Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1876-03-11
AN rmronrANr ENTERPRISES.


Mr.. J. Z. Higgins, a ship-builder of
considerable experience, has been in
town the past few days making an ex-
aminationof our bay. with the view of
selecting asits for a ship-yard and dry
dock. He represents the well-known
ship-builders Goss Il Sawyer, of Bath,
Maine, who for the past twenty-five
years have held a leading position AS
naval architects in the East. Among
the vessels on this Coast built by this
firm are the ships Mary L. Stone, the
Leading Wind, the City Of Philadelphia,
and the banks Alden Bessie, W. III. Bes-
sic, W. A. Holconb, and C. ". Cochran,
all first-class vessels of beautiful model
and fast sailers. They have built and
equipped during the past year fifteen
large vessels, aggregating 10000 tons
register.
Mr.. Goss visited San Francisco last
August, at the solicitation of Judge Rice,
the President of the Northern Pacific
Railroad Company, and so well pleased
was he with the masts and spars shipped
from the, Sound and reputed advan-
tages for ship-building, that it appears
he is taking the initiative steps for
mastering, in part at least, his opera
tons here. According to his estimate,
there would be saving of 500, 500, in
the construction of q ], 200 ton ship on
Puget Sound, in lumber, masts, spars
and kuees, from their cost on the At
lantic Coast. The total value Of such
q vessel East is $4,000. It will thus
be seen that there is q saving of over
80 per cent. in favor of the Pacific
Coast as o point for ship-building, and
the masts and spars are vastly superior
to those of Eastern growth, while our
timber used in constructing the hull is
unsurpassed by any in the world. But,
this is not all: vessels constructed on
Puget Sound, will find corgoes soon as
they are afoat, and this is great advan-
tage over the ship-yards of Maine. YES
sells built there must must seek car
goes in New York, or some other GEN.
ter of commerce. The first voyage is
madein ballast, at enormous expense, be-
fore her owners realize dollar from
their investment. The cost of belfast,
loading, towing and harbor dues incl
dent to this preliminary trip, for ship
of ordinary capacity, is estimated, in
round figures, at Sc, 900, and Of course
must be added to the expense of con-
struction. Here vessels would find
ready cargo for the many ports where
our lumber and timber find ready
market. This advantage would, of it.
self, probably ultimately influence the
location of ship-yards here, but other
considerations make it an object of i'm
mediate importance for those whose
experience enable them to perceive the
immense advantage that will be posses
sed by those competing for the con-
of first-class vessels, to come
at once.
Mr.. Higgins is very favorably i'm
pressed with Budd's Inlet as a site for
this important industry. lie says that
every essential aid can be supplied here,
and that excellent timber for all pur-
poses can be found in close proximity
to the bay. Mr.. Goss will be here in
April TO locate the site and make ar
rangements for commencing business
soon as the machinery arrives. The
works will cost about $50, 900,
and give employment to about twenty
five men in the yard, and scores of la
borers will find constant employment in
cutting timbers, spars, masts and other
used in the construction of
ships. We regard this enterprise as
one of the most important that has ever
been projected for Puget Sound. It
will, if located here, create business
which will develop other industries and
place our town and county again on the
high road to prosperity.
80
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