Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1908-09-04

steamer in the world. Also different
In many important features of con
struction from any other ship ailOat,
was recently launched on the great
lakes, says a Cleveland e. dispatch.
Among other things it Is claimed that
she possesses the only bow rudder OPP
Grated by steam gear in the world, and
within her pilothouse Is the innovation
Of three wheels. Her engines have
5000 horsepower, and she atIalns the
unusual speed of twenty-five miles an
hour. She has been given the name
City of Cleveland and was built at a
cost OF Sl,2JO,000.
Think of a smOkestack on lake
steamer - feet high and l02 inches
In diameter. Through Il section of this
stack lying ON its side a team of horses
and wagon can pass with ease. \
man can stand upright inside and,
reaching up, fail 10 touch the other
side The new ship has two such
smokestacks. and a large touring car
carrying four men was actually driven
through portion of one of them while
at the shipyards.
The steamer itself is 44i feet long
and 90 feet wide While not as long
as the largest of iron ore carrying
ships which we hear so much about
nowadays, it is much wider. There
are seven decks, and an elevator op-
Grated by electricity communicates
with all OF them. There are 800 state
rooms, each equipped with running
water; automatic fire alarms and tele-
phone connections. When the steam
er is lying at the dock ten city tcle
phone lines can be used. When out in
the lake it is connected with land by
wireless telegraph.
The most notable innovation Of the
new ship from II mechanical stand
point is the bow rudder heretofore
mentioned. This device enables her
to be handled as easily as yacht. 1t
enables her to be turned In little
more than her own length, and she can
back as rapidly and accurately as she
can go ahead. In crowded or mar
row channel 1t is of great value. The
bow not only is time saving device,
but is safeguard in case of emer-
gency.
Another interesting feature of con-
struction is the ships hold and double
bottom. The hull Is OF mild steel up
to the main rail and including the
main deck, which is sheathed in wood
to deaden the sound. The hold il di-
vided into ten compartments. and
these compartments are fitted with
water tight steel doors. which can be
opened or closed by means of a hy-
draulic gear operated in the engine
room. In case of emergency any of
these compartments can be shut off
from the rest of the ship as though
Theoretically sealed In addition to
this, there is virtually a double inner
bottom. To change the trim of the
ship or the draft. water ballast is car
ried. Great tanks holding twenty-five
tons are located on the guards or amid
ships.
There is an electric light plant of
1000 arc lamps.
The architecture Of the new ship is
marvellous in many ways. The most
notable perhaps is the grand stairway
which leads from the lobby to the main
salon. 1t is of wrought brass and
verd. The banisters are carved. 1t re,
sembles the stairway Of some old world
palace. In the grand salon the panels
are Of Mexican mahogany, and the dec
orations are of Louis XVI. and culmi.
nate in eXquisitely carved cornices. In
the grand salon also is fireplace
which is connected with one of the
smokestackS and Is also among the in
novations. Its facings and hearth are
of marble. and it is framed in mirrors
and old gold panels. On the ceiling
of the grand salon are great panels,
bordered by richly carved frames and
inclosing mural paintings About these
are ornamental panels in relief From
the center Of the ceiling are huge elec.
troliers in keeping with the decorative
scheme. Twenty private parlors are
finished in Marie Antoinette and colo.
NAL styles, with the predominating
scheme ivory and gold. About the
main salon run double galleries, which
afford access to the staterooms and
exits to the decks.
Convention halls have been provid.
ed finished in figured Circassian wal
nut. designed in Elizabethan style
They are fioored with rubber tiling
and inclosed with an almost continu-
GUS surface of plate glass. a stair
way designed in Louis XVI. style leads
from the gallery deck to these rooms,
The main dining room is in the hol-
low Of the ship, Is seventy feet in
length and Is decorated in art nouveau
style. Extending the entire length are
sideboards with doors paneed in quar-.
tered oak and finished in richest for
est green. Above these are panels of
carved grills, alternating with dainty
china closets. The floor is of squares
of green tile, and the light comes from
electroliers of quaint old lantern de
sign. There are private dining rooms
finished in Flemish renaissance style.
Five thousand five hundred yards of
carpet were required in carpeting this
giant steamer. 1t is also equipped
with 3,4OO pieces of silver service
$500 pieces of crockery, 1000 pieces
Of glassware, and these are but a few
Of the interesting figures which might
be quoted to illustrate the great size
OF the new ship.