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Cleveland Company Tries Out Novel, Method of Launch- ing-- First Boats of Cement Built on the Great Lakes Cot workboats later ATER- CRAFT ee. of rein- forced concrete are now being built on the Great Lakes. The distinction of being the first to build. boats of this material on the lakes goes to the Liberty Ship- building & Trans- portation Co, Which is just completing its yard at Cleve- land; This eom-- pany originally designed to build power workboats with the use of Cement, was awarded a_ con- tract. Jast July for six barges by the quartermast- er's department of the United States army. The first boat launched will be one of these barges, intended for use as car-floats in American harbors. The Liberty plant was projected early in 1918, but work on the yard was not started until the first part of BUILDING WAYS AT NEW CONCRETE SHIP PLANT May. It was but a short time after this that the contract for harbor floats for the army was awarded. The yard has two ways and a-slip which is to be equipped with a fitting-out dock when the company begins to build on for private ac- count. The barges are 265 feet long, 37 feet 2 inches beam, and 11 feet 3 inches deep. They have a draft of 5 feet 3 inches when light. These barges are de- signed to carry 16 freight cars as a maximum load, Their draft will be 9 feet 3 inches-- when loaded? They have two longitudinal and four transverse bulkheads. The bottom and decks of the barges are 4% inches thick. | The sides and) bulkheads are 3% © inches thick. | An interesting fact about the construction of concrete craft in the -- yards of the Liberty Shipbuilding com- pany is the manner of launching. All of the boats will be launched stern on into the water. One of the most serious problems 265-0 A *- } y Ca Ree ee ere = 3~ SECTION A-, [Pp 5* 73a -- a /$" oe gg ara q See SS rma --y Pe he bo 4 i te a A nd Sat RS na = Rites = alkene 1-6" SECTION C-C GENERAL PLAN L65-0"* Section D-D NOTE Coricrete /-$-/4 (Uk ; a Yand-Gradé Fine fog ax |i -- Aggregate Gradeg tog ax | | ement ASCE. "Specs | a Stee! Structural Grade A// Timber to be Oak Castings tobe Cast Iron or Sem: Stee/ Fg --o SECTION E-E PLAN AND SECTIONAL VIEWS OF CONCRETE BARGES BUILT ON THE LAKES 558