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"TAE MarRINE. REVIEW EX re GALLEY AT THE taken great personal interest in the fitting up of the assembly rooms and as rapidly as it can be brought about the assembly roms will be opened at Detroit, Buffalo, Chicago and other leading ports. HISTORIC FERRY CEASES TO OPERATE. The steam train ferry Tacoma, which ferried the Northern Pacific trains across the Co- for over 25 years has lumbia river between Kalama, Wash.. and Goble, Ore., made her last trip on Christmas day. without a mishap, Northern Pacific trains between Puget Sound and Portland will hereafter use the splendid new double steel track it has not been definitely determined what will be done with the old ferry, but it is positively asserted that she will bridge at Vancouver, Wash. be operated no longer. If possible she will be sold for heavy ferrying ser- vice or as a barge; failing this she may be broken up. The steam ferry Tacoma was built of wood in 1884. Although nominally owned by G. A. Gove, Kalama, Wash,. she was in reality controlled by the Northern Pacific railway. She has a length of 334 ft. and a beam of 42 ft. Her gross tonnage is. 1,362 and net 1,311. She is equipped with three tracks and has a capacity of a train of 15 passenger cars and a locomo- tive. She has independently operated side paddle wheels. At the time she crew which was taken 12 years and ASSEMBLY ROOM. was constructed she was considered cheaper, fixed charges considered, than a bridge across the river. The growth of traffic has changed all this and made the 'bridge a necessity. With one exception, she is claimed to be the largest train ferry in the world. The Tacoma has the unique record of having been in continuous service since she was built, ferrying trains night and day, year in and year out, without the slightest injury to the ves- sel or its cargo. It is a record of which 'her master is justly proud. We publish herewith an interesting photograph of the Tacoma and her ago her shows 'her "as she.was in palmy days. 65 SHIP YARD NOTES, Sloan Bros., Seattle, Wash. are lengthening the steamer Vashon 20 ft, and installing twice the power she formerly 'had. Booz Bros, Baltimore, Md., are overhauling the schooner W. H. Dix, owned by Dix & Wilkins, Baltimore, preparatory to a trip to the Spanish Hise | 7) The Diamond Jo Line Steamers jis repairing the stern-wheel steamer . Kelipse at» its" yard: at Dubuque, 7a, She will also be lengthened, 12 ft. be- ing added at the bow. The Chesapeake Marine Railway, Baltimore, Md., is building an open lighter for the Mutual Chemical Co. of America. The vessel is 76 ft. long, 22 ft. beam and 6% ft. deep. The Merrill-Stevens Co., Jackson- ville, Fla, has been awarded a con- tract for overhauling tthe dredge Sa- vannah, owned 'by the engineers' de- partment, United States army. Crawford & Reid, Tacoma, Wash., have recently launched a fishing steam- er built to the order of Weeding Bros., of Seattle, Wash. She is for service in the halibut fishing trade. The Kelley-Spear Co., Bath, Me., has recently laid the keel for an ocean- going tug boat which it is to build for the Commercial Towboat Co. of Boston, Mass. The Marine Railway, Machine & Boiler Works, Baltimore, Md., has ibeen awarded a contract for overhaul- ing the United States coast survey steamer Bache. The Skinner Ship Building & Dry Dock Co., Baltimore, Md. has been awarded a contract for making re- pairs and alterations to the oil barge STEAM TRAIN FERRY TACOMA. FROM A PHOTOGRAPH TAKEN 12 YEARS AGO,