The Portland daily press., 1876-07-25
The Bark Edith Davis.

j. f. Randall & Co. are building at their
yard in Knightville, one of the finest barks
ever constructed in Maine. This statement is
verified by every one who has visited her. Her
owners are j. f. Randall & Co., R. Lewis &
Co., Capt B. f. McCarty, who is to command
her. and others. She is named for Miss Edith
Davis the daughter of William G.. Davis, ESQ.,,
one of the owners. She is $50 tons new meas
urement. The dimensions are as follows:-
Length of keel 1862 feet, breadth of beam 33bb
feet, depth OF hold 1Sa feet. The frame mid
ships is of hard wood while forward and aft it
is oak and hackmatack. The lower futtocks
are of oak and hackmatack. The balance of
the frame is of hackmatack. There is, however,
full set of white oak stanchions. The keel is
double one, of rock maple and is IA by 26
inches wide. One part is of four and the other
of five pieces. The cardboard is six inches thick.
The outside planking is as good as was ever
placed on any vessel and is four inches
thick except ten streaks of wales which are Al
riches thick. The apron is securely fastened
with, six forward and five aft, II yellow metal
bolts in addition to the usual quantity of iron.
The scarls in the keel each have two yellow
metal bolts besides the iron spikes,
The model is very handsome and the same
as was used last season for the Charles i.
Lewis, with several improvements. She has a
pretty stem, which is adorned with hand
some piece of carving from the shop of E S.
Griffin. The figure is that of woman dressed
in loose, flowing garment Her hair streams
down over her well-formed shoulders, while a
FRI Of npairo1nS barr ooI Opa bap
hangs carelessly by her side while the other is
slightly raised The face is bright and smiling
and looks as though it was human. The stern
is finely rounded and is to be adorned with a
moulding by Griffin. The model was furnished
by Capt. Russell Lewis.
Passing to the inside OF the vessel we can get
some idea of her great strength. The keelson
is of the best yellow pine and consists Of three
timbers fourteen inches thick, and the lock-
streak - inches thick, all of which rests on
sister keelson 10 by 49, This mass of timber is
scarfe6 together with seven foot scarfers and
keys There are also q inch bolts in each
floor timber from the top of the second keeson
to the bottom of the keel. This makes
backbone for the vessel of nearly eight feet
from the lock streak to the bottom Of the keel.
On this keelson rests yellow pine stanchions
by IA inches, which are fastened to the beams
above with large iron clamps. The fiat of the
floor is trunnelled besides being spiked
Seven streaks on the blge are bolted with com
position bolts, and spikes are used to the deep
est loading line. The fastening is as strong as
wood and metal can make it. In the lower
hold there are two sets of diagonal and one
horizontal hook in the bow and two in the
stern. The hanging knees are very heavy and
are fastened with fourteen large bolts and four
spikes each. They support the handsome yell
low pine beams overhead, which are 1 by IA
inches.
Between the decks the water way, which is
- by IA inches, first attracts attention. The
belt streak. which comes ext, is y by 16 inch
es, and the lock streak is by - inches. The
timbers all have square fastenings with an
inch and one-halfir From here the tmbers
forming the sides are five inches thick to the
upper deck. On the upper deck is also to be
seen good hooks both in stem and stern. This
deck, like the rest of the vessel, is thoroughly
constructed The forward house is large and
very convenient for the purpose for which it is
used, and is finished in ash The forecastIe is
also large and airy. 1t contains accommoda-
tions for eight sailors, and is finished in ash.
On the forward deck will be found Emersons
patent windlass. The ship is also supplied
with Russelps patent pump ard Robinson's
patent steerer. She has large square tank
which will hold 2800 gallons of water. The
poop deck is of hard pine 81 inches square.
The gangway stanchions are of black walnut
and are beautifully carved and mounted with
brass.
in any sailing vessel which halls from this port.
1t is very large, occupying the whole width of
tho ship instead Of having passage way each
side as is, the usual style. The captain has
fine large parlor for his own use besides the
forward and after cabins. The officers have
large and convenient staterooms, and there are
three for passengers There is also bath
room, pantry, wash room, water closet, medi-
cine chests and many other conveniences The
after cabin is finished in birds eye maple,
chestnut, and mahogany. The cabin needs to
be seen to be appreciated
Capt. Daniel Brewer is master builder Geo.
w. Stanwood does the blacksmith work,
Hiram James planned the cabin and does the
joiner work, while Isaac Weber has had
charge of the painting, which is excellently
done. Capt, Brewer has reason to be proud of
so fine a vessel. Sac will be launched in a5ou
two weeks.