The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1910-12-16
NEW SHIPS LAUNCHED. !
City OF Baltimore and City Of Nor.
folk Added To Chesa-
peake Line.

peake Line.
The two new steamers of the
Chesapeake Steamship Company,
the Getty of Baltimore and "City
Of Norfolk, = were launched at
Sparrows Point on Dec. 8.
The "City of BALTIMORE the
first to leave her ways, was christ
ened by Miss Marge James, daugh-
ter of Mr.. Norman James, vice
president and director of the
Chesapeake Steamship Company,
while the "City of Norfolk, 3
which was launched about fifteen
minutes after her sister ship, was
christened by Miss CelestiDe Page
Finley, daughter of President w.
W. Finley, of the Southern Rail
way.
The new vessels, which will be
completed about the first of April
and placed Immediately ON the
Baltimore Norfolk line, are 31Ol
feet long over all, beam moulded at
deck, AS feet; beam moulded at
water. line, Az feet; beam moulded
over guards, so feet, making the
largest yet built for the company.
They will have a carrying capacity
Of $50 tons of high class merchan-
disc freight. Each ship will con-
tain 147 staterooms for passengers.
All of the staterooms will be out
side rooms, that is, having windows
opening directly on to the deck,
and will be steam heated and light
ed by electricity. A number of the
rooms will connect with baths.
Both ships will be equipped with
wireless biography.
While the installation of tele-
phone service on steamers is not
altogether new, especially on sea
going craft, the new Chesapeake
Line Steamers will have system
of vocal Communication that will
be more extensive than any here
tofore put in, for arrangements
have been made to connect the
lsystem with the general exchanges
of the cities of Baltimore and Nor
folk while the vessels are in thier
berths.
AS soon as the steamer. reaches
her berth the switchboard on the
steamer is Immediately connected
with wire that leads to the private
exchange of the company from
which connections for local or long
distance calls may be made.
During the night when the ship
is on the Bay and it is necessary to
reach anyone on the shore the
wireless may be called into service
and thus, from port to port one will
not be out of range of communica-
ton. a convenience that many will
appreciate.
| The telephone system to be in
stalled will be as elaborate as to be
found in any hotel or large bust
ness house. The individual tele
phones will be of the automatic
type and they will connect with a
main exchange which will be in
charge of an operator who will
make counter connections from
stateroom to stateroOm so that one
may talk to person in another
part of the vessel with as much
ease as on shore.
The dining rooms on the new
ships will be located on the hurri.
can deck forward and each will
have seating capacity of sixty
persons. This is a novel feature
ensuring perfect ventilation, and,
during the summer months, should
prove particularly attractive to
patrons of the line, as it will not
only enable passengers TO have a
delightful view of the Baltimore
and Norfolk harbors during meal
time, but is also guarantee that
the dining room will be the coolest
and arrest place on the ship. Aft
on the hurrican deck will be located
the lounging room for ladies and
gentlemen. 1t will be handsomely
furnished and will abound in
Luxurious easy chairs and divans
as well as writing desks for
passengers.