The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1889-09-20
WATERPROOF CANVAS.
Preparing for the Coming Win
ter in Seattle.
BUILDING BUT FEW NEW TENTS
x<r>sYsng . Lively Indassry-The Cost,
Dursssoa. Consumption and Fres-
ervstion.

Sometime and soEffhoE. ettcer Nv HINTS
Of privilege or IN. laws OF decay. the pres
eut ten: feature OF Seattle Sili disappear,
bat while it il with Us. the welfare and
comfort OF AL those who dwell in tents
is matter of kindly thought. Therefore
PcsT-IszELIIGEscEG reporter yesterday
10 de inquiry concerning the tent interest
He IRIS; INTERCEPTED an old seaman, who IS
nos retired and engaged N the making OF
tents, and who said
The tent trade is falling of. especially
for Seattle. which controlled the market
two months ago"
What place now takes the leadssa be
was asked.
Spokane Fails: then comes EIlersburg.
Seattle heins only fair third. But The
local business of repairing tents Is Yet good
You see, many OF them viii remain stand
ing and be IN use during the rainy or win
ter season, and now the larger ones are
being improved with flies.
I'll Is oS TEsTs-
Please describe the flies and their util-
:ty''
Certainly. The fly is an extra sheet or
roof OF canvas. that extends each way from
the ridgepoie to the caves. 1t is nice for
the wet season or melting SHOWS in winter;
besides, its dodhle shade makes tent cool
in summer"
Are there many tents that have flies on
them"
Not vet. but there is one business house
on Second street that has double flies above
its canvas. the first being six inches and
the second eighteen inches ABOVE the main
tent roof. Rain falling on the top one
nearly all runs off. and the smaller guam
tity that soaks through to the Others soon
evaporates. Its sides are also recovered
with an outside canvas three inches FROM
the interior one.
Their cost? Being made OF ten-ouncc
duck. they cost $50 and SIS each, but they
give the interior the appearance OF shady
room"
cusT OF CANVAS SHELTER.
IT was ascertained that the weight OF the
duck tcnt-canvas in common use ranges
from to % ounces TO the yard; and
that very iew are made of lighter quality
than that OF or ounces. Prices
vary in retail market: but, according TO
heft. it ranges from 10 10 20 cents per yard
Calling upon man who had bought a
l0-ounce tent ut Portland, he said:
The tent purchased was 3DxS0 feet in
dimensions, with 6-feet wallis Hoped, and
everything perfect and ready to set up, it
cost me $40 there at the shop. To lay it
down in Seattle and put il upon the ground
cost me as much more, making total GO I
of $40 But the larger the tent the less is
its cost in proportion; while the cost is not
smaller in proportion to the decrease in
size"
Please explain that proportion
70, shA xxsI hn
bought, and one half its length. would be
only one-third less, and We; be but one
hall the size. II it had been one hall the
width and one-had the length it would he
but one-fourth the size. and yet would cost
/ halt rs much.
ut ma, seem strange to some, and yet it
! is true. There are thousands OF people
who don't know they can get four l2xla-
inch sticks OF timber out OF one stick 2ix23.
| but they can
DURATION ASp PRESERVATION.
iron call on an old sea captain who
had dwell. in the tents of Africa. Asia o md
South America. he said;
A good tent will last two years, bit the
sails OF 8 ship average three wears. Prop
erly taken care of. have known them TO
last five years. could now pat up tent.
OH IL and live in it tive years. 1t is the TAX
ing down and putting mp that injuries and
destroys them. A ten. once UP should
never he touched.
Preservation? We often used coal tar
when on the briny ocean. That makes
them waterproof. but it is dangerous in
case OF fire. II the canvas is first treated
with boiled linseed OIL it is less icnitab.e
and equally waterproof. II makes a tent
wsriner, and prevents the canvas from
shrinking when dry or expanding when
vet. But al oilcloih waterproof ten; Is too
expensive, and not firerroof.
a iirerroof tent Well. | would take
the canvas ard dip 1t into y strong solution
OF salt water, letting it become thoroughly
/ saturated. salt has il tendency 10 reSis,
/ fire, and 50 doing would keep it secure from
any ordinary tire"
VIEWS of DEALER.
A dealer in tents said
+ The Seattle tent era is liable 10 hold
/ over the winter season aud far into the
/ spring. The canvas? 1t comes from
! nearly all the cotton mills The most OF
+ II Is made in Lowell. bat Chicago is beconl-
inE strong competitor. We get it from
+ the latter place. because IL j. - cheap
j there a. At Lowell. and the freight - this
I Coast Is considerably less"
How rspii is your consumption OF
/ ducsg'
/ We nseup one bundle day-that is,
/ Sol wards"
/ Does it al 50 into tents ,"
No: hesites these it is INSIDE into avn
ings, ilys. sails and tarpaulins
OHM WAITS To wRnsTLE.
F lie Makes q Proposition 10 Nassada Sors-
Aieht the strong JAP.
" IL u Inn Ia. trrnssfn- .,-r.tn. f-l,r..