The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-07-15
THE BIG PYTHON HERE
Monster Dredge That Is to Dig
Out the SOnth Canal
a SAFE VOYAGE ROUND BY SEA.
She Was lowed Along With Two -cows,
and Rode I'm Perfect ssfety-Ac'-
I've Operations soon.

The monster dredger Python. which VIII
ne a. work 6glIug IN the tide fats within
go u.e4ks arrivsd in the narbor last
svn3nw A. S.s0 oclock from Portland m
,c,ar az the tug Wanaerer. and vas tied
ear Al the foot Of the dry dock wharf
Manager A r. Uorner. OF the Bowers
Dredging Company. WAS at the wharf
and -rhen he saw the largest and most
extensive mud sucker IN me tmt@a
sfatez safely tied zap he Vas the happiest
man in Seattle The Journey from Port
lard was completed in sfis hours actual
sailing time. and II the seven men VINO
were on board the queer-iookinz thlng
had specsaily ordered the weather, fhey
could not have had things more 10 tntlf
liking Two large scows were also
brought along. each attached 20 the
fredger b. many large hswsFrs. Win
axes in readiness 10 cut away II neces-
ssre bit 20 calm sxas 'Be sea mat a
row boat on one Of the Slows Was not
even wet during the voyage
An ExpensIye Piece of Machinery.
AS the dredger Law at her mooriug last
evening she looked like hattering ram
with steoi prov. and the stranger who
remarked from the dock that she aid nor
en4f much had no idea that within her
hull we're sixteen engines, a fuI electric
Nrht plant and that her cost at bedrock
prices was s1isDn. Some idea OF what
abe can do may be gained from the state
rnent Of Mr.. Horner that with LOO" foot
delivery line sha will discharge ie.""
cubic Yards OF earth in iventy-four hours.
On longer lines Of course the amount
would be reduced in proportion TO the re-
distance created by the additional length
OF line.
Tho project OF bringing the Python
from Portland 10 work on the tide hats
was one that received serious considera-
ton owing 10 the danger that might DE
encountered. IL was finally decided TO
house her up with big tinbers and heavy
p.anks well caIkei and make the trip with
tie famous tug wanderer as the tow.
Capt Hartman. vino Is well known on
Puget Sound and who is said TO be one
OF the best men on the Coast was placed
in charge Of the dredger during the trip
The Voyage From the Columbia.
When in active operation the number of
men at work on her is eighteen. hut in
making the voyage only seven were on
board. Their names are az follows: Capt.
Hartman. William Bnge. Ed Steers.
John Hldebrand. William Powers. Car
penter Duffy and Mr. Smith. One OF the
opportunity 10 make the trip by water.
but he was afraid of the Columbia bar.
and did no; come. Now that everything
ended lovely he feels sorry.
The time for leaving Portland was fixed
for last Wednesday afternoon and true
TO the time the river steamer Vulcan
threw out her lines and started down
the Columbia river with the old Python
and her scows in tow.
Astoria was reached az o'clock Thurs
day morning after a pleasant trip The
Wanderer. which had been engaged TO
make the long and dangerous tow. ar
rived at Astoria 10 make il possible 10
leave at o'clock the following afternoon.
When the Columbia bar was approached
everything was gotten In readiness 10
cut the hawsers that held the scows IL
the swell proved too strong. Fortunately.
however. not the slightest difficulty was
experienced and the journey up the coast
was we'll under way. While crossing the
bar some of the Python's sailors ex-
perienced that "well-known feeling"
At o'clock Saturday morning Tatoosh
light was passed and at 1906 yesterday
morning Port Townsend was reached
Everything being favorable the memoir
able trip was brought 10 a close at $50
o'clock In the evening by sailing quietly
into Elliott bay and tying up at the foot
OF the dry dock wharf. AT her side is the
other Bowers dredger Anaconda. which.
taken alone. looks large. but as viewed in
comparison with the Python is small.
IL wiz take about two weeks to get the
Python ready for work as She VIII have
10 have her house unboxesi and also g, on
tho ways 10 he coppereri. To look at her
az present one cannot get tho same .iea
as would be implanted in the mind when
seeing her at work Tho boxing gives IN
old appearance and stimulates th. idea of
a hatsertng ram. She Is $50 feet long, as
compared with 10 feet for the Anaconda
n fec wide as compared with y feet for.
the Anaconda. l. fcot hold. Ak compared
feet. or ore foot more than the Anaconda
How the Dredgers Operate.
At the stern Of the Anaconda. at present
uncovered ia a sos 81 machinery that de-
serves more than passing notice, for by
means OF q the drssiger moves ahead every
tgl1e she wants 10 get a fresh hosi on tina
enemy Manager Homer who was
walking over the dFy=igcr with a Pos
1nte.figesrser reporter last evening. ex-
planned the operation He sahd that tho
machinery just rncrri aoFsssi consisted Of
two "sprI' engines which zvors used 10
handle the two hig sspulpers on which tho
boat moves ami $50 swings in her clr,la
or operation. These f!fnherS ara each 10
feet long ami - inc hs-s square, us,th heavy
ssteed polutS. To und>rsai ana thorr, better
and the way they operage. all a person mas
20 DO rs "a think of plank PLACED On tho
water OF q hay angi Through one end ,wo
stakes driven down into the hostor,
'rh.se stakes are supposed ~ ~ rnovahl,
and can ne r9iiiesf ~ Nr nushf.i down NJ
VIII. C'ltv ropes having teen attached ~
she oth@T eflsi ~ fhiS pisnk Il could be rDllll
cd IN tho right or left
In the case ~ the Python the opaa don
r. the same on one 90 th~sa tsmbers.
which a~e cal,si "sspuds" as a ufVot sho
swings ~ a c3ro,.s - fsst ana ny rae.rs- ~
re biz suo-snn ps'e at tho nrrN takes va
the SfifT- The AauCousla SWINGS only m
yrsst and cSan dvtstge e. feat down rom -.
surface 2a3f tN.s iss, ro..z sAsyVn - Z y
w'itssoiy sroSthle. S;7Ev rorseS s9gfs out from,
IRE 4redgsr forward - ssther ss,da "a, hl.-
s'Af1oEE4sN ps}es Vnft as Tss f,ca. sSvVfnr-s
20 tlre sghs TIRE giiv rcTse that Is attached
- 80 hsat from me ~ hs~ aiis. tl,,,,insaS.
asp ~ the FthV 9ouSe. Asrer fs1ssnr t~1v-
sd as sar aS Uspssjssie "a ere rieat th, l-ltt
comn~ngsess - swing hark. tho guy YVoy,a
that previously MS INV jTrbtglgs now wind.
mr. az 81 the pigct l5prse.
II Is isllssNss f}ic - tcst hgsvv many ssu,o-s
t,re slsctssgl izpe ~ fssve 80 pas over "a
itieg~a - szJF~th ns ere 'SfS'' ard .ssr,fs''
are 1gllnvsSssts. pres1tTnsYs,. however. that
tee work has here ehone ard Y Is desired
~ move mo Nsess thssn sAe se.,a0ti ''sysud''
coases 90. Ry means ~ f,ower-fsll machinery
fha ',sFsl8' On " Skch re fs1ss has hf-n
swinging - fFswH ~ ant ghe o. her
''Spsad" ran DOWN. \ system ~ ,s- ovhe,e's
= then So N motion ana as a Result 'hs,
tsss cfe8rsr IS soTcss aN-a f.>et ahead T-Nen
Fhe host .csul0ences - ssyssssw ar,n,.4
sr&sn srd 80 sstcfson Dsce works sfo-,s-
she bottom. taSf0E up iivs - "a vs,-y4erf,ll
rate.
~ casgrss 3 yry>s- ,scaf - ~'srses4,,- ..s-.
ters N she hag sss>tsoa psoc. ard many
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