The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-02-17
NEW DEP RAPTURE
 .F'0R WATER HAUL
Steel Corporation Has Specially Equipped Freighers In
 Service

IA new departure F. transportation methods in the steel industry has been instituted by the United States Steel corporation by placing in operation two electrically driven freight boats for use in. the Great Lakes in summer and in gulf waters in the winter. These vessels also mark a step for ward in the use of heavy handling equipment on >shipboard for loading and unloading of cargo.
 The two boats. named "Steelmotor" and "Steelvender'a, were placed in op- eration Hast July, carrying the cor porations own mill products from Lake Erie and Lake Michigan ports to Mon- treal for the Canadian trade. Late in the year they were sent down, to the Gulf of Mexico via the Atlantic coast, and have been placed in opera tion between Mobile, New Orleans and other gulf ports. Another large steel producing company is said to be plan ming similar operations.
 Loading Equipment
 The boats are interesting from the standpoint of cargo handling equip ment because on each vessel there are two specially designed electrically ope-. rated cranes, somewhat like. locomotive cranes, mounted on the decks for the handling of cargoes. With this equip ment, the boats can take on cargo at any dock, independent of other load ing facilities.
 The "Steelmotor" and "Steelvender" were built by the Steel corporation at its Federal Shipbuilding company plant, and are operated by the Isthmian Steamship line, the operating company for fhe United States Steel Products company, the subsidiary handling the corporation's export business.
 The Iron Age describes the vessel as follows:
 "The vessels are 25S 1t. long, or of the Welland Canal size, and have a net capacity of 2100 net tons. They are of the Isherwood type and represent departure from the large steam driven lake freighters in that they are electrically propelled and otherwise electrically operated. The boats have the direct Diesel drive, power being supplied by a 750 hp. Macintosh and Seymour Diesel engine connected to a Worthington Diesel generator. The cranes, dock machinery, steering engine, winches and other deck machinery, as well as the engine room auxiliaries, are electrically driven and one of the boats has an acknowledgements steer ing gear. Power for the auxiliary equipment is furnished by two 90 hp. Diesel engines connected to two 60 kw. generators. Each of the cargo holds has an unusually large hatch, 20 X 40 ft., to permit material in long sections to be lowered into the hold.
 Mechanism
 ''The cranes are of the level luffing type and each has three motors, one for hoisting, one for rotating and a third for booming. The length of the boom is 50 fit. and the maximum load on the hook is 10000 lbs. at any radius of from 21 to 90 it. The crane has a hoisting speed of 13O it. per min., rotating speed of 8 Ep.m. and a booming speed of 300 fit. per min. The dead weight of the boom is bal anced by connterweight and the live load pull on the boom is balanced by special reeving of the ropes. Limits switches are provided for the boom to cut off the power at the minimum and maximum radii.
 "Series wound crane motors operating on 220 volt direct current are used. The hoist motor is 65 hp. at approxi- mately 600 r.p.m., the rotating motor 20 hp. at 125 rpm. and the boom motor 15 hp. at 600r.p.m. The motors have contractor type magnetic control. The hoist controller gives dynamic braking connections when lowering. All control equipment is totally inclosed in water tight cases The cranes were designed and built by the Brown Hoist ing Machinery Co.,, the motros furnished by the Diehl Mfg. Co. and the control equipment by the Cutler Hammer Co.
 ''The boats cargoes will be made up largely of structural steel rails, billets, plates and tin plate. Structural sec tions up to 65 fit. in length can be placed in the hold, longer sections being piled on the deck which has room for 300 tons of cargo. Each crane has the capacity of handling an average of % tons an hour, although 75 tons have been loaded in one hour with the use of one crane. Both cranes can be used in conjunction in handling long plates but one has handled material up to 65 it. in length. The boom is of sufficient length to pick up a cargo 20 it. from the vessels side"
 J0ssELYN TO SPEAK