Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-10-05

OF the magnitude of the coal business
center;ng at Seattle the PosT-fyTKLLI-
GgxcE. has from time TO time made
mention, and has published monthly
statements of the amount exported from
this port. While these figures convey to
some extent an idea Of the value and
extent OF eur coal producf, they fail to
give even faint perception OF the ia
cilisies necessary and provided at this
point by the coal company for handling
and loading into steam and sailing ships
an average Of from 1000 to 1900 tons
of coal monthly. Even by our own citi-
zens the improvements made during the
past summer in this respect are bat lit
lie understood, and the erection of new
buildings and wharves along the city
front has been 50 continuous a. 10 evoke
scarcely passing notice. They listen
day and night TO the putting of the little
locomotives as they push tbs heavily
laden cars up the incline to the top of
the immense structure known as the
bunkers. They note the large sea going
CKAIk ~ ltfk w ~ 6ts4Iof 1Ata HA-0 eA@<s
almost daily some ocean monster comes
and goes from oar harbor. Bat Of the
mechanical details whereby all this Is
accomplished they know but little.
A reporter Of this paper has been at
some trouble to obtain the following de-
tails. aided by the officers of the rail-
road and coal company. The bunkers
are sitnated at the extreme end Of King
u.-lf inf he hay
They are approached from the railroad
yard at the foot of Commercial street
by an incline trestle, which extends TO
the top Of the bunkers. The length of
the track FROM the point where the as
cent begins to the east end and top OF
bunkers is 800 feet, and the rise IN that
distance is 70 feet, making stiff grade
no which the little locomotives of the
coal road push two cars, carrying each
10 tons of coal. The main structure,
known as the bunkers, is 30 feet In
length, 46 feet in width, and Is feet
high. II is level on the top, and is pro-
vided with Il chutes or pockets on each
side, 23x16 feet in area and pitching
toward the outside at an angle of 30 de-
Rrees. There are also at the end three
other pockets. The holding capacity of
those on the sides il about 81 tons each,
and of the three at the end 40 tons each,
making total storage room for about
300 tons of GOAL. There are in addi-
ton, at the east end of the bunkers, two
pockets holding respectively 30 and 40
tons, which are now used exclusively for
local trade. The bunkers are 80 ar
ranged that three vessels can be loading
at the same time, and, il necessary and
sufficient coal could be obtained. they
could all be loaded in twenty four
hours. The pockets could il it were not
necessary to trim the ships when load
ing, be emptied in three hours. On both
sides the structure on the out side and
at the end single I rail is laid. On
! this rail are placed travelling derricks
with adjustable chutes. These shifting
dorricks are, with the exception of those
at Tacoma, the only ones of the kind in
use end are the invention of G. Miller,
ESQ.,, under whose Supervision both the
| bunkers here and at Tacoma we're erect
cd. They are arranged with a check
gate on the end which prevents break
age of the coal, and are raised and low
cred BY means of cog gearing at the top
of the derrick. They are moved along
| the sides of the bunkers by similar
means and can be- adjusted both at hsel
and point to any door Of any pocket or
at any angle. The gates from the pock
cts, Of which there are three to each, ARE
also a novelty, being provided with
| friction rollers, which make them raise
and lower easily and prevent the coal
from jamming at the bottom of the
pocket against the gate. They are raised
and lowered by means OF lever and
pulley. There are, as noted above,
openings from each pocket to accom-
modate the three different stages Of the
tide, and with the use of the movable der
rick which can be adjusted SO as TO con-
meet with either opening, no Interrupt
ton or inconvenience in loading is OK
perienoed on account of the different
stages of water. There are four tracks
at top of bunkers, under which are
openings into the several pockets and
on which cars are run to suit necessity.
ALI the pockets are lined with No. l.
sheet iron and are 80 constructed that
there is no point within them that is no,
shelving at an angle of 30 deg, rendering
| il impossible for the contents to stick
jam or lodge when the gates are opened
The facilities for local trade have been
completed. As before remarked there
are ut the east end Of the building two
pockets devoted entirely to this branch
Of the business. The old yard at the
corner Of Second and King streets hai
been abandoned, and the trestle wori
was yesterday being torn down 70 aiiov
the use Of the space occupied AZ yart
room and for side track. At the new
yard teams drive out ON the wharf ant
load from stationary chutes, the Goa
passing over screens and falling direct
" into the wagons. Teams can thus b,
loaded very rapidly.
A few moro items may be here sub
joined TO show the magnitude, strength
cost and capacity Of this model struct
ure for tho purposes intended. III
niles under the bankers are arranged IL
rows from north to south, or across tn
building. There are ii in row ant
there arc - rows or beuts, making will
few extra ones q total Of $50 piles
They average IN length fully 70 feet ans
at the west Or outer end many are near
" 100 fest long. Thew are all ooppere<
The whole distance Of immersion. fh,
water at low tide at the west end of tn
bunkcrs Is 80 feet in depth. shoalin
gradually toward shore. These pile
With copperiRg cost on an average %
each. There have been used inssthe con
struction of the building about 10000
feet Of lumber and timber, excluding
the piling underneath. II il model o
strength, being looked and tied by rods
bolts and spikes in q manner almost in
comprehensive 10 any one not me
chanic. ID il 50 strong that il could b
! tumbled and rolled down mountain
without pulling apart. and will lssi
providing the foundation Ia not destroy
cd by worms, for twenty years. On
hundred and fifty tons of iron were use,
In the construction Of thcss bunkers in,
oluding the lining Of the pockets. Their
Ii storage room underneath the bunker
for 100 cars, track running the full
length Of the building upon the lowe
J door. The total cost Of the bunkers
including wharf and tressle, will not fal
short Of 10000.
Taken all together. there 10 not prob
ably, anywhere, 30 we'll equipped
structure for the purposes intended
! Everything about the bunkers 10 ar
ranged ~ economixs space and at tn
same time prevent hitch or crowding
when coal begins 10 come in from tn
Green River fields next summer. th,
utility OF % capacious q structure vii
Be even more apparent than at present
ita completion IN 80 short q time afte
the disastrous IRE which DESTROYED th
/ ALI B. n. =. a