Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1907-07-13

Ideas in Construction Which viii
Work Revolution in Coal Carrying
Trade-Special Train for Guests
Luncheon and Speeches.
Quincy, Mass, July l1.-At ll3O to-
day the big new coal-carrying steam
ship Everett, built for the New Eng
land Coal and Coke Company of Bos-
ton, was successfully launched at the
Fore River ShipbMilding Company's
Yards yards IN the presence of over 800 in
Promptly at 1O.45 the special train
bringing the officers and trustees of
the New England Coal & Coke Com
pany and the distinguished guests ar
rived on the branch and was backed in
to the shipyard and stopped within a
short distance of where the great steel
vessel rested on the ways, all ready to
take her first plunge into the water.
Admiral Francis Z. Bowes, presi-
dent of the Fore River Shipbuilding
Company with other officers of the
company met the visitors at the car
steps. The Hon. Thomas j. Boynton,
mayor of the city of Everett and Miss
Marion j. Boynton, his daughter, were
among the first to alight. Admiral
Bowles escorted Miss Boynton, the
beautiful sponsor Of the new ship, and
led the way to the launching platform.
Admiral Bowles led Miss Boynton to
the little platform close by the PROV.
rhe maids of honor grouped themselves
near the fair sponsor. The bottle Of
champagne hung suspended by three
tri-colored ribbons and covered with
a ribbon network rested against the
great steel side. Far below beneath
the curVing side of the monster the
workmen were busy knocking away
the supports and making ready to let
her go
The supreme moment arrived. Ad-
miTal BOwles waved a signal to those
below. The sound Of a saw cutting
through the last tie-plank which held
the big ship in position on the ways
was heard. A tremor, a creak and
the great hulk began to move.
Miss Boynton's voice rang out clear
and sweet. She raised the be-ribboned
bottle in her right hand and swung it
with sturdy stroke against the iron
prov.
There was crash of glass, a cloud
of foaming wine-mist drifting lightly
away in the summer air and burst of
applause as the great ship moved slow
| ly at first but faster and faster down
\ the creased ways.
| Thus was launched the first of a trio
of sister ships constituting one of the
most important additions to our mer-
chant marine built within recent years
"a steamship whose enormous capac-
| ity, speed and novel features Of con-
struction will work great change in
the coal carrying business.
The Everett is 400 feet long over all.
She has an extreme breadth of SO feet,
depth of 32 feet and a gross ton
mage of about 5340 tons. She is a sim
gle screw steamship in the single deck
type with long poop, bridge and fore
castle. She is to be rugged with three
pole masts and the triple expansion
surface condensing engine with four
single-end Scotch boilers, constructed
for working pressure Of 1870 pounds,
will be installed aft.
The Everett has been strongly con-
structed to Withstand the hard trade
In which it will be engaged The
scantlings are in excess of the United
| States standard register requirements,
to whose survey they have been spec
tally constructed with a view to OBJ
| tanning the highest class which this
society awards. Special attention has
been given to the berthing and mess
ing of the officers and crew, their quar-
ters being commodious, well lit, fur
nished and ventilated, so that although
| engaged in the coal carrying trade, the
officers and crew will be berthed as
comfortably as in passenger vessels.
The special construction peculiar to
| the Everett and entirely novel in ship
| building is known as the self-trimming
| system This consists in sloping the
hatchways from their side Combings to
the side of the ship having an angle
of about As degrees, this triangular
prism being utilized as topside bal
last tanks to be filled with water when
the vessel is running light Water bal
last may also be carried in the deep
| inner bottom tanks in addition to the
usual fore and aft peak tanks thus
| insuring sufficient immersion when
running light, providing great stability
and guarding against over eXertion or
racing of the propeller.
The Everett will have continuous
sea speed, when loaded with 7200 tons
of coal of II knots an hour and alto
gether is a distinct advance on any
| thing of her class ever before built.
Her sister ships The Maiden and The
Melrose will be launched during the
summer.
Immediately after the launching the
entire party adjourned to the mould
| loft of the Fore River Shipbuilding
Company, where dainty luncheon was
served. The special guests of honor
and speakers occupied the head table.
After the luncheon Admiral Bowles
in assuming his duties as host and
| toastmaster made a few graceful re-
| marks of welcome and congratulation
and introduced the speakers Speeches
were made by Hon. Thomas j. Boyn-
ton. mayor of Everett, the name city
of the new vessel; by Congressman
Samuel l.. Powers, by Hon. John w.
Weeks. congressman from the Newton
district who spoke on the merchant
marine and by James l.. Richards, the
president of the New England Coal &c
Coke Company, the owner of the new
feet of coal carrying steamers of which
the Everett, so successfully launched
today, will be the first to go into COM
mission.
The New England Coal C Coke Com
pany of Boston is certainly to be con-
graduated on the progress which the
| launching of the new collier Everett
marks today. The employment Of the
new fleet will undoubtedly reduce the
price of coal to manufacturers through
out New England and go far towards
making a coal famine in this region
! in the future extremely unlikely.
Regaining Lost Confidence.
Owing to the rattling of chains and