Evening star., 1905-11-05
NEW EXCURSION BOAT
ADDED TO RANDALL FLEET ON
THE POTOMAC.


the Potomac has made necessary the use
of boats much larger and faster than were
those in service eight or ten years ago,
and to keep pace with this increase Capt.
f. s. randall. president and general man
ager of the Randall line steamers has re-
Gently secured the big steamer st. John 8,
in New York, and will bring her here early
in April for service during the summer.
There have been reports in circulation for
several weeks past that Capt. Randall had
secured the steamer, but 1t was not until
yesterday that the information was Off
cially given out at the Randall line head
quarters at the foot of sth street.
When asked about the matter Capt. Ran
dali informed a Star reporter that the
rumor is correct, and added that he had
secured the boat from the Central Railroad
of New Jersey; that she Is now lying at
the Jersey Central docks at Jersey City,
but cannot be brought here at present, as
none of the Randall line docks are large
enough to accommodate her.
The st. Johns Is fine side-wheel steam
er, with an iron hull. divided into five
water-tight apartments, and has q record
for speed in the fast company she has been
with about New York. She is 25S feet long
on deck has a beam of So feet hull and 81
feet over guards. and Is IA feet deep In the
hold. Her light draft, Sla feet, will allow
her to go to all the more important points
on the river. She Will be the largest side
wheel steamer on the river, and with one
exception will be the largest steamer on the
Potomac. Employed in excursion traffic,
she will carry $500 to 5000 people. Her
speed is about nineteen miles an hour and
If put on the Colonial Beach route she can
easily carry her 1lll load of passengers
from this city to the resort in four hours,
allowing for turning in the narrow harbor
here.
Her engine Is of the beam type and is
surface condensing, with a cylinder sixty
six inches in diameter and twelve-foot
stroke,
It will develop 200 horsepower and steam
to drive it is supplied by three Scotch boil
ers, which are allowed pressure of fifty
five pounds to the square inch. A donkey
boiler supplies steam to her pumping
g1nes, windlass, electric lighting plant and
other auxiliary equipment.
Built in Wilmington.
The st. Johns was built at Wilmington,
Del, in 1888, for the Charleston and Jack
sonville Steamboat Company, and was used
for fast passenger service on the coast be-
tween these two cities and on the ST Johns
river. Later she was purchased by the
Jersey Central Railroad Company, and has
been used by the railroad on the Staten
Island route between New York and Sandy
Hook. She Is admirably adapted for ex-
cursion work, her three big decks being
fitted up for passenger traffic and she has
never been used as a freight carrier
She has sleeping accommodations for
about 200 people, in seventy-five large
state rooms and parlors in the saloon, and
in the cabins forward and aft and on the
main deck are sleeping room for about $50
more.
The main saloon of the steamer is big
apartment and Is elegantly furnished.
Easy chairs and couches, mirrors and flow
CT stands are provided and these give it a
most homelike appearance. 1t IS about
40 feet long and 35 feet wide and from
II access Is had to large private parlors on
both sides the steamer forward, and aft
A fully equipped barber shop and large
toilets are also to be found on the saloon
deck. Access is had to the saloon by wide
ana ornamented stairways, forward and aft,
from the main deck and broad stairways
lead from the saloon deck to hurricane
deck
The forward deck outside the saloon is
40 feet long and the after deck or fan tail
Is 40 feet long Seats run inside the rail-
inss around these decks and also around
the hurricane deck railing, and along the
eoge OF the turtle shell over the center
of the saloon.
Over 2OOO people can easily be seated
about the steamers decks in the open sir
without croWding
Comfortable Main Deck.
The main deck is entered from tn. dock
through wide gangways and is as comforta-
ple for passenger travel as is the saloon of
the ordinary excursion steamer The dining
room occupies the entire after portion of
the main deck in the rear Of a wide hall.
The dining room will seat 156 persons at
one time and seated at the tables the diners
can obtain full view of the scenery
through the broad windows that surround
the room on all sides
big Kitchen, pantry and two store rooms
with all modern equipments, are also loeat
ed on this deck near the dining room and
in the oval hall IS a large lunch stand.
with drip coffee urn and other equipment
The restaurant, unlike those on the Po-
tomac steamers now in service is located
under the main deck forward. 1t is a large
room and will equal in size many of the
large restaurants in this city 1t is furnish
ed in hardwood, and is equipped with ta
bles, at which guests can be seated while
partaking of refreshments.
The general decorations of the steamer
are white and gold, the color scheme being
most pleasing to the eye. The ST. Johns is
regarded as an elegant steamer and 1t is
believed will please the people of this city
who will travel on her.
Capt. Randall has not decided In what
service he will use the ST. Johns She was
secured for the Colonial Beach route but
pressure has been brought to bear on him
to put her on an excursion route to Nor
folk and he is considering the advisability
OF so doing. Should he decide to run her to
Norfolk another steamer will be secured
to run in connection with the St. Johns on
the route and daily trips will be made
Elk Grove Butter is famed for purity