2010.007

Lukacs, Claire

Gift

Museum Collections. Gift of a friend of the Museum.

1957 - 1957

Date(s) Created: 1957 Date(s): 1957

Good

Notes: Transcription of article on pages 19-20 of The Lackawanna. February, 1957. Volume 3, No. 11.; 2010.007.0205 The 'Hoboken,' First Of Five New Tugs Launched [caption for photo, page 19: Tugboat "Hoboken" starts down ways during launching] The first of five diesel-electric steel tugboats, being constructed for the Lackawanna Railroad by Bethlehem Steel Company at its Staten Island Shipyard, was launched January 18. The new craft marks the formal opening of a program under which the railroads operating in New York Harbor are standardizing their harbor fleets, which is estimated to total 1,500 floating units. Mrs. John J. Grogan, wife of the mayor of Hoboken, New Jersey, christened the craft, naming it "Hoboken" in honor of that city. Mayor Grogan; William G. White, Lackawanna vice president in charge of operations; marine and shipbuilding labor representatives, and officers of the Lackawanna Railroad and Bethlehem Steel were among those witnessing the ceremony. Mr. White noted that the city of Hoboken is an important terminal for the Lackawanna, and that the railroad traditionally has named its tug boats and ferry boats for the communities served by the railroad. Shorewards on the same way from which the Hoboken went bow first into the waters of the Kill van Kull were two sister tugs, the "Buffalo" and the "Syracuse," scheduled to be launched next month. The two remaining tugs, the "Utica" and the "Nazareth," are rising on an adjoining way. Delivery of the Hoboken is scheuled for mid-March, and the other crafts will be completed at intervals of about two weeks each. At a reception after the launching Mrs. Grogan presented a bronze plaque to Mr. White to be hung in the wheelhouse of the tug. The plaque bore the following inscription which was composed by Mrs. Grogan: "May this be a pennant universal, stalwarthy waving all time o'er all brave sailors, all seas, all vessels and may the heart's desires of those who fashioned and launched her be ever fulfilled." This is not the first time that a boat in Lackawanna service has carried the name Hoboken; in fact it is the seventh, dating back to 1822 when the ferry boat Hoboken began to operate. This boat continued to operate until 1835. In 1861 the second ferry boat to bear that name was christened. This was a side wheel boat that had a very short existence. It was requisitioned by the Federals during the Civil War and was lost in the Burnside Expedition in 1862. After that the third ferry to have that name went into service in 1863 and continued in operation until 1880. The fourth began operating in 1881 and was sold in 1910. For a period of time there were two vessels in Lackawanna service to bear the name Hoboken. In 1920 a tugboat, which was purchased from the U. S. government and was sold in 1943, and a ferry boat, which operated from 1922 until 1954, both carried that name. The seventh vessel is the present tug boat which was constructed to specifications developed by the General Managers Association of New York. It includes many distinctive features designed especially for operation in the world's busiest port. Several hundred craft, mostly scows, freight barges and car floats, already have been constructed to the standard designs. The Lackawanna has been one of the leaders in this modernization and standardization program. The new "Hoboken" class tugs are all-welded, steel, diesel-electric drive, single screw units with an overall length of 105 feet, beam of 26 feet and midship depth of 13 feet, eight inches. They will be powered by a newly-designed turbo-charged two cycle engine, developing 1200 shaft horsepower and said to be lighter in weight and to provide more power per cylinder than any other comparable unit. In a crowded harbor, like the Port of New York, it is essential that a tug possess the best possible maneuvering qualities. Additionally, the hull must be constructed sufficiently strong to withstand the heavy contacts to which the boats are subjected due to strong tidal and wind conditions. Consequently, an unusually extra heavy steel hull plating has been installed above the water line for the entire length of the boat. On February 1, the second of the five tug boats was launched. This was the "Buffalo", the second Lackawanna vessel to carry that name. [caption for photo, page 20: Mrs. John J. Grogan, wife of the mayor of Hoboken, christened the Lackawanna's newest tugboat. She is shown here after the ceremony with Mayor Grogan; D. D. Strohmeier, vice president of Bethlehem Steel in charge of Shipbuilding Division; W. G. White, vice president, operations, Lackawanna; A. Hiltebrant, general manager of Bethlehem's New York District Shipyards.] [end] Status: OK Status By: dw Status Date: 2010-10-14