Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1913-11-07


e receive her finishing touches, win be pu
. IN commission to-day in the Upper Coas
4 and Atchafalaya, Black and Ouachit
. Rivers trade. The Elan is attractin
more than passing notice by reason O
the fact that she is the largest boat o
I her class built in Louisiana, and i
IN every sense home product, she be
| ing constructed of native woods. her out
! fitting and furnishings having been sup
tplied oy local dealers to the extent o
their resources, hew owners being New
Orleans men and she having been named
in honor of one OF the States most hon.
ored and respected citizens. Another
reason is that she is equipped with the
most improved and up-to-date machin-
cry.
The Elan was built in the SaImen
Brick and Lumber Company's yards in
Slidell under the direct supervision OF
Capt. Fl. NJ. Carter, whose reputation as
a practical steamboatman is well-known.
Her huh measures 1856 feet in length and
81 feet beam, with 3-foot guards, and
her depth of hold is feet in the shall
lowest place, sheer of 1-2 from mid
ships to bow and stern, giving her rak-
ish and out of the ordinary appearance.
In the hull is fore and aft bulkhead,
running the entire length Of the boat,
constructed of 4 IL by l0-inch timbers,
tabled together and drift-bolted. giving
unusual strength and rigidity to the hull.
An extra large deck-room and 3O-foot
forecastle are noticeable features OF her
adaptability for the slowing and hand
ling of cotton and other bulky articles of
freight, her carrying capacity being esti-
mated at 500 tons.
Her cabin is l60 feet long and "a wide,
containing the Office, bar and "a state
rooms; social hall forward measur-
ing ~ by "a feet. a ladies' sitting
room of the same size and dining-room
measuring rs by "A feet, a 6 ID foot hall
way running through the center. To the
rear of the cabin, separated by 3 -
foot gangw.s5, are large kitchen and
a stOre-roon. aft Of which on either side
are located the toilets. The cabin is en-
tirely free from all fancy work, but in
keeping with other parts of the boat is
built Of the hest material, and the sim
plicity Of IFS finish adding to rather than
de;racting from its appearance.
In the texas above her cabin, which is
36 feet long dnd II feet wide, are ten
state-rooms and officers hall in the rear.
Forward of the texas and extending
above it is the pilot-house, measuring u
by II feet, with pilots wheel having
diameter of 10 feet. Between decks for
ward, on either side of the stairway, is
monkey deck 6 feet wide and 30 feet long
for use in slowing light packages, and
between decks aft are located laundry
and another store-room, a barricade be-
tween decks in the engine-room, meas
uring by "a feet, being provided for the
accommodation of the roustabouts.
The boiler of the Elan is what is
known as the Kidney patent, designed |
and patented by United States Local In
spector James Kidney, formerly of the
Cincinnati district, and was built at
Parkersburg. w. Va. II is the newest
thing in the line of steamboat boilers,
and is one Of the three now in use, the
two others being on two Ohio packets,
where they have proven very successful
A saving of 40 per cent in fuel consump-
ton is claimed for the boiler; in fact. it
is sold with that guarantee by the build
ers. The main shell Of the boiler is 66
inches in diameter and 20 feet long, with
twenty-five 6-inch flues. having heat
ing surface of between 400 and I 800
square feet 1t is provided with four
mud drums, two on either side, instead
Of at the bottom, connected by ll5 Pinch
down-take pipes, they being connected
directly to the main shell OF the boiler,
which insures complete circulation Of
water. The boiler is allowed 259 pounds
Of steam, working pressure.
The engines of the Elan are the larg-
est improved tandem-compound type,
having - and "a inches diameter of cyl
inders, with 6 feet stroke of pistons, and
we're built by D. M. Swain, of Saltwater,
Mimi. The engines are noted for their
light consumption of steam. In addi-
ion to those engines she is provided with
ones for operating the capstan,
stage holster, fire pumps, etc.
Her water wheel, located at the stern,
s % feet in diameter, and has five
langes, with sixteen arms to the Aange,
md the buckets measure IL feet in length
md "a inches wide.
No lamps are needed for illuminating
purposes on the Elam, she having an
electric outfit furnishing crrrent for 200
lights IN the various departments OF the
BOAT. including the hold and decks, and
IN Engbert searchlight of 1000 candle
power, with mirror reflector. The main
;abin is lighted by numerous NADIA
lights in white globes. in the social hall.
aides sitting room and dining room be-
ng fancy little ceiling droplights
The hogchains on the boat are among
he several innovations introduced in her
construction. They are made Of suspen- !