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eo MARINE REVIEW. rt Capt. Alex. McDougall's Patents.* BOAT FOR TRANSPORTING RAILROAD CARS--SPECIFICATION FORM- ING PART OF LETTERS' PATENT NO. 498,680-- DATED MAY 30, 1893--APPLICATION FILED JULY 29, 1892--SERIAL NO. 441,614--NO MODEL. "My present invention," says Capt. McDougall, "relates to various changes and additions in those vessels which have been invented by me, whereby the said vessels are especially adapted for use in the transportation of railroad cars from one place to another. By means of the improvement, a great many railroad cars can be transported at one time, and being entirely within the hold of the boat, there can be no danger of the cars being swept overboard or being affected by the elements in any way. By reason also of the covered solid construction of my improved vessels, and the fact that the boat can be partially submerged so as to reduce pitching and rolling to a minimum, I am enabled to successfully transport railroad cars, in much heavier weather, and in higher seas, than would be possible with the vessels which are used at present for the same purpose. The vessel by its particular construction is also well adapted for passing throughice. '"The most important change in the steamboat of my im- proved construction is in the overhanging of the stern, at which point the cars are allowed to enter the vessel. The over hang in- stead of being practically on the same plane as the bow, is much lower, so that the railroad cars may pass on the same under the curved deck of the vessel through a suitable opening made for the purpose. 'This opening is adapted to be closed in any way, preferably by ordinary metal doors, suitably packed so as to ex- clude water when at sea. 'To enable the.zcars to more easily enter the interior of the boat, the curved top thereof, bulges slightly upward at its rear portion, so as to makea sufficiently large opening, without depressing the overhang of the stern to too great anextent. Inthe present vessel the false bottom is lo- cated about midway of the boat, instead of being near the lower portion thereof, as in my other boats. In this way several large tanks are formed beneath the said false bottom, which can be filled more or less with water, so as to partially submerge the vessel, in order, thereby, to reduce rolling and pitching to a min- il i 4 i ot = i Ll ---- a 53) The tracks for receiving the cars are imum in heavy weather. placed on this false bottom, and are arranged in any desired man- ner. 'The forecastle of the vessel is reached in the ordinary way, through a turret, and similar turrets are located near the stern for carrying a suitable cabin. It is preferable to make use of two screws, operated by twin engines, placed one on each side of the entrance tracks, but other arrangements can be used as a substi- tute. In loading the vessel with cars, it is backed up into a slip in the usual manner, and the cars are run through the overhang of the stern into the hold, being distributed therein as desired. The opening at the stern is now securely closed, and the vessel is prepared to proceed. In case stormy weather or rough seas are encountered, the water tanks are filled more or less, so as to partially submerge the boat to any desired extent, whereby the * pitching and rolling of the vessel will be reduced in a great measure. Should heavy field ice be met the vessel may steam backward through the same so that the propellers will crush and break up the ice. "Under this heading we will publish specifications accompanying letters patent franted to Alexander McDougall, of West Superior, Wis., since his first application for & patent on the whaleback type of vessel, May 1, 1880. "Fig. 1 is an elevation of the rear portion of my improved vessel; Fig. 2, an end elevation of the same; Fig. 3, a plan view of the interior of the vessel, and Fig. 4, a longitudinal sectional view. In the vessel illustrated the overhang of the stern is on a plane considerably lower than the bow, and the sides and top of the boat are abruptly ended some distance in advance thereof, as shown in the drawings. formed near the stern of the boat, through which the cars pass in entering the hull, and at the stern portion is a platform 4 on which the cars run before passing through the said entrance. The entrance to the hold is to be closed when desired, preferably by doors ¢ c, which are to be suitably packed. 'These doors when closed, incline outward, (see Fig. 3) so as to better withstand any waves which might strike against the same. 'To better accom- modate the cars, the top or deck of the boat bulges slightly up- ward at its rear portion, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4. '"A isa false bottom, which extends to the extreme stern end of the boat, and which is firmly supported in any way by suitable frames. 'The space beneath the false bottom A may be -- filled wholly or partially with water, when desired, to partially submerge the boat, for the purpose before mentioned. Ordinary railroad tracks a' a' are placed on this false bottom, or on suit- able stringers secured thereto, and are to be arranged in any de- sired manner. In Fig. 3 a central track is shown reaching to the extreme stern of the boat, with two side tracks, switching into the central track. 'This arrangement possesses many advan- tages, but it is by no means necessary, since the side tracks can be dispensed with, or instead of introducing the cars into the hold directly over the stern, they may be run into one side thereof. In Fig. 3 two engines are illustrated, one on each side of the central track, but one, or even three engines could be used as a substitute therefor. "In loading the boat it is backed into a suitable slip, so that the tracks at the stern will coincide with the tracks on the dock. The tracks on the stern can be brought down or up to a level with the tracks on the dock by pumping water into or out of the water tanks. In caSe heavy weather is encountered and should the boat begin to labor, as I have before mentioned, the water tanks can be filled more or less so as to submerge the boat to agreater or lessextent. I have found out that when the 'vessel is submerged to a greater or less extent, the pitching and rolling are correspondingly reduced, and this feature makes the boat especially adapted for the purpose mentioned herein, since the vessel is enabled to carry railroad cars in all sorts of weather, which is strictly necessary. It will be understood that one of my improved barges may be used for the transportation of cars, and that the general broad idea which I have described herein, of introducing the cars into the stern of the boat, may be applied to other varieties of vessels. ' "What I claim as new and desire to secure by letters patent, is as follows: First--An improved vessel for transporting rail- road cars, provided with an open stern, having tracks therefrom, extending into the hold, and having water tanks adapted to re- ceive water for partially submerging the vessel, to a greater or less extent, substantially as set forth. Second--An improved 'vessel for transporting railroad cars, consisting of a hull, pro- vided with straight parallel sides, a curved top, a rounded bot- tom, and a skeged stern, part of said stern overhanging the main portion ot the hull; tracks extending from said stern into the hold, and water tanks for partially submerging the vessel to a greater or less extent, substantially as set forth. Third--An improved vessel for transporting railroad cars, consisting of a hull having straight parallel sides, a curved top, a rounded bot- tom, and a skeged stern, a part of said stern overhanging the main portion of the htftl; a false bottom for said vessel forming a water compartment beneath it, adapted to be partially or wholly filled, whereby the vessel may be partially submerged to a greater or less extent; tracks extending from said stern on said false bottom, and inclined doors cc above said stern, for closing the entrance to said hull, substantially as set forth." An extension to Marquette breakwater, involving an expen- diture of $75,000 and the use of about 1,000,000 feet of timber, will be completed in a few weeks although 1t was not begun un- til December last and was, of course, suspended largely during the winter. FIFTEEN PHOTOTYPES OF THE LATEST LAKE STEAMERS AND A PICTURE OF THE GREAT EASTERN, NEATLY BOUND, FOR 50 CENTS. WRITE THE MARINE REVIEW, NO. 516 PERRY- PAYNE BUILDING, CLEVELAND, O. In this way a flat entrance a is