Herreshoff #187402es Asphodel

"Bristol, R.I. June 25th [18]74
Dear Brothers [Nat and Lewis in France],
... We are just finish[in]g the R.[?] Island boat [apparently #187402es Asphodel] & expect to beat[?] the Julia [#187004es] next week. ... Yours with love, both from Sadie & your aff[ectionate] brother John B. Herreshoff.
Katie often speaks of you both. ..." (Source: Herreshoff, J.B. Letter to N.G. Herreshoff. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum. Correspondence, Folder 25, formerly 212. 1874-06-25.)

"A fine yacht, built for Mr. G. H. Macomber, of Portsmouth, was launched from Mr. Herreshoff's yard on Tuesday [July 7, 1874] of last week." (Source: Anon. "Locals." Bristol Phoenix, July 11, 1874, p. 2.)

"[Item Transcription:] Bristol, R.I. June 25th [18]74
Dear Brothers [Nat and Lewis in France],
I have been trying to write you for the past two weeks --- have been busy for the past two weeks, but am now more at leisure. We rec[eive]d Lewis' letters to Sister Carrie two days ago.
You have probably decided we[?] think[?] how you will pass your time for the few months remain[in]g in Europe. Your proposed trip in the small boat [#187406es RIVIERA] has caused a good deal of talk & feeling among your relatives here: All I can say is respecting that you & Lewis are the most competent to judge for yourselves, in relation to it, and I think will not needlessly expose yourselves.
Have been talking with Mother in regard to funds for your use. Mother expects to send in a day or two ab[ou]t[?] $100. We think that the $270 Mother sent about the latter part of May will be all that you [p. 2] require on the Continent.
I expect you will occupy at least one month in England & Scotland before returning home.
Sadie & I have placed $100[?] in the Saving Bank, which we shall be most happy to send you at any place you may designate. I should think you would need it by the time you arrive in England. It is for both of you.
Then I will also send $100 from elsewhere[?]: So do not try to economize too close or shorten y[ou]r tour.
You must all be having rather a pleasant & happy time.
Your letters are always interesting & eagerly read by us all.
Do not forget to write one a falnight[?] during your tour.
Now I must tell you how we are at home.
Brother Charles and the family [p. 3] are all well. Aunt Anna & Sister Sally are well. Aunt Sarah recov[erin]g[?] from a recent nervous attach. Papa & Mama & all here are well except for Stanton [Chesebrough] who has not been quite so well the few past days.
Bro James started off yesterday on an excursion to Montauk, expected back in ab[ou]t ten days. I called Ms. Haughton three days ago. Said she had just written you. Stopped at Corliss & one[?] hauled the new pumping engine he had just made to play with: Some very good and some very poor features about it: There is the usual trouble too much fiction. We completed the Steamer 'WM. SPICER' [#13p] on the last day of June: She worked well, every way, except the condenser which was 3[?] 2in[?] half[?] pipes alongside of her hull. The exhaust steam chose very foolishly to pass thru the upper pipe, which after all is very natural. I had to take it all off & make a condenser in our usual manner. The boiler seems to be capable of supply[in]g all the steam required & that [p. 4] without foaming. We made a few trials of her speed, found 40lbs would run her ten miles an hour, 52lbs 11 miles an hour. I think with 85 or 90 she would easily run 13. She is a very pretty boat & I think nearer right than others built for the business. We sold the CREST [#12p] to a Mr. Potter of N[ew] York who will use her at his residence on the Shrewsbury river. She left here on the 11t. Capt Denum who came with us from Springfield last year took her on alone, the same made a satisfactory run. Now I must tell you about the new [Coil] Boiler. We made one & used it in the CREST about one month. The upper 1/2 inch pipe, then 3/4, & the[?] the lower 1 in. pipe encased by a sheet iron drum 28 in. diam[eter] & about the same height. Our first trial in the boat was to run her in the harbor about one hour with a steam pressure of 1 to 200 lbs, you can imagine the speed. She was used ab[ou]t every day & the greatest speed obtained with 140lbs, 11 miles an hour & 110 lbs 10 miles per hour. [p. 5] The boiler is undoubtedly a great success, it seems to work equally well with all kinds of water, the cylinders run longer without oil than ever before & did not wear at all or grunt. The only difficulty seemed to be the proper amount of feed water which must vary according to the heat from the furnace. Me or James have got up something, a pocket which the steam passes thru from the worm [i.e the coil] & then[?] is superheated from the remaining lower coils, a floating ball with pks[?] let out the surplus water & also regulates the feed water. I shall have the boiler completed with the attachment, also another engine finished up with metal piston & stem[?] packing, to put into a boat 30 ft. long, 4 ft wide, 18 in deep. W[eigh]t of machinery 500[?] lbs & w[eigh]t of boat 500[?] lbs. We expect to run our 32 in. wheel 500 turns per min[ute] & keep a pressure of 110 lbs, using salt water, no condenser or water tank required. [This appears to be a reference to what will become the 48ft VISION, the first boat built with a coil boiler but VISION had already been mentioned in earlier letters as a 50ft boat.] Can we get a speed of 18 miles per hour?
We expect to have the boat completed by Aug[us]t[?]. We are just finish[in]g the R.[?] Island boat [apparently #187402es ASPHODEL] & expect to beat[?] the JULIA [#187004es] next week. [p. 6] Mr. Reynolds has tried his new steam boat at Phil[adelphi]a & runs her at the rate of 20 miles per hour. The trial was made last Saturday.
When you come back we want you both to take hold with us and make something out of Jim's new invention. There is room enough for you both.
The HARTFORD [#186703es] is launched & Pa & I[?] are now going off to race with her. Stanton [Chesebrough] is much better to day than he was yesterday. Love to our kind cousins C & H. We feel very grateful to them for their kindness to you. Pas strawberries are now ripe and very nice. Wish we could send you some.
Yours with love, both from Sadie & your aff[ectionate] brother John B. Herreshoff.
Katie often speaks of you both. We had a pleasant visit from Geo[rge] P[hillips] & wife.
[The same pages contain a second two-page letter under different date:]
Bristol R.I. May 29 / [18]74
Dear Brothers
Your letters were received in due time and have been gladly perused by all of us --- they are full of interest.
I wrote you a long letter about the middle of April [1874-04-12 and 1874-04-19] giving you a description of the steamer [#13p WILLIAM SPICER] I have been building. Think you should have got it before Nat's last letter was mailed. We launched the WM. SPICER Tuesday P.M. May 26th with quite a number on board, mother, leng[?] Lizzie & Sally, Francis, Geo[rge] Phillips & wife, Grace & her father & Mrs. Locke being among them. She was launched with all the machinery on board and all the piping up. We made our trial trip in her this P.M. She is a great success, all the machinery and joints being right the first time. She is [p. 2] fitted as follows --- boiler 5 x 9ft, main engine 14 x 16 inches, screw 57 inches 4 blades, hoisting engine 3 1/2 x 7, being a Sturtvant blower with 7[?] inch pipe and an auxiliary pump. Water tank of iron contains about 3 h[un]d[re]ds[?]. Safety valves, one 1 1/2 inch common & one 2 1/2 inch Slip[?] Locke[?] valve. Condense pipes, brass, three in number, 2 inch inside, most of the small piping is brass, according to Lewis' request.
The result of our trial this P.M. was with 40 lbs pressure, 120 rev[olutions], 1/2 mile course with head tide, three min & 6 seconds. The blower works admirably, could have driven the boat with it so to have run the boat 13 m[iles] per hour, I think. Will write you about the next trial which will be on Tuesday next, when the boat will be ready for delivery. Yours John." (Source: Herreshoff, J.B. Letter to Herreshoff, Lewis and Herreshoff, N.G. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_07470. Correspondence, Folder 25, formerly 212. 1874-05-25 and 1874-06-25.)
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"[Item Transcription:] [Text in left margin:] Dear Charlie [Eaton], will you forward [this letter] at once to the boys [NGH & Lewis].
Your letter of June 24 & 25th was rec'd on the 8th of this month. I was thankful to hear that you had rec'd the draft sent May 27th.
Another draft for $125 was mailed from Prov[idence] to you on the 30th of June, which I sincerely hope you will have rec'd before leaving Nice, because you will require it to enable you to see as much as possible before you arrive in England. There, you will find money for your passage as John said, I think, $200.
Elizabeth Francis enquired very kindly about you, & read your letter & Nellie's of the 9th of June, I think, & seemed to regret very much that you should return without seeing all you would like to see. Your last was very interesting and welcome. It must be hard to part with Charlie & Nellie [Eaton] after passing such a length of time so happily together, & with your kind friends, the Fighieras. Nothing would suit me better than to give up the trials of house keeping here for[?] such a pleasant home & delightful climate as you have in Nice, but I could not move without Sally, & she could not leave her aunts, Carrie's family, Johnnie & all & so I must keep on, performing my duties cheerfully, and be ready to welcome our sons on their return. Dear Nellie & Charlie I shall write soon. I have very little time this afternoon before the mail will close, & perhaps not very much to say. Amasa dined with us yesterday. He came down to see Dr. Gallsy[?] . They are[?] well at Oaklands. E. & S. Francis with their friend Miss West from California came down to Carrie's & passed two hours this week. Elizabeth took your letter of the 9th of June to S[pring] G[reen] with her --- has since returned it. Your Aunt Sarah is very much improved. All the members of the three Herreshoff families & Carrie's are as usual. Sally is here today, Saturday, & has just heard yours of 24th. Mitchell has been here playing this morning and Julian is trying to get Mr. Vincent down to play with Mitchell tonight at Carrie's. Julian, Mitchell & Frank Brownell have just gone up town together. James has returned from Canada & enjoyed the trip very much indeed. The train that[?] in Canada going collided with a freight train, upsetting the locomotive, letting out all the steam & water, but hurting none of the passengers. In going from Montreal to Quebec, the steam valve was blown off on board the Steamer CANADA, letting the steam all off into the steamboat, & very much frightening the passengers.
Did I write you of the boat [#187402es ASPHODEL] for Macomber of R.I. about the size of the JULIA [#187004e], John has been building. It is a foot longer than the JULIA & in in sailing together was quite as fast as the JULIA. Your father & Dr. B. in the JULIA, Charlie & John in Macomber's.
John is now building a keel boat [#187405es PHOSIE] 21 feet long, 8 1/2 wide for Capt. Gibbs, our old friend, also two row boats for fishing. As soon as these shall be completed, he will begin on the narrow steamboat [#14p VISION]. I am writing with James sitting by, giving me statements. James says, tell Lewis, the fire dos not touch the pipe [of the coil boiler, just invented by James, and to be put into VISION], & when we stop the engine, we open the door, thus the metal is not overheated.
I cannot help feeling very anxious about your cruise [with #187406es RIVIERA], & hope you will never think of staying in the boat all night --- not to fast too long --- & to be sure of regular & sufficient sleep. Sally sends a great deal of love to you. Little Bertie called out 'give my love to Uncle Nat' & Lewis too & I know if I had not left him suddenly he as all of us would remember all of you.
I am sorry to hear Charlie has suffered so much with his throat, but about the loss of flesh I think both Charlie & Lewis might lose a little in summer. My love to you all including little Bessie & baby Fred.
Your father has come in with John & is singing 'Beloved Star' with Sally. John says, 'tell them we think of going to Block Island next week in the JULIA & HARTFORD --- The Brownells, yr. father, James & Phillips, & John, myself & I wish you were here to go with us.' I saw Amasa a little while yesterday that I did not learn much of your Providence relatives & friends. Mrs. Abbott is to be at her mother's during July & August. They are full of preparation. Aunt Mary is about letting the house she bought to Furlong[?] for Oct[?]. The Cennerys[?] are there at present. She is in good health & would send a message if she was in.
Acknowledge her letter & photograph if you rec[?]? it --- from Boston last May. I write in too much haste --- but I think of you both, & pray for your safety.
Your affectionate Mother
Julia A. Herreshoff
Can't you go to Minden & see the town register. Learn more of yr. grandfather's family." (Source: Herreshoff, Julia A. Letter to Herreshoff, Lewis and Herreshoff, N.G. Halsey C. Herreshoff Collection at the Herreshoff Marine Museum Item MR_07530. Correspondence, Folder 25, formerly 212. 1874-07-11.)
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Note: This list of archival documents contains in an unedited form any and all which mention #187402es Asphodel even if just in a cursory way. Permission to digitize, transcribe and display is gratefully acknowledged.

"LOA 30ft was estimated from model length." (Source: van der Linde, Claas. May 19, 2014.)

Note: Research notes contain information about a vessel that is often random and unedited but has been deemed useful for future research.