THE FIRST STEAMER BUILT IN INVERCARGILL.

Southland Times, Issue 17193, 12 November 1912, Page 7

THE FIRST STEAMER BUILT IN INVERCARGILL.

A GREAT EVENT. (From the Southland Times, X2th November. 1507.> On Monday, the 11th of November, the trial trip of the s.s. Waihopai took place in the New River Estuary. There were between 30 and 40 gentlemen on board. , The trip was a complete success. It will be necessary to revert to the commencement of the building of ihe steamer the first ever constructed in Southland in order to trace the diffi- , culties, and show the ultimate success which rewarded the persevere nee and untiring energy of her builder. Mr Puttelkow, some considerable lime since, laid the keel of the Waihopai, at first intonScd, wo believe, for a sailing vessel, but subsequently altered to a steai mer. The work progressed slowly, owing to more-than ordinary impediments existing- the wood kauri of which "she is chielly built, had to be imported from Auckland, and licr machinery, constructed in Melbourne, required the personal superintend* nee of Mr Puttelkow, who wa- thus compelled to absent Ijimself for some months. However, at last, the machinery was made, the vessel was built, and nothing now remained but to fit her out lor sea. The difficulties, hawever. it would appear, had only commenced. The vessel having been built in the of the town, half a mile from tne wators edge, required to be placed on a. cradle with wheels, constructed for the purpose, in order to convey her to the side of the jetty. After about a fortnight s strugpling through the streets, some days moving the length of herself, at other limes getting " bogged," on which occasions it would require the univ-d exertions of about fifty bullocks to place her in •' straight running," she at last arrived at the beach, where, after some further delay, she was successi ally launched, and her first public trip proved her to be a thorough good little sortgoing craft, and a decided acquisumn to her enterprising owner, Mr -lonn Ross, a merchant of this town. The VVaihopai steamed away from the jetty at one o'clock, and proceeded several miles down the river at the rate ol < :■ lit knots, against tide and w’n-1. Her eng.n-’ worked exceedingly wed I. notwithstanding that the appliances for fitting W"” l '' °l the most meagre dc-'-riplie-: 1 . .-c.uccly any vibration was felt during the run, which lasted about an hour -■ ;:d a hair, She answered the helm admirably, tinning on her own keM for the ret ant tnp. He; - dimensions are ns follow: Length, 70 feet over nil ; beam, 10 feet ; depth, 7 feet ; she has n fash deck wiih deck house : is schooner ringed, and iuiilt of kauri and totara timber. Mer register •s ton--, but she is capable of carrying about f-0 tons of cargo, exclusive of coals. She pos ies'es a high pressure engine of 13 horse power, but capable of Ik mg worked rep to 20. The engine i- very neat and compact, and was built at Lan gland's Foundry. Melbourne. She is driven by dculdt nrepolkr* - construct- • cd on the meal jmprer- ed principle, with , disconnecting rear. whic-O permits of ( their being unshipned at a moment's notice. i'er boiler is also built on an improved princi!dec Instead ot the tiro going through the *nbc -, tic- waiter goes through them instead, a phut which is found to produce steam quickly with only a nominal consumption of fueil. During the trip the boiler was only worked up to 4‘fib ; but, in case of ne- • ces.-ity, it can be worke-el up to Ouibs per inch. ."'he is commanded by Captain Frflser, who has been long and favourably known in the Dunedin trade. We trust that her voyages will be quick and prosperous.