as
among the largest vessels Of any kind
ever built anywhere on the globe
The Dakota ard Minnesota are each
$50 feet IN length % feet breadth OF
beam and 55 feet deep. Il VIII thus
be seen that these new ships are con
siderably shorter than the 7Co-fOOi
Oceanic-the limitation being due to a
necessity for conforming to the size
of the docks on the Pacific Coast a
which they VIII load-but what they
lack in length they make Up in bean
and depth so that each of the new
Yankee ships displaces or weighs. loaded
$3.50 tons. fully 10000 tons more than tn,
Deutschland. II viii require waite
thirty-three feet deep 20 float the giants
and Il ever the harbors are dredged Il
a greater depth the ships are so con
structed that advantage can be takel
OF the deeper water 90 Pile or additions
cargo.
American Masterpiece.
these masterpieces OF American ship
buiid;cS viii have cost waen complete,
s. J0e.O09 each. arc every effort has bee
made % maze them SAFE ana soa worth
uuIer al conditions T1ie huh Of eac
vessel. IN tho construction OF which y O.
tons % steel and SO tens OF rivets hay
been used. IS divided into nurlerou
water-tight compartments so tina
should rock or a ship in collision
tea = mole IN the steel structure. onI
few or possibly Only one Of thes
water-tight compartments will be food
ed and there VIII be nc danger THAI tn
ship viii sink
For driving these vessels on their .on
journeys there are provided triple 81
pausior engines Of L. CO., horsepovye.
t. which steam is supplied from 81,
teen boilers On each vessel. and whfc
are expected TO push the ponderous crai
back and forth across the Pacific at
speed o. about sixteen miles per hou
Each vessel viii carry under norm.
conditions about 500 tons of coal. q
though she could II necessary carr
four or FIVE times that quantity
For the Pacific Trade.
The new banks for the Western ocean
while primarily cargo carriers. viii Ia,
unusually handsome accommodations fo
passengers. and provision has been mad
for 200 hrst cabin passengers. 100 Sc,
ond-class. 2OJ third-class. and 600 steel
age passengers The nrst-class passel
gers win have the use OF a dining saloon
drawing room. smoking room. Iibrar,
and nursery rivaling those TO be rouu
on the newest Atlantic liners. nun
Der Of the stateroOms have privat
baths and there are some suites OF thrt
rooms
The cavernous holds Of the ships al
fitted for carrying every conceivab
class Of commodities. there having bee
provided refrigerating chambers Z.
frozen meats and fruit Each vessel
manned By crew Of 200 officers an
men. The vessels have been built +,
the Great Northern Steamship Compan
The new king Of fresh water Graf
the Augustus y. Wolvin. is $50 feet
length, IS feet breadth Of beam and
feet deep Especial Significance attach,
10 this new monster from the fact tf:s
she furnishes the most forceful refuts
tiOn OF the theory generally prevalel
a few years ago that no vessel excec,
ing 800 feet in length would ever I
built 70 navigate the Great Lakes, On
that the tendency OF the future woul
be toward more moderate size vcsse
FOR the inland seas-shiDs nearer =
than 900 feet IN length.
For Rapid Loading.
This champion Of our interior water
borne commerce IS designed primaril
for freight carrying. and probably sh
IS the most novel cargo carrier ever d.
Vised. All the DrOpelling machinery
al the stern and the entire main portio
OF the vessel IS given over 10 freigf
storing space-One monster apartmeT
extending without bulkheads or dIyi,
Ions Of any kind for continuous leugt
or 4os feet This hold Is in the form Of
hopper with slopinK sides so that IA