200 



THE CIVIL ENGINEER AND ARCHITECT'S JOURNAL. 



[June, 



tlie crew in c.irmng wooil iipou the boat, they pay only five dollars. In the 

 former case they pay, therefore, per mile, Ojj cents. 



Worclmndize was earrieil, before the introduction of steam navigation, in 

 sailing vessels, which took a load of l.iO tons; iu the year 1817, the charge 

 for freight per pouml, from New Orleans to Louisville, was seven to eight 

 cents; in 1819, the steam-boats commenced carrying freight, and imme- 

 diately reduced the charge to fonr cents per pound, .it present, tlie charges 

 per one hundredweight, from New Orleans to Louisville, are according to the 

 quality of the goods and the season, at least 33 cents, and at the most, one 

 and a half dollars ; at an average they may be taken at 62 i cents for the 

 distance of 1450 miles. This makes 0'8G cents per ton per mde. 



Between Cincinnati and Louisville, the first steam-boat, Gmeral Pike, was 

 put in operation in 1819, and made, weekly, a voyage down to Louisville, 

 150 miles, in eighteen hours, and up again to Cincinnati in forty hours. A 

 cabin passenger paid at tliat time twelve dollars for a passage. At present, 

 the steani-ljoats have so much increased in number, tliat at least six boats 

 are daily starting from and arriving at Cincinnati or Louisville. Upon the 

 finest boats, as, for instance, the Pike and Franklin, the fare is four dollars, 

 and the time occupied in going up is, including all stoppages, fifteen hours, 

 and iu going down only eleven hours ; but these boats have frequently made 

 a passage up in twelve, and a passage down the river in seven and a (piarter 

 hours ; in the latter case the speed was therefore over twenty miles per liour. 

 If one dollar I)e deiluc'ed for board, there remain three dollars for the 

 passage, which is at the rate of two cents per mile. The deck passengers 

 who assist in taking in wood, pay only one dollar, or two thirds of a cent per 

 mile and find their own victuals. For merchandize, the charges are fifteen 

 cents per cwt., or two cents per ton per mile. 



from Cincinnati to St. Louis, the voyage is 538 iniles down the Ohio, and 

 192 miles up the Mississipi river, making together 730 miles. The passage 

 to St. Louis, or from there back, is performed in four days. A cabin 

 passenger pays twelve dollars, of which we ought to deduct at least four 

 dollars aiul seventy cents for board, this leaves only one cent per mile for the 

 passage only. The deck jiassengers pay four dollars without board, which 

 makes nearly one lialf cent ])er mile. Goods pay, at an average, 50 cents per 

 one hundred weight, 1'37 cents per ton per mile. 



Upon the Hudson river, the passage fare is, in the most elegant boats, 

 three dollars for the distance of 145 miles between New York and Albany, 

 which gives two cents per passenger per mile ; for meals au extra charge is 

 made. In less elegant steam boats, passengers are carried the same distance 

 for one dollar, and at this moment even for 50 cents, which gives only one- 

 third of a cent per mile. 



From the above data we may infer that, at an average, cabin passengers 

 upon the .American rivers pay according to the elegance of the steam boats, 

 from two and a half cents down to one cent per mile (board not included), 

 and deck passengers only about one half cent per mile ; both travel, taking 

 the average between up and down stream, with a speed of 12 miles per hour. 

 Goods upon the same steam boats are carried, at an average, for one and one- 

 third cents per ton per mile. 



These striking results, which arc attained nowhere else, are chiefly derived 

 from the improvements constantly made in the construction of the boats and 

 their engines. Of the 800 steam boats at present navigating the .Vmerican 

 ■waters, hardly two will he found of an entirely similar construction ; the 

 steam engines, though subject to the same principles of steam power, differ 

 from the English in nearly all their parts. Hut three years ago, eight days 

 were reqiiircd for a trip from New Orleans to Louisville, which is now regu- 

 larly performed in six. The most remarkable result is, that a boat of 400 

 tons required, 20 years ago, for this voyage of 1430 miles, 300 cords of wood, 

 while r.t present, for a six days passage only, the same quantity of wood is 

 required. 



4. Rise of Wages, and of the Prices of all Requisites for Steam Boats during 

 the last year. 



What appears most striking, is, that while the charges for transportation 

 have been constantly reduced during 20 years, wages and the prices of all 

 commodities rose from year to year. The captain of a steam boat received 

 20 years ago, a salary of 1000 dollars per year, now he gets, upon the better 

 boats, 2000 dollars. Every steam boat has two pilots, who change every 

 four hours; each of them received, in 1822, only 60 dollars a month, but 

 einee that time their salary has risen, and was, in 1833, 300 dollars, which 

 is still now vaid to the pilots of the best boats ; there are also two engineers 

 lll)on each steam boat, their salary was, in 1822, only 40 dollars per month, 

 and rose iu consequence of the great demand for engineers, to 100 and 150 

 dollars. The firemen and common labourers received, 20 years ago, only 14 

 dollars per month, and get now 30 to 40 dollars. The whole crew, besides, 

 have free board upon tlie steam boats. 



The provisions necessary for the nourishment of the passengers upon the 

 steam boats, have risen in price during the last five years, 33 per cent. 



The steau) boats upon the western waters use, almost exclusively, wood as 

 fuel for the engines, which, 20 years ago, was quite valueless ; in 1834, it 

 sold on the Ohio and Mississippi, for IJ to 2 doUais per cord, and costs at 

 present 2} to 3.5 dollars ; the price has therefore increased in the last five 

 years, about 50 per cent. 



5. Cost of Steam Boats. 



The steam boats upon the western waters, whose plan of construction 

 might be adopted to great advantage upon our riveis in Europe, are, as I ob- 



served already, principally constructed in Louisville, Cincinnati, and Pitts- 

 burgh. Generally, the hull of the vessel is built by ship carpenters, the 

 steam engine delivered from a manufactory, and put on the boat, after which 

 the joiners build the cabin.i and finish the whole. Three tiifferent classes of 

 mechanics are therefore required, with whom separate contracts are made ; 

 there are, liowcver, individuals who undertake the building and furnishing of 

 a whole steamer by contract. As the prices differ much according to the 

 solidity and eleg.incc of the vessels, I herewith state the cost of some of the 

 steam boats, which are among the best. 



Between Cincinnati and Louisville, the two steam boats, the Piie and 

 Franklin, make regular trips, carrying the United States mail ; one of the 

 two goes daily up, the other down, the river. The Franklin is 183 feet in 

 length at her deck, and the extreme width is 25 feet, the depth of hold, or 

 the distance from the keel to lower deck, is GJ feet. The tonnage 200 tons. 

 Upon the upper deck are 42 state rooms, each with two berths, making, iu 

 all, 84 berths ; but mattrasses are laid upon the floor of the dining room, 

 when requirerl, and 150 cabin passengers may sleep upon the boat. The boat 

 is propelled by two engines, the pressiu-e of steam is eight y poundr pr square 

 inch, the diameter of the cylinders, which are in a horizontal position, is 25i 

 inches, the stroke seven feet. The steam is cut off at | of the stroke, and 

 acts through the remaining J by expansion. The diameter of the paddle 

 wheels is 22 feet, their width 11 feet, the dip is 22 inches, the paddle wheels 

 generally make 28 revolutions in a minute. The length of the connecting 

 rod is 23 feet. There are six boilers of wrought iron on board the boat, each 

 23 feet iu length, and CO inches in diameter, each boiler has two flues of 15 

 inches diameter. 



At an average, the steam boat carries 125 passengers, one half in the cabins, 

 and the other half on deck, and besides 25 tons of goods. With this load 

 she draws six feet water. The boat was constructed in the year 1836, and 

 the cost was : — 



Dollars. 

 For the hull, at twenty-five dollars per ton 5,000 



— two steam engines 12,000 



— joiners' v.ork for cabins 4,000 



— draperies, mirrors, bedding, and other furni- 



ture iu the state rooms, saloons and kitchen 9,000 



Total 30,000 



This boat is, as observed, one of the most solid and elegant ; other steam 

 boats of the same dimensions have cost 5600 dollars less. 



Amongst the steam boats of the largest class, which run only between New 

 Orleans and Louisville, the Sultana and the Ambassador, are now much 

 favoured by the public ; the Ambassador has 215 feet length of deck, and 35 

 feet extreme breadth. Her tonnage is 450. On the upper deck are 44 state 

 rooms, each with two berths, but as many beds may be arranged upon the 

 floors of the saloons. Of the two steara engines, eat-li lias a hoiizor.tal cylin- 

 der of 25 inches diameter and eight feet stroke ; the steam acts with a pres- 

 sure of ninety pounds per square inch, and is cut off at g of the stroke. The 

 diameter of the paddle wheels is 22 feet, their width 12 feet. The boat 

 generally carries 200 tons of goods up, and 300 tons down stream, besides 

 100 cabin and 150 deck passengers; she draws, empty, five feet, and when 

 loaded, seven feet water. The hull of this boat has cost 12,000 dollars, the 

 engines 17,000, the joiners' work, and the whole inner arrangement of this 

 highly elegant structure, amounted to 31,000 dollars, making the cost of the 

 whole boat 60,000 dollars. It must, however, be observed that great and 

 costly alterations were made during the construction, so that her cost would 

 actually not exceed 55,000 dollars. 



Mcli instructed individuals, who are very much interested iu the subject 

 of steam navigation, estimate the everage cost of a steam boat upon the 

 eastern waters, at 45,000 to 50,000 dollars, upon the western waters, after a 

 special calculation, at 23,500 dollars, and upon the lakes, the average lietween 

 the two, or at 35,000 dollars. Consequently all the steam boats, which were 

 in operation in 1838, have cost as follows, viz., 



dollars. 



351 boats upon the eastern waters, at 47,500 16,672,500 



385 ditto ■ western 23,500 9.047,500 



64 ditto lakes 35,000 2,240,000 



800 steam boats, each at an average cost of 31,950 27,900.000 



Now, as since the introduction of steam navigation. 1,300 steam boats 

 were built in the United States ; the whole capital invested by the .\mericans 

 in steaju boats, amounts to 45,435,000 dollars, the greater portion of which 

 has been expended in the last five years. 



( To be continued.) 



New Molire Power for River Kaiigation.—A Brussels paper announces the 

 ;irrival in that city of Dr. B?ck, the inventor of the plan for navifiiiing the 

 most rapid rivers against the stream by means of a motive power that is re- 

 presenlcd to be vvithi,ul limits in its operation, and in which he uses neither 

 steam nor wind power, nor hauling from the banks. It is stated that SI. 

 ■\Vagnor. of Franckfort, the inventor of the application of electro-magnetic 

 power to navierate boats, &;c.. Dr. B<Ettger, president of the Physical Society 

 of FranckfortT M. Pauli. the first royal engineer of Bavaria, and many other 

 distinguished scientific men, have proved byexp:rinieDt the great advantar;es 

 of this important invention. 



