My company is going to build a detailed model of the excursion
Sternwheeler The Capitol. There are no know plans only photographs.
The boat was built in 1879 and was 256 feet long and 50 feet wide.
Since photographs dont show the hull (under water) we need to find as
close to a plan for how this hull was constructed either by plan or
photograph. Other sternwheelers of this era would suffice. |
Request for Question Clarification by
pafalafa-ga
on
31 Dec 2003 11:22 PST
Is this type of thing helpful (scroll down for all the images):
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3576190686#ebayphotohosting
or are you looking for something different or more detailed...?
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Clarification of Question by
robinson-ga
on
31 Dec 2003 15:44 PST
I need more. It is just the hull I am looking for. The Capitol was
most similar to the Cape Gerradeau sp? which was origianlly the War
Eagle. Plans exist for the Cape Gerradeau, I just have not found them.
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Request for Question Clarification by
pafalafa-ga
on
31 Dec 2003 16:34 PST
This site here (which seems awfully authoratative):
http://members.tripod.com/~Write4801/riverboats/w-x.html
describes the Cape Girardeau as a sidewheeler!!!!
==========
Name: WAR EAGLE/CAPE GIRARDEAU
Type: Sidewheel, wooden hull packet.
Size: after rebuild in 1901, 255' X 38' X 6.'
Power: after 1901 rebuild, 22's-6' 8". 4 boilers, ea. 42" X 20'.
Launched: 1899, Madison, Ind., Rebuilt, 1901, Carondelet ways, St. Louis.
Destroyed: 1910, mid-July, Turkey Island, some 50 mi. below St. Louis.
Area: St. Louis-Cape Commerce trade
Owners: Eagle Packet Company
Captains: William (Buck) Leyhe
Comments: renamed CAPE GIRARDEAU after rebuild in 1901.
==========
Maybe this just reflects my ignorance, but isn't a a sidewheel design
fundamentally different from a sternwheeler...?
So what do you think we're looking for?
By the way...happy new year!
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Request for Question Clarification by
omnivorous-ga
on
31 Dec 2003 17:00 PST
Robinson:
Both Pafalafa and I have done quite a bit of research on this one. My
guess is that for hull design your best sources are likely to be one
of several books from the 1800s. There are a number of marine history
libraries around the country which have copies of these books.
Would it be acceptable to post the libraries and book titles as an answer?
Best regards,
Omnivorous-GA
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Request for Question Clarification by
pafalafa-ga
on
31 Dec 2003 22:35 PST
Hello again, Robinson-ga,
I've found something that may be of interest. It is a book from 1873
entitled "Iron hulls for western river steamboats". It includes
detailed descriptions of a number of vessels, and detailed mechanical
drawings for a steamer 250 feet long and 38 feet wide.
The front page of the book is here (pardon the ludicrously long URL):
http://www.hti.umich.edu/cgi/t/text/pageviewer-idx?c=genpub;cc=genpub;xc=1;sid=d620bb4639b298618c560926926610f2;q1=steamboat%2A;cite1=steamboat%2A;cite1restrict=title;rgn=full%20text;view=image;seq=00000001;idno=AJR1689.0001.001
You can peruse the pages of the book by pressing the "Next" button in
the upper right hand part of the webpage.
Let me know how close (or far) this is to meeting your needs.
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Request for Question Clarification by
pafalafa-ga
on
01 Jan 2004 16:39 PST
Not the hull, but just the same, a very handsome photograph of The Capitol:
http://web.archive.org/web/20011124161125/http://steamboats.com/museumjc3.html
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Clarification of Question by
robinson-ga
on
01 Jan 2004 18:04 PST
To all who have helped especially pafalafa this is as good as it is
going to get. The leading expert on riverboats is one Alan Bates
editor of the historical column for "Waterways Journal". The plans he
proposed are the same.
The hull book is also fascinating. If any of you care to take a look
at my company you can at www.smu.com. As we build this model (11' x
2') for a river museum in Iowa we are going to post progress photos.
This will be a $45,000 model so it might be interesting. Question
Answered! Well done.
Thanks.
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Request for Question Clarification by
pafalafa-ga
on
01 Jan 2004 19:37 PST
Hello Robinson-ga, and Happy 2004!
I'm glad to hear there was some useful information in all these postings.
Would it be alright with you if I posted my comments as an answer to
your question? I wasn't 100% sure from your comment whether you
consider the question answered, and if you do, which researcher (or
researchers) you feel the fee should go to.
If it is OK for me to post an answer, let me know.
Best of luck with your project. It sounds wonderful, and I look
forward to hearing of your progress later this year.
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