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HE latest addition to the fine fleet of pass- enger steamers of the great lakes is the new steel steamer, e Alabama, just deliv- ered to the Goodrich Transit Co., of Chi- cago, by the Manitowoc Dry Dock Co., Manitowoc, Wis. This steamer is one of the most complete and elaborate craft of her size and kind on fresh water and no expense has been spared to provide for the safety and comfort of the passengers. The subdivision of the hull by an unusually large number of water tight bulkheads makes the ship practically unsinkable and a complete automatic sprinkler system as well as_ special fire pumps afford absolute fire pro- tection. All the refinements of mod- ern equipment, such as wireless tele- graph, refrigerating plant, running wa- ter in staterooms, drinking water sys- tems, etc., have been installed. The principal dimensions are as fol- ~ lows: ee : Bt int Teenigth Accel ee oe ae ee. cielo 5 250 Mieneth = Over: Alle ccc sale oases OTe 6 Beams molded... .c6 08. een nA Depth to main deck ee 17 Depth to spar deck 27 A PAUM AL AN oie cee sce ole sketeo wreldiere(s. 12 6 Wrauent. forward: 4. si oe es. 9 ISFOSS oLONNAGE oa cus save cee sles 2626 Niet tonnage iin cos cee hates ae 1684 There are five decks, viz:--orlop, main, spar, promenade and boat decks. The hull is constructed of mild steel, and divided into eight compartments by watertight bulkheads, and the orlop deck is watertight in Nos. 1, 2, 3 and 7 compartments. Details of Construction. The frames are 6 in. x 13.75 Ib. bulb angle, spaced 24 in. and running to the main deck: and: 12 in: "x 20.5 Ib. channel belt frames, spaced 12 ft., run continuously to the spar deck. The main deck beams are 12 in. by 25 lb. channels, spaced 4 ft. The or- lop decks are all steel and the beams are exceptionally heavy to stiffen the ship for ice work and the shell plating is doubled forward for the same pur- pose. The main deck is 15 Ib. plate laid flush and covered in the cargo space with 3 in. fir decking. Supporting the cabin or spar deck gare 12 in. x 25 lb. channel belt beams, spaced 12 ft. and terminating on the belt frames, and which in turn sup- port three I-beam fore and _ afters. The deck beams are 5 in. x 65 tb. THe Marine REVIEW channels spaced 3 ft. This deck is laid throughout with No. 10 w. g. plate to serve as fire protection be- tween the cargo space and the cabins, and on which the 136 in. matched deck is laid on battens. The deck hands' accommodations are located in No. 2 compartment on the orlop deck, which has asbestos composition floor and ,steel berths. The No. 3 compartment contains the galley and refrigerators on the star- board side with brick floor. On the port side are the mess rooms and rooms for the cook's crew, floored with composition. All partitions are of steel with an open space at the top fitted with wire netting screens. The waiters are placed in the No. 7 compartment with floors and parti- tions similar to those forward. The firemen and coal passers are accommodated on the main deck for- ward, the partition between the quar- ters and the cargo space being of _ steel. On the main deck aft are located the lobby, baggage room, news stand, barber shop, pursers' and steward's offices and the men's toilet. The lob- by is finished in vermilion wood with the borders of the panels enriched with inlay with a marble base to pro- tect the wood work at the bottom. The floor is of asbestos composition with an art border. The purser's and steward's offices are panelled in ma- hogany and equipped for their pur- pose. Except for the toilet, which is ceiled in birch, all other rooms are finished in white enamel. The Main Salon. The grand staircase leads up the main salon, which is panelled in Af- rican mahogany. The panels are par- ticularly large, extending from door to door of staterooms, and are built of beautiful crotch mahogany with inlaid borders and an inlaid figure showing a conventional design of the cotton plant. The cotton plant, which is associated with the name Alabama, is used throughout the ship as the motif of the design. At the after end of the engine trunk and directly fac- ing the stairway is a large panel on which the coat of- arms of the state of Alabama is worked in inlay. 'Phts, at a little distance might easily be taken to be a painting, and only close inspection shows that it is built up of many kinds of wood, each of its natural 'color. August, 1910 GOODRICH STEAMER ALABAMA At each side of the machinery trunk and leading forward is a wide passage finished in mahogany and _terminat- ing in the dining room. The state- room numbers throughout are inlaid in the doors and enclosed by an in- laid border of the cotton plant. The dining room is 38 ft. long and the full width of the boat, with large rectangular plate glass windows in- stead of the usual side lights. This room is finished in Prima Vera, an African wood, and is stained a beau- tiful shade of light green. The panels between the windows and elsewhere are each inlaid with a large spray of the cotton plant; at the after end is an imposing sideboard, built in, of the same wood, and in each after corner is a private dining room, one finished in cocoa wood, the other in Circassian walnut. Forward of the dining room is the pantry, officers' mess, and rooms for the forward deck crew. The wireless room opens into the dining room, where messages may be filed and re- ceived. The Promenade Deck. On the promenade deck the entire cabin is given up to staterooms which are finished in old ivory enamel with mahogany doors. On this deck there are two public bath rooms, one for men and one for women. The prom- enade itself is especially wide and can accommodate hundreds of people without crowding. The pilot house is located at the ' forward end of the boat deck, aft of the foremast. Aft of the pilot house are the captain's quarters, finished in natural birch finish. The balance of the forward cabin is devoted to six parlor rooms with a bath room in connection with each. These rooms are about 11 ft. by 12 ft. and are fur- nished with brass beds, couches, and dressers and each suite is differently decorated, Aft of the stack are staterooms and rooms for the cabin maids. The af- ter end of the cabin is used for a large buffet which is finished in Hun- garian ash, stained a silver gray, bringing out the beautiful grain of the wood to the best advantage. There are eight alcove seats with leather up- holstering, at the sides of the room. Paintings of woodland scenes are worked into the panels between the windows. The bar is at the forward end with two large refrigerators in