USS Chester (CL-1), which launched in 1907, was one of the first two U.S. Navy vessels to have a steam turbine engine, placing it at the cutting edge of naval design. Another technological marvel during that time period was the automated potato peeler, which was considered state-of-the-art equipment on advanced naval vessels and luxury cruise liners. At Bath Iron Works, shipbuilders calculated the project cost of installing an automated potato peeler in USS Chester to be $186.06, which would be over $4000 in today’s dollars.
