Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 4, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 10 February 1893 — The Christopher Columbus. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Christopher Columbus.

About two years ago a new variety of vessel called whaleback began to be used for traffic on our great lakes. The vessels received their names from their likeness to the whale. They are round-decked and flat-bot-tomed and but little of the bulk is above the water. The peculiar advantages of the whaleback seemed to make it desirable as a means for the transportation of passengers front

Chicago to Jackson Park during tlic coming Exposition, and, accordingly, a large whaleback was launched for this purpose recently at West Superior, Wis. It is called the Christopher Columbus and will carry 5,000 passengers. The vessel is 362 feet long, has a beam of 42 feet and a depth of 25. It has a screw 14 feet in diameter and will, it is said, attain a speed of 20 miles an hour. The Columbus is finely fitted up and has every convenience for the comfort of passengers. It will make the trip of seven miles from Chicago to the fair grounds in half an hour.