I have checked out all ship "specks" on the "ancient" ships of both Isthmian and States Marine listed on these pages. There is no way to determine this unless I have over looked something . As a guess it may be that those ships built between 1902 and the 1920's had Scotch boilers in them. Some of you guys may have sailed ships using this type of boiler in them. I was fortunate to have sailed at a time when a few remained in the U S, merchant fleet. Long gone now, I remember those boilers as a Firemans dream. The Fireman had no water to tend. That was the Oilers job on ships I sailed. Clean a few burners and clean the fuel oil strainer was all required on that type of boiler. I guess you would call this a lazy mans job.
The Wipers had the dirty job on them . They had the job of blowing tubes, a hot and tough job to do.
The Fireman - Watertender's exam at the Coast Guard used to ask several questions about Scotch boilers. E.G.- what is a fusible plug and what and how is the hydrokineter used? No doubt those questions are long gone from the exams now. Such are the times. Things change. Closing now with this question-- Have any of you out there sailed in the engine room that Scotch boilers?? Tee Vee is curious.