Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-08-27
NEW FERRY STEAMER
WOODBURY. TO BE LAUNCHED
MONDAY AT WILMINGTON.
Large Local Party to Witness the
- Christening-Descrip Of
the Vessel


of the feet Of ferry steamers the Norfolk
and Washington Steamboat Company will
put in service on the run between this city
and Alexandria. will be launched at the
yard of her builders Harland & Hollings-
worth. at Wilmington, Del, tomorrow
morning, and the launching will be made
gala event A party Of thirty persons. In
Guiding the officers of the N. and w. line.
representatives of the District government.
the mayor and other Alexandria officials
and several ladies will leave this city early
Monday morning over the Pennsylvania
railroad for Wilmington in a special car
attached to an express train. They will
be the guests of the steamboat company on
the trip. The launching will take place at
high water on the Delaware river. about
10:4o am. Little Miss Mary Simon Gala
han, daughter of Mr.. David Callahan, as
sistant general manager of the Norfolk
and Washington line, will christen the
steamer Woodbury."
On the platform with the sponsor and the
Washington party will be a number of
guests Of the builders of the steamer from
Wilmington. A breakfast will follow the
launching and will be served at the ship
yard. The Washington guests will return
home Monday afternoon
Description of the Steamer.
The new steamer will be a model of her
kind and will have the following dimen-
sions: Length over all, 100 feet; length be-
tween rudder posts, ITO feet 10 inches;
beam on guards, 81 feet; beam nodded at
deck, 80 feet; depth. top Of keel to top main
deck. 16 feet inches: depth. top of keel to
top pilot house. 81 feet; bottom of keel to
top Of stack, 50 feet The hull is entirely
of steel and is divided by four transverse
watertight bulkheads and two longitudinal
watertight wing bulkheads. The center
house or casing around boiler and engine
opening and the inner bulkhead of side
houses on main deck are all built of steel
plates and well stiffened These steel
houses form the sides of the team gangway
or horseWay, and the deck and carIins over
head are covered with sheetiron on under
side, thus forming practically fireproof
compartment for wagons, automobiles or
Whatever may be carried in these gang
ways The space below the main deck is
occupied by propelling machinery boilers,
steering engines and sleeping accommoda-
ton for the crew, and it is contemplated
hitting refreshment counter there.
The Cabins.
The side house above the main deck on
the port side forms a ladies' cabin, while
on the starboard side is the mems cabin
or smoke room These cabins are entered
by large double swing doors at either end,
and have double stairway leading to the
saloon above. These cabins will be finished
in light colors. The stairway is of oak and
all the seats are of hard wood The upper
cabin on the saloon deck forms one large
room which has rounded ends and Is light
ed by large windows, all of which can be
opened or closed. This saloon is fitted with
hardwood seats and finished generally in
the same manner as the lower cabins. with
canvass panels tinted in light shades The
stairway landings in the upper saloon are
inclosed and fitted with double swing doors
entering to saloon and sliding doors
leading out to promenade on the saloon
deck. There Is ample promenade outside
of the saloon deck house, and seats are
fitted all around the rail- the whole being
shaded by the overhang of the hurricane
deck. At either end of the hurricane deck
pilot house Is located. each pilot house
containing the usual navigating outfit On
top of each pilot house a powerful search
light is placed and is operated from within
The Woodbury. is steered by combined
hand and steam steering gear either of
which can be used at will. She is heated
ms to the pilot houses, and Is fitted with
electric light. The running and range
lights are also electric The life-saving
and fre-fghtng equipment will be very
complete There will be two 2O-foot steel
lifeboats, hung on davits, and hundreds of
life preservers made from solid cork,
slowed so they are easily accessible She
will have hydrants and hose attached and
ready for immediate use, together with
numerous fire buckets. and chemical fire
extinguishers
The Machinery.
The propelling machinery consists Of
four-cylinder triple expansion engine, which
drives through continuous line of shaft
ing a propeller at either end of the
sci, steam being supplied by two Scotch
marine boilers at 175 pounds pressure. The
horsepower will be about 1920, and 1t is
expected will drive the vessel at about six
teen and a half miles per hour. The gen.
eral appearance of the Woodbury. will
be attractive with her overhanging bows
to protect the rudders at each end, her
double decks and houses with-large win
dows, and the long elliptical sack.
She will be ready for service, 1t is
thought about the middle of October, and
will at once be placed on the route. The
terminals here and at Alexandria are prac-
tically completed and ready for use. and
all in keeping with the fine steamers that
are to use them. 1t is understood that as
soon as the Woodbury. is launched the keel
for the second ferry steamer. duplicate
of the Woodbury., will be laid. She will be
ready for launching in about four months
from the time the keel is laid and will be
ready for service early in the winter The
charter price for the Woodbury. was in