Rigged Model, USNM 308435, 

 of the Erie Canal steam barge and 

 tug William Baxter, built at Fishlsill, 

 New York, in 1872. About four- 

 teen boats were built on this de- 

 sign, seven single-screw and seven 

 twin-screw. {Smithsonian photo 

 44697-1.) 



built. She was used, for part of her career, as a yacht 

 and demonstrator on the canal and the Hudson River. 

 Twin screws were eventually abandoned; single 

 screws were employed in the last seven of the four- 

 teen boats built on Ba.xter's designs. The standard 

 Baxter boats were 96 feet long, 17 feet beam, and 

 9 feet depth in hold and were able to carry 215 tons of 

 freight on a draft of 6 feet. These boats could tow 

 barges from New York to Buffalo and return in 16 

 days, as compared with 25 to 30 days by horse- 

 drawn boats on the canal and river tugs on the Hud- 

 son. 



The model shows a vessel of the old canal-boat form, 

 having parallel sides, a very full and very much 

 rounded, convex, V-shaped entrance, and a similar 

 run; the hull is basically double-ended. A false coun- 

 ter, in the same general manner as Fulton's steamer 

 North River, is placed high on the stern, which shows 

 enough overhang to protect the propeller and rudder 

 in the locks. The wide and rectangular transom is 

 fiat and nearly vertical, the bottom is straight fore and 

 aft and flat athwartships, and the stem straight and 

 vertical, as is the post. The sheer is straight except 

 at the ends, where it sweeps a little upward to the 

 posts. The midsection is rectangular, with the chines 

 slightly rounded. 



At the bow is a small trunk calkin for the crew; abaft 

 are three large cargo hatches, a pilothouse, and a 

 small trunk cabin with a low single stack on it, with 

 engine and boiler below. A skiff is carried on deck 

 between the midship hatches, where there is also a 

 hold-ventilating hatch. Heavy guards protect the 

 sides and ends of the hull. 



The ]\'tlliarn Baxter was 97 feet long overall, 95.7 feet 

 between perpendiculars, 17.2 feet beam, and 9.5 

 depth; she was 116.93 tons gross, 73.76 tons net, and 



had two 42-horsepower reciprocating engines. .Scale 

 of model is ){ inch to the foot. 

 Given by W. I.. Chrisdan, Binghamton, New York. 



WOODEN, SCREW TUG, 1873 

 Builder's Half-Model, usnm 76043 



Atlantic 



The wooden, single-screw steam tug Atlantic was 

 built on this model at East Boston in 1873 for the 

 U.S. Army Quartermaster's Department at New York 

 City. Her designer and builder was Dennison J. 

 Lawlor, who had a reputation for designing fine tugs 

 as well as other types of wooden vessels, and the 

 Atlantic is an excellent example of his tug designs. 

 Vessels of this type were then commonly employed in 

 towing in coasting schooners. The tugs were required 

 to go some distance to sea, so that besides towing well, 

 they were also required to steam fast, running free, 

 and to have some claim to seaworthiness. 



The half-model represents a tug hull having strong 

 sheer, straight keel with marked drag, an upright and 

 straight stem rabbet with a well-rounded forefoot, 

 upright post, a round, fantail counter with bulwarks 

 tumbled-in, a long, sharp entrance, hollow at the fore- 

 foot, a short body, and a long and very fine run. 

 The midsccdon shows a moderate rise in the straight 

 floor, a low and rather hard turn of bilge, and tumble- 

 home in the topside. The very easy lines of the hull 

 show that the principles of good tug design were 

 known by the time the Atlantic was modeled. 



The model is of a tug measuring 78 feet 3 inches 

 extreme moulded length, 18 feet moulded beam, and 

 9 feet moulded depth. Scale of model is ]i inch to 

 the foot. The Atlantic drew about 8 feet 9 inches to 

 9 feet at post, in cruising trim. 



Given by Dennison J. Lawlor, shipbuilder, Chelsea, 

 Massachusetts. 



472S46— 60- 



149 



