S.S. Arizona, Guion Line

Arizona, Guion Line steamship with her original sailing rig Support Norway Heritage: Purchase a copy

Old tradecard showing the Guion Line steamship Arizona Support Norway Heritage: Purchase a copy

Arizona, Guion Line steamship - altered rig Support Norway Heritage: Purchase a copy

Arizona, Guion Line steamship - all yards now removed from masts Support Norway Heritage: Purchase a copy

In general design, the Arizona was more or less a copy of the sucessfull White Star Line steamships Britannic and Germanic. Her machinery however, was of a completely new design, and was compound with three crank-shafts, each having one cylinder, the high-pressure, of 62 inches diameter was in the centre, and the low-pressures each of 90 inches, with a stroke of 5½ feet. Her propeller was 23 feet in diameter, with a pitch of 33 feet. She had seven double-ended boilers, carrying 90 lbs. pressure and had 39 furnaces. She had coal-bunkers for 1,200 tons; the daily consumption of coal was about 100-125 tons. A broad companion-way lead from the entrance on the main deck to the saloon, which contained six long tables, with revolving chairs. A large dome-like aperture, with a skylight at the top, rose from the centre of the saloon, and was crossed by beams, supported by small pillars of polished wood, upon which were placed plants and flowers. The saloon extended the entire width of the vessel, and contained a fine piano at the forward end, and a library at the after end. The state-rooms were elegantly upholstered, and contained every facility for comfort. Pneumatic bells connected all the state-rooms with the steward's pantry, which was situated just aft the main saloon. A richly-furnished ladies' boudoir was on the promenade deck, just aft of the forward wheel-house. That deck covered the entire part of the vessel amidships. There were small whale-back decks, built entirely of iron, at the extreme forward and after ends of the vessel. There were a number of powerful steam winches and all the latest appliances for steering, heaving up the anchors, taking on cargo, unloading, and heaving the ashes. The panels at the entrance to the main saloon were elaborately frescoed. The smoking room was forward of that, and the Captain's rooms were just aft. The companion-way was unusually wide, and allowed streams of people, three abreast, to pass up and down at the same time, without crowding in the least. The first cabin was amidships, forward of the engines, and could accommodate 138 passengers. The officers' quarters were on the same deck, aft of the saloon. Next was the second cabin, which could accommodate 65 passengers, while the entrance to the steerage was on the main deck, just in front of the after wheel-house. The steerage could contain berths enough for 1,800 emigrants, while the hold could contain immense quantities of freight.

The Arizona colliding with an iceberg in 1879