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

THE MARINE RECORD. Ar SOUTH CHICAGO HARBOR, assistant United States Engineer G. A. M. Liljencrantz has just completed the soundings of South Chicago harbor, in reparation for ¢x ending the $20,000 ap- propriation. He finds the channel apparently in good condition, a8 Near as can be arcer- tained before the map is completed and com- aired with the previous surveys. Owing to the prevailing north winds the water is about two feet above village datum. Most of the appropriation will probably be ex- pended in extending the south pier, which now lacks about 2,100 feet of being out as far as thd north plier. Itis possible that owing to the lateness of the season, Maj. Banyaurd may decide not to. call for bids for this work till next spring. “The $50,000 spproneiaticn for the Calumet river will mostly be expended 'in dredging and straightening the channel of the river toa width of two hund;ed feet. As the United States engineers can not take any private property for the two hundred foot channel without laying the government liable to suits for damage, they do not purpose to commence the work until the government | has the title In fee simple to what will be re- quired to coniplete the channel. ‘The United States government owns the bed of the river. ‘here are three places in the ‘line of the pro- posed iraprovement. where, if straightening the river, it will be nevessary to leaye the old bed and take the whole two hundred feet from private citizens. The first bend above the harbor is held by Rot Little and claimed by the South Chicago dock company. Should the litigation over this property prevent the government trom securing the title to two hundred teet across this bend it will be a bar to all improvements above, as the United States engineers do not propose to skip any portion of the dock line estublished by Maj. Banyaurd and commence improvements above. As matters now stand, there is much doubt as to the expenditure of much_ of this $60,000 during the present working season. The extensive and permanent improve- ments of the South Chicago dock company, under the supervision of Engineer A. B. Powell, are worthy of notice. The dock company are just completing a substantial breakwater from’the south pier of the harbor east, 1,725 feet in length, protecting’ the entire lake front of the property owned by the-dock company east of the Calumet. South. of this breakwater and paralled, with it they are docking and dredging a slip 140 feet wide and 1,500 feetin length. This slip is north of the old Douglas slip, which is now completely filled up by the. action of the waters of Lake Michigan.’ The dock is now nearly ‘complete from Ninety-second street bridge north to the new‘slip. Owing to their inability to land the ma- terial at the Hyde Park water worke, Messrs. Hean & Corbyn, contractors for building the inlet crib to the Water tiinnel, are obliged to build the crib at South Chicago, and floa: it to its location, which is to be about one mile from the shore, opposite the water works This work is to be completed November 1, at which time the tunnel will also be com- pleted and connected with the inlet.—Chi- cago Times. F UNSINKABLE SHIPS. \ In speaking of the numerous casualties that have resulted from collisions at sea the Iron Age says: ‘Is there no effectual pre- ventive of fatal consequences from collision atsea? Are these bloodcurdling cutastro- phes a necessary concomitant of steamship navigation? Are bulkheads a falee reliance when, from any cause, the sides of an ocean steamer are crushed? Our readers doubt- lees have vividly in mind the wonderful preservation of the Guion steamer Arizona, which landed her passengers in safety after contact with an iceberg, and despite the fact that a considerable portion of her bow was wholly demolished. ‘The case of the Nevada is another instance .of demonstrating the value of bulkheads, if properly built, always assuming that the iron dours tor admission to the compartments are closed when the ship is under steam. Nevertheless, as in the case of the State of Florida, it is painfully ap- parent that steamships are valuerable in their most vital part. Captain Condron, of the City of Richmond, says there is not a steam- «r which comes into the City of New Yo.k that will not sink if she is cut down amid- ships. ‘The boiler spxce is so large on all steamers that if it becomes filled with water the steamer cannot keep afloat. Mr. P. Kunhardt, ot long experience in steamboat matters, says: ‘fhe trouble is that these bulkheads run up only to the main deck, instead of to the spar deck, and that there is next to no margin buoyancy left when one | p' of these big steamers is loaded down. The safety does not consist in the diaplay of free board, but in the amount, of actual buoyancy —that is, resistance to sinking—which re- Maing in the vessel. It isa mere question of displacement and center of gravity, and it can be told at once just how much water it would be necessary to let into the vessel to take the place of the air in the bold before the ship would go down, ‘The letting of Water into a single compartment of an im- Properly londed or overloaded steamer sends her to the bottom like any other piece of iron,” Mr. Austin Baldwin, agent of the State line, to which the State of Florida belonged, affirms that his steamer was amply supplied with safety compartments, and she aunk so . port. quickly because she was strfiick amidships. In seeking further guarantees of exemp- tion from disaster, so far as they ean be pro- vided by mechanieal devives, we are driven to but one conclusion—viz.; that the ordinary bulkhead not being an effectual safeguard, certainly if not carried up beyond the main deck, every first class passenger steamer should have either longitudinal bulkheads or be built throughout on the cellular plan of construction, with ample air spaces between the outer sheathing and the “skin’’ or interior lining, ‘I'he latter device has been introduced in some instances. Both plans.are open to objection, as an influx ot water into a longitudinal section would give the vessel a dangerous “list,” while the cellular arrangement would hardly save the engine room ‘from flooding in case both sheathing and skin were badly punctured. But either system would possess one advan- tage of paramount importance—steamers would be unsinkable, so far as it would seem possible for human ingenuity to give: them this inestimate quality. AN IMPORTANT QUESTION, There will be an important question‘to de cide when the cage of the schooner Typo against several insurance companies comes up before .the United States court com- missioner for hearing. The question is whether or not the captain aad crew can abandon a vessel to the underwriters be- -eatise they might believe that she is in im- minent peril of. becoming a total loss. ‘lhe owners of the. Typo claim a total. loss, and they abandoned the vessel to the ‘under- writers, or at least her master did so. . She wis subseqnently rescued and towed into If the question is decided adversely fur the insurance companies it will result in a general revision of the phraseology of contracts in policies, because, were the con- tracts permitted to remain as they are, the insurance companies would be entirely at the mercy of captains and vessel men. ‘hey are. considerably worked up over the matter, and are awaiting the result with impatience, because if they are beaten their business for this season will be greatly affected. Every vessel which happens to get ashore in.a dan- gerons locality during the-fall storms will un doubtedly be thrown on their hands. Then there is another question which the in- surance men want to have decided quickly. It was written up very fully in the Inter Ocean some days ago. It is whether or not the cost of releasing a stranded vessel can be added to the bill of repairs in order to muke a constructive total loss. ‘These are entirely new questions in lake marine un- derwriting, and it the insurance companies can not get decisione in their favor they will do business a good deal differently next sea- son, 7 _ Or oo TESTING MARINE BOILER PLATES. A reporter for the Detroit Post and ‘Trib- une recently watched the operation of local Inspectors of steambonts testing boiler plates, and has this to say about it: Inspectors Daily and Hale “ ere at work on a Reihle Brothers’ hydrostatic scale, a de- vice which may be briefly described as an ordinary lever balance, the notched weights being placed on a plate attached to the lower end of a pendant rod, one on top of the other. The long lever is balanced in the center of two strong iron pillars and attached to it beneath and between the pillars isa wrovght iron gripe into which one end of the bit of steel or iron boiler to be tested is placed. Beneath this gripe is another filled to.the top of acylindrical support which is raised or lowered by means of the lever ofan ordinary force pump. Oil is used in the pump instead of water for the reason that it will not freeze go readily in winter, and because the opera- tors say it works better. The pieces of steel and iron, sent from the shops from every part of thé United States that produces the metal, are about eight inches long by two inches wide, and vary trom 20-100 of an inch to 57-100 in thick- nese. Half circles are cut trom each side about the middle of each piece to forma breaking point of about an inch in width. Each piece is inserted vertically in the gripes alluded to; weights are placed upon the pendant end of the scale arm; the lever of the pump is worked, and when the break- ing point is reached the piece is literally ulled in two with a loud noise. The test is not finished when the iron or steel endures the required strain; but the late is examined and measured to find what is technically termed the percentage ot reduction, that is to say, to ascertain how thin the metal becomes, and how much the iece ia narrowed by stretching. The metal which bends at the greatest number of pounds weight, and stretches the longest in the process is esteemed the best for boilers. ‘I'he iron or steel must be of the proper degree of hardness to endure the standard pressure. Yet at the same time, as the metal must undergo expansion by heat and contraction by cold, its power of endur- ing these changer, which is indicated by the length it stretches, is prized as highly as the required degree of hardness. All of the plate intended to enter into the construction of boilers to be used in boats owned in the eighth district must be sub- mitted for test by sample in Detroit before itean be used. Tests will be made each day uniil the numerous samples now on band are finished up. are for sale in the principal ports French Wrought Iron Send for catalogue. THE ETNA GRATE. G0, BARNES, Ad This Improved Shaking Grate Especially Adapt- ed to Burning Slack. Globe Iron Works, Mannfac's, Office and Foundry, corner of Elm an Spruce-sts,, CLEVELAND, oO. ST. MARY’S OHIO. MONTPELIER, OHIO. OAR FACTORIES. DE GRAUW, AYMAR & C0,, MANUFACTURERS AND IMPORTERS OF Cordage, Oakum and Anchors, Wire Rope, Chains, Oars, Blocks, Buntings, RUSSIA BOLT-ROPE, FLAGS, COTTON & FLAX DUCKS, Marine Hardware and Ship-chandlers’ Goods Generally. 34 and 35 South-st, New York. | _ SIGNAL LAMPS, —WITH— Patent Fluted Lens And Perfect Colors. —_—— GET THE BEST & AVOID COLLISIONS. These Lamps give a more brillant light than any Signal Lamp now in use. They have been adopted by the principal Ocean and Lake Steamers and Vessels, and on the Atlantic coast and lakes, Ranges and B oilers for Steam- ers and Hotels, Manufactured by Felthousen & Russell, 139 & 141 MAIN ST., BUFFALO N, Y. BRECKENRIDGE, MICH CARROLLTON, MICH FOR SALE. Quarter Interest in the large Tag Samson, One of the most powerful tugs on the lakes. She was built at St, Catherines by Shickluna, rebuilt in 1881 and measures 181 [new] tonnage. She is straight A2, ‘with insurance v .luation of $16,000, and can be insured for $19,000. Will sell quarter for $3,400; part cash, bal- ance on easy terms. Address MARINE RECORD. For Saleor Exchange, Tug Annie Robertson. Length ove- all 51 3-10 feet, breadth 13 3-10 feet and depth of hold 6 feet; draws 514 feet of water; measures 9 24-100 (new) tons and 18 24-100 old. Built in. 1880 and rebuilt this spring, new deck frames and cabin, and machinery thoroughly overhauled. Engine is 14x14, bo ler 814 feet long and 4 8-12 in diameter, War- ranted in No. 1 condition and subject to inspection, Price, $3,800. Address MartvE RECORD OFFICE. FOR SALE STEAMBARGE MILWAUKEE. Her length is 136 feet, beam 26 feet, and hold. 10 feet 10inches. Boiler 17 feet long, 7 feet diameter; three flues, two 16inch and one 17-inch. Engine 42. Carries 240,000 feet of lumber. Speed, 11 miles Ifght, and 9 ]-2 loaded. Insurance valuation, $15,300. Ad- dress MARINE RECORD Office, No. 144 Superior street, Cleveland, O, FOR SALE, A Fine Harbor Tug. Dimensions of hull 65 feet over all, 16 feet beam, 8 feet hoid, and measures 46 tons with 7 feet draft; can be made 6 feet draft. The engine, 18x20, is in first-class condition, with all new brasses, new rings in cylinder | and turns a six-foot wheel, which was new last season, | The boiler is one year old, is large enough to burn wood or coal and is allowed 100 pounds of steam. Price | | $4 500, and must be sold inside of thirty days, Address | | Marine RecorD OrFice, | TE Ee: WILSON, : SUB-lp ARUHK DIVER. All Kinds of Water Work DONE PEK OMPTLY TOORDER HEADQUARTERS, Upson & Walton’s, River Street, Or, 137 Hermann-St, Cleveland, 0. FOR SALE, One-half Interest in a New Steam Yacht, To an ENGINEER who will give his own services, For full particulars address, rs DEVLIN & CO., Marine Conveyancers, 156 Washington-st Chicago. Vesselmen soOULD HAVE OUR MARINE LAW BOOK, Containing al) points of MARINE LAW as de termined by the United States Courts - —ON Seamen, Owners, Freights, Charters, Townge, Registry, Collisions, Enrollments, General Average, Common Carriers, Duties of Seamen, Masters & Owners, Bill of Lading, Wages, &c. The volumn is handsomely bound in stiff Board covers, and tine English cloth binding. Sent to any address postage paid for $1.00. FOR SALE, THE GLOBE IRON WORKS. SECOND HAND TUBULAR BOIL®R, 44 inches di ameter, 43 tubes 3 inches diameter and 12 feet long, steam drum 30 inches diameter, 40 inches high; front grates, filtings and breechings; good order. SECOND HAND MARINE BOILER, in good order; Shell, 7-16 inch iron plate; diameter, 9 feet 6 inclies. length, 18 feet; 129 tubes 4 inches in diameter, 11 feet 4 inches long, three flues 18 inches diameter; two flues 16 inches diameter, two flues 10 1-2 inches diameter; fire box, 6 feet lon:, 4 feet high; steam chimney, 7 feet high, SECON D HAND MARINE BOILER four feet wide, 6 1-2 feet long, 5 feet high, sixty-four 2 1-2 inch tubes 60 inches long, cast iron brecchng, good as new. SECOND HAND MARINE ENGINE; double direct- acting 8x8 inch cylinder, shaft and wheel for yacht or tug; good as new" —~h on