Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-10-15

be Initiated.
Kennebec Journal man was at Bath q
few hours the other day and writes as follows
1t Is said that wooden shipbuildipg is
played out" in this country, but glance a,
this industry in Bath along the shores of the
kennebec tells another story. Many new
vessels have been launched here this season
and many more are yet building At one
shipyard alone. that of Goss & Sawyer. there
lies at the wharf 9 ship of nearly 24OO tons,
receiving her masts, and to be fitted out for
sea complete inside of ten days; while there
are fve new vessels upon the stocks building,
one of which will be 2OOO tons, Two will be
steamers of good capacity, and the others are
vessels for the foreign trade. The firm of
Goss Sawyer build more vessels than any
other firm or individual in Bath, but other
shipyards have been lively with business this
season, as the columns of the Journal have
already shown. Wooden shipbuilding is not
''played out" Better specimens of naval
architecture were never seen than have been
built and are building at Bath this year, and
there are plenty of sea captains who do not
hesitate to say that they prefer wooden to iron
vessels.
l had the pleasure of going over and
through and inspecting with nv unprac.
tised eye the new ship J. R. Kelley, built
and recently launched by Goss & Sawyer,
and now lying at their wharf. She is
admired by good judges for her size,
(2364.2O tons), beautiful model. strength and
| finish of build. and the completeness with
which she is fitted for her business. 1t is
pretty good walk from one end to the other of
her, while trip down to her keelson and back
| again to the upper deck furnishes enough
| climbing to give lsndsman good appetite
for dinner. One of her three steel masts
stood erect in position before went aboard,
and a second one was brought alongside BY
tugboat, raised to its place and stepped be-
fore left the yard. These masts were made
at the Goss Marine Iron Works. They are
| stronger and lighter than wooden masts.
The spars of the ship are of Oregon pine.
She has wire standing rigging. steam en-
CINE will do the work of hosting the anchor.
The quarters for the men are neat and COM
Portable. while the cabin and all its appoint
ments are convenient, roomy and handsome,
the painting and granting equaling any to be
seen in the most costly dwellings The man
at the wheel will steer the mammoth craft
under the shelter of house that will effect
ually protect him in all kinds of weather.
Capt. j. X. Kelley, for whom she is named,
is the principal, though not the sole owner.
Mr.. +. c. Allen of Augusta, owns a six.
tenth.
Meeting Captain Gibbons on the deck-a
pleasant, gen,lemanly man who will COM
mand the ship--l remarked:
''You have a noble ship, Captain"
Yes he replied, ''as fine a one as ever
saw for business, don't know how she can
be improved"
"What business is she intended for %
"The California trade. shall sail in
about ten days for New York and load for
San Francisco"
'-She looks as though she might bring in
pile of money to her owners"
.She will if she has plenty of business.
She will carry an immense cargo, and can be
sailed in proportion to size much cheaper than
a smaller vessel. Her whole complement of
officers and men will be only thirty persons,
a number required BY many vessels not near
so large as this. Yes, if she has business and
fair luck she will be profitable vessel
''Do you prefer wooden to an iron YES
sell
Eyes, most decidedly. I know there is
quite rage for iron ships, but like the
modern wooden ship better. The wooden
ship is safer. She will keep afioat when
damaged where the iron ship in the same cir
cumstances would sink. Knock a hole in an
iron ship and down she goes at once to the
bottom. But a wooden ship may be battered
and strained terribly and survive a long while.
The wooden ship will also bring her cargo to
port in better condition. | believe in wood
| en- ships and think the day is far distant when
they will be driven from the ocean by their
iron competitors"
| Wishing the Captain success passed over
| the side ana down INTO tne snlpNdTu among
hugh piles of timber. among hundreds of
stalwart men employed in the various kinds
of labor necessary in constructing vessels,
and into shops where machinery, driven by
steam, was doing its part to push forward the
work busy place this for muscles and
brains The office where the business Of
Goss & Sawyer is transacted, amounting to
MANY hundreds of thousands of dollars an
nually, is a little, old structure, the connect
ing link between a log cabin and the modern
country grocery store, but if its dingy walls
could speak they might tell of greater bust
ness operations and plans carried out with
greater success than many Of the most pre-
ten,ious, stylish and costly of the business
offices in Boston or New York can boast. 1t
is not the office that makes the business firm
any more than it is the clothes which make
the man. Mr.. Goss is the business manager
of the now celebrated firm of Goss Sawyer.
place which his experience many years as a
shipmaster sailing to all quarters OF the
globe. his sound Judgment, sterling integrity,
industry, reliability and genial temper, ft him
admirably to fill. Mr.. Sawyer is the master
builder the architect the superintendent Of the
building of all the famous vessels that have
been launched from the shipvard of Goss &
SAWYER for many years and made for
| is in