The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

L . days. THE MARINE RECORD. SHIP BUILDING AND REPAIRS. THE COMPLETED SHIPS. The statement comes from Fairport that the new steamer W. D. Rees, just delivered by the Cleveland Ship Building Co. to the Wilson Transit Co., has loaded as her maiden cargo 3,712 tons of cargo and 200 tons of fuelonamean draft of 13% feet. This waseconsider- ably more than was anticipated. She will load wheat _at the head of the lakes, and will probably break the steamer cargo record. The steamer L. C. Waldo has left F. W. Wheeler & Co.’s shipyard at West Bay City, and has gone to Lake Superior light for her first cargo—$1 ore. A week from Monday will undoubtedly see the fine new sidewheel steamer City of Buffalo in commission. The management of the Cleveland & Buffalo Transit Co. have arranged a very attractive series of compli- mentary rides and receptions at Detroit, Cleveland and Buffalo. The first steamship of the Rockefeller fleet the Sir Henry Bessemer, is rapidly nearing completion, and the Globe Iron Works Co. hope to launch her during the first week of May. A good part of the large force of men at work in the yard are making up for lost time on the revenue steamer John G. Carlisle. The second steamer for the Bessemer Steamship Co. is well ad- vanced, and the Mutual Liner Coralia is almost ready to go into commission. At the Cleveland Ship Building Co.’s yard the steamer Queen City is making excellent progress. The tug Edna G. is about ready to receive her Babcock & Wil- cox boiler, which arrived Wednesday. A good deal of preparatary work is being done on the Bessemer Co.’s steamship, but she will make little show in the yard until after the launch of the Wolvin boat. The Cleveland Ship Building Co. is loading upon the steamer Belle P. Cross four 12x12 foot boilers for the new Rockefeller steamship building at the American Steel Barge Co.’s yard at West Superior. ‘The boilers for the steamship F. Rockefeller, built by the American Steel Barge Co. on their own account, were sent up by rail during the winter, and have already been installed. The Cleveland Ship Building Co. shipped to South Chicago last week, on board the steamer C. B. Lock- wood, the two boilers for the steel steamer George N. Orr, launched last Saturday at the Chicago Ship Build- ing Co.’s yard. It had been expected to launch a large four-masted schooner at Capt. James Davidson’s yard, West Bay City, some time this week and another in about ten Fire, however, destroyed the planing mill at the yard, involving a loss of $15,000 to $20,000, and in addi- tion burned one of the schooners badly about the bow. Captain Davidson carried $10,000 insurance on the mill, ma_hinery and stock, placed in the following com. panies: Royal, of Liverpool, $1,000; New York Under- writers, $1,500; National, of Hartford, $500; Lion, of London, $500; Philadelphia, $1,000; Niagara, $500; AXtna, of Hartford, $2,500; Greenwich, of New York, $750; American Fire, of Philadelphia, $720; Commercial, of London, $1,500. There was no insurance on the boat on which the loss is about $1,000. The new tug building at EH. W. Heath’s Shi ovatd: Benton Harbor, for the Graham & Morton Transporta- tion Co., Chicago, was launched Wednesday. She was named Andy. The American Steel Barge Co. expect to launch the steamer Frank Rockefeller next Saturday, and barge 137 ten days later. A new tug for Mitchell & Co., Ludington, was launched there last week. : LAUNCH OF THE GEORGE N. ORR. OFFICE OF THE MARINE RECORD, t Cuicaco, April 20. The splendid steel steamer George N. Orr was suc- cessfully launched Saturday afternoon at. 3:10 o’clock, at the Chicago Ship Building Co.’s yard, under the skill- ful direction of Manager Babcock. The ceremony of christening was gracefully performed by Miss Annie Elphicke, daughter of the well known Capt. C. W. El- phicke, the managing owner of the new steamer. The Ort is owned by C. W. Elphicke and others, and _ is named after the son of Arthur Orr, of Buffalo, one of the largest shareholders in the new boat. Her dimen- S i sions are 326 feet keel, 340 feet over all, 42 feet beam, 26 feet molded depth. Her engines are triple-expansion, 20, 33 and 54 inches by 42 inches stroke, and her two boilers are 12 feet by 12 feet each. The new steamer will be ready for sea in about thirty days. She will be commanded by Capt. C. Z. Montague, formerly of the steamer Arthur Orr. The launch was witnessed by several thousand people. WILLIAMS. THE LAKE MICHIGAN CAR FERRIES. The hulls of the two car ferry barges building at Craig’s shipyard, Toledo, for the W. & M. Railroad are well forward and are nearly ready for launching. Both barges, and the steel tug Fischer, building at this yard for the same company, will go into the water in May. The barges are 316 feetlong by 46 feet beam and 12 feet molded depth, the depth from rail to bottom being 20 feet. They are built of the best white oak timbers, edge-bolted together, the bolts 6 inches apart, except for a distance of 45 feet back from the stem, where the rib construction is used. Three longitudinal bulkheads of 8x12-inch white pine timbers, edge-bolted, divide the hull into 4 water-tight compartments. The bilge keel- son contains bolts which run down through the other keelsons, and on the sides, inside the timbers, are frames 4 feet apart. The construction is in all respects the stiffest attainable, and the barges are calculated not only to outlive the roughest weather, but to ride at com- parative ease in the heavy seas. Each barge will ac- commodate 28 cars, and ample quarters are provided for officers and crew. It is expected to use one of these with each of the others now in service, so that steam- steering gear will be installed on only one of the new barges. ‘The tug is supposed to steer the forward barge, with the assistance of the steam steerer to be carried on the after barge. ‘The construction is under the super- vision, on behalf of the owners, of Capt. M. J. McHale» of Chicago. The tug Fischer is also well advanced, allthe hull and much of the interior plating being completed. The ways are up for loading the two boilers. Her engine will be triple-expansion, 18, 30, and 50 by 36 inches. The bedplate for the engine is now being laid. The tug is building alongside the dry-dock, into which she will be launched when ready. The Fischer is the largest and will be by far the most powerful tug on the lakes. She has an 11% foot wheel, with 16 feet pitch. The tug Fischer is being built under the inspection of Mr. Robert Logan, who will give her the highest class in the Record of American and Foreign Shipping. The Lake Michigan Car Ferry Transportation Co. (W. & M.) has chartered the tug Violet H. Raber to assist the tugs J.C. Aimes (lately the tug J. C. Perrett and S. M. Fischer in making up their tows at Peshtigo and ‘“‘tailing’’ them through the Green Bay portion of the route. The company’s tug E. G. Crosby will be sta- tioned at South Chicagoand part of the time will engage in towing the small car ferry barge now building at Peshtigo for the company between Chicago and South Chicago. ‘The Raber will be stationed at the ship canal and when not otherwise employed will tow vessels through the bay. The Raber, which was formerly the tug Ivy M. lLeathem, has a high pressure engine 22x24, built by Wilson & Hendry, of Montague, Mich. She is allowed 140 pounds of steam; her boiler was built at Manitowoc in 1893 and was placed in her in the spring of 1894. She is equipped with a steam shift- ing gear. THE WRECKING TUG MONARCH. During the winter the Escanaba Towing and Wreck- ing Company’s big wrecking tug Monarch has been so transformed in appearance that she looks like a new boat. ‘The engine-room has been enlarged, the engine and boilers overhauled asteam hoist has been added, and an upper deck and cabin ;have been built. The upper cabin is conveniently arranged and comfortably fitted up. Forward, overlooking the main deck, is the pilot house, behind which, and connecting with, is the captain’s room, provided with two double berths and furniture. Leading from the captain’s room isa large room in the middle of the boat for the use and comfort of insurance adjusters. ‘This room has four double berths, writing desk, chairs, etc., is carpeted and other- wise made attractive. A combined toilet room and ‘closet is situated between this'room’ and the captain’s room, with access from either. Aft of the insurance adjusters’ room are rooms for the engineer and diver, each fitted with two single bunks. The gallery and dining room and sleeping accommodations for the re- mainder of the crew are in the hold, amidship and aft. The boat is heated by steam throughout. The work was done under the supervision of Capt. Nyhaugen, of Manitowoc, an experienced man in the business. The chief officers of the Monarch are: Captain, George Bartley, Sr.; mate, Okey Vorrus; first engineer, George Bartley, Jr.; second engineer, John Johnson. The first important work the Monarch will undertake this season will be the releasing from Big Summer island of the steamer Jim Sheriffs, which stranded there last fall. The company’s other tugs, Delta and Owen, have also been overhauled and placed in good shape for business. Capt. Casper Bartley is in command of the Delta, with Boardman Leighton as engineer. Frank Bartley is in command for the first time of the Owen, and L,. Norton is the engineer. GENERAL REPAIR WORK. CLEVELAND.—At the Cleveland dry-dock the Pease got out Tuesday, and the schooner P. S. Marsh and little steam-yacht Alert were docked. The Alert is receiving an overhauling, and the Marsh a thorough recalking. The steamer Waverly and schooner F. C. Leighton are outside the dock, getting repairs incidental to the open- ing of the season. At the Ship Owners’ dry.dock the steamer Colonial is in for a new rudder. The Alva B. has also received a new rudder. The schooners Bacon and George were in last week and had their center-board boxes takeh out. The steamers Choctaw and Andaste have left the Globe shipyard after having received considerable work inside, enough hold box beams being put in to compensate for the absence of a main deck. The sides are double plated on the ‘‘tumble home”’ portion. The valuation is made $130,000 in Inland Lloyds Register. BUFFALO.—The steamer Thomas Maytham was injured $1,000 by the Thomas Davidson striking her when coming up the creek Sunday night. She is now in dock for survey and repairs. The Tioga, which tried to buck the ice and had to come back discharged about 400 tons of freight, letting her bows upso repairs could be made several plates were badly bent, but only one frame was broken. The Conestoga, Jewett, Neshoto, and Tuscarora have been in dock this week. We have received from Pawling & Harnischfeger, Milwaukee, a catalogue showing the workings of Beck’s patent steam steering gear, adapted for all classes of tonnage. This gear can be instantly changed from steam to hand, or vice versa, without removing the hands from the wheel. This gear is especially arrang- ed for installation in the pilot house and seems to take up a very small amount of space. "REPAIR NOTES. THE Bradley steamer City of Cleveland is receiving considerable repairs at the South Chicago dry-dock. The steamer J. H. Wade struck a log near Skilligalee light a few days ago, when bound up, which made a fracture an inch wide and several feet long in one of her plates. She patched it, and will repair at Milwaukee. rr The Roberts Safety Water Tube Boiler Co., 39 and 41 Cortlandt street, New York City, frequently has applica- tions from vessel owners for marine engineers. We advise engineers who have had experience with Roberts boilers to send the Roberts Company their names, ad- dresses and references, together with a statement of what vessels they have had charge of, and the tonnage of their certificate. All this information will be entered in a book kept for the purpose and a full page devoted to each applicant so that changes of address can be noted, etc. ED OO The Marine Iron Works, Clybourn and Southport avenues, Chicago, have issued a very handsome cata- logue showing their works and some of their most ap- proved machinery and steamyachts. On the fly leaf is the following: ‘‘Our specialty is the building (to order) of high-grade marine machinery, and complete steam craft in smali and medium sizes. Having the best of modern shop equipment, and an experienced working force, we respectfully invite the attention of all inter- ‘ested to our product, and the critical examination of those most Biphly trained to pass judgment—the Amer- ican engineers.”’