The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1910-07-07
THE ROBERTSON
ON MAIDEN TRIP
ACROSS THE OHIO
B eautiiul New Craft Exceeds
Hopes Of Builders and
Owners.
Spacious and Graceful in
Lines.
WILL BEGIN SCHEDULE MONDAY

A successful try-out was given the
new ferryboat G. w. Robertson late
Yesterday afternoon and she Is now
completed and will be ready to begin
the ferry trade Monday morning.
About $3.50 O'Clock she was loos-
ened from her moorings at the foot
OF Kentucky avenue and headed TO
mldstream on her maiden voyage. As
she steamed into the Ohio cheers
arose from crowds that lined the
levee and expressions OF delight pass
ed from lip 10 lip OF the admiring
steamboatmen. Captain n. F. Buck"
Roberts took the mid-channel and
she headed for Brookport, H., where
she remained for a short time. Leav-
Ing there at 6 O'Clock she returned
here at 6:29 o'clock without the least
sign of disorder in her powerful ma
chinery. Capt. Charles Robertson,
one OF her owners. said today: Eve
are more than pleased with the new
boat and she has passed our fondest
expectations"
Large and roomy, as she Is COM
Portable, the Robertson Is the pride
of the local harbor and one of the
! nandsomest, II net the handsomest,
on western waters There Is not a
crook OF turn in her construction
that IL faulty. and her owners are
proud OF her.
She is a combination ferry and can
be used for excursion parties. In
spectors Green and ST. John. who
passed upON her today, say she Is
"buHy" and Will allow 1fer to carry
1000 people on excursions. And
then there will be room for more.
Description.
The Robertson Is 155 feet long by
so feet wide. and her staunch hull is
feet deep. Her boiler deck will
accommodate so loaded wagons with
plenty of room left for livestock. Her
boilers and stacks were built by the
Fowler & Wolfe Boiler works. Her
engine room is ample and clean. The
powerful machinery. l5x5 feet, was
built at Shelton Brothers foundry,
Of Paducah. and a good speed is pre-
| iicted for her as soon as the newneSs
wears of. The lower deck IL shelter
ID all over by the upper deck, which
IS reached by attractive staircases at
the front and by steps at the rear.
| The big wheel is enclosed behind the
engine room and the box is water
light.
The Cabin.
The cabin Is 100 feet in length and
20 feet wide and lighted by SO win
lows. with alternating stained glass
,ranaoms and colored electric light
globes to correspond. A color scheme
Of green and white has been OBJ
served in fitting out the cabin. The
windows are shaded by artistic green
curtains trimmed in white. They
were made by Mr.. Robertson's moth
er. Comfortable chairs are arranged
along the sides of the cabin and at
the rear is carpeted apartment fit
ted out with handsome dark green
furniture and a Price & Teeple cab
met grand piano. The toilet room
for ladies Is Just back of the apart
ment. The cabin is lighted by many
electric lights, which were installed
by Daily & Kstterjohn, of Paducah.
Hundreds OF chairs will be placed
outside the cabin. The big pilot
lhouse is comfortably fitted out
All details OF a modern ferry have
been observed in the construction Of
the Robertson. She was built along
lines suggested by Capt. Charles Rob
ertson and John Rollins. Her hull
Twas built at Helena. Ark, with lum-
Der furnished by the sheriff. & Rus
sell Lumber company. Of Paducah.
Outside the building of the hull, the
boat was constructed here and fitted
out by local concerns. This rule was
adhered to as far as possible by her
owners.
Fore and aft on either side OF the
upper deck are arranged four large
and brilliant arc lights. An ieeless
soda fountain is in the front of the
cabin and will be in charge OF Keen
webb.
The engine room Is in charge OF
Captains Jess Dugal and Charles
johnson, while her head mate will be
Captain Ben Winters. Pending the
construction OF a wharfboat for the
Robertson a large fuel fiat will be
placed at the foot of Kentucky ave-
nue. temporarily for the purpose of
transferring wagons. The wharf
boat is to be completed in about five
weeks
The Robertson was completed at a
total cost OF approximately $4,000