The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-21

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II appears that the dry dock at Puget
sound, In the state OF Washington. taking
all the elements of measurement into CON
sideration, the length coo feet. or. TO be
accurate s0yz. feet the width s9i4 feet
and the depth OF 20 feet Is one OF the
largest dry docks in the world
frhe honorable senator here yielded
the floor on a motion fer an executive
SESSION.
Mr. Squire-Mr. President. at the time
] was Interrupted by the motion for an
executive session / was speaking about
the comparative importance Of the dry
dock that is being constructed at Port
Orchard on Puget sound. I spoke OF the
dimensions of that dry dock. l spoke OF
IL as being the largest dry dock in Amer
lea. spoke OF IL as being relatively large
In respect 20 the greatest dry docks OF
the world, after which / presented a list
OF q dry docks. including the three great
docks In Liverpool. the dry docks at
Birkenhead, the dry dock at Sydney. New
South Wales. and the great dry dock at
vladivostock, In Siberia
II seems. Mr. President, that the navy
department conceived Il would be advan-
tageous to the people of the United States
that the original plan should be altered
for the proposed dry dock. and after the
commencement OF the work the length of
the dock was changed; that is TO say.
the plan was changed so that 1t is to be
fifty feet longer than was originally pro-
posed. and there were other notifications
made. But Notwithstanding all these
notifications. the amount thus far ex-
pended Is far below the estimate that
Was made for the dock originally. Even
now the amount TO be expended for Ats
completion under the contract is far be-
low the amount originally intended 10
be appropriated by congress, which was.
as have stated. S7ou00o.
! wish to make the point right here that
considering its size and character. this
is the cheapest dry dock ever constructed
I'm the world. This Is due to the enter
prise OF the contractors and the low price
OF material II Is no question of appru-
priating 81, 600 to begin with. In the
case OF the proposed dry dock near the
mouth OF the Mississippi river The whole
amount is only about 10000. OF which
$3.50 600 has already been appropriated and
expended.
Before I 20 into the exact figures. as
I propose 10 do in a few moments. I de-
sire TO mention one or two other cnsider-
atoms that have occurred TO me as a
reason why the people OF the United
States should take great interest In the
development OF this country and the de-
vefopmsnt of its shipping interests and
northwest Pacific coast.
In the first place. we have a compare
lively small-Sized dry dock at San Fran
cisco. which has already been adverted
70 by the senator from California. Gfr.
Perkins) There are really at Mare isi-
and. California. two dry docks / read
from the work published by the navy de-
partment. entitled. 'Coallng, Docking.
and Repairing Facilities OF the Ports OF
the World. with Analyses OF Different
Kinds OF Coal that the dry docks OF
Mare island were constructed ia 1902:
one. granite dock. having n length OF
sos. feet. width OF ~ feet. and a depth
of 27ts feet the other. called sectional
wood" dock. having a length Of so feet
IA width OF 90 feet. and a depth Of Is feet.
Thus IL will be seen that at the present
the Pacific coast IS without adequate ia
ciiiues for the accommodation OF ship
ping with reference TO dry dock capacity,
and this IS an important reason why
there should be no delay IN proceeding
with the work on the dry dock az FORT
Orchard. on Puget sound
OF course | shall be very glad Ia unite
with my friends. the senators from Cali
fornia and others. In giving 20 the Pacific
coast I'm California additional resources In
this direction IN due season, bat we have
now to deal with whah is Immediately
before as.
The dry dock =. Port Orchard. as l
have stated. Is great I'm IT'S capacity.
There Is great need Of this dry dock for
the entire Pacific coast and especially for
the northwest Pacific coast may he
permitted 20 state in This connection
something IN REGARD 20 the commerce Of
the extreme northwestern part OF the Pa
cafe coast. 7 think very few people n the
United States understand the Importance
% this part 81 our commonwealth. II
seems that Puget sound as a collection
States in she number nf arrivals and ae-
parfures Of vessels. This T. owing very
largely 80 the fact that We are nearly al
toininG the great region OF British Co
lnnthia on orr north. It Is also owing 70
our great shipments ~ lUwhsr 20 all parts
az The world. even 20 Europe and AUS
trafia. and 90 the New England states.
From the ports OF Puget sound we ship
lumber 20 Maine. the Ereat lumber pro-
AucsnE region Of the East. n the form os
ship spars We also send wheat - I.lv-
erpool THIS region az the country as
very nttle understood with reference not
only 20 It's present output. bur with ref
eren.e 20 its great eapacityA
There ara great indications as 70 thA
ftfstsra Of this commerce. We have she
shortest lines er communications 20 ire
Orient II is well known that the are %
the earths surface grows smaller as We
go 20 the north. 50 that the exact dis
ma rssrts of Yokohama, Naxasakt ara
shanghai are shorter than they are from
any other port GA the Pacific coast The
ocean Winds ard currents also favor shis
ssA~r hs.ysl c-esa route - Asa ard Jszzsa.t-
We have already lines @ steamship eStah-
uahes The Northern Pacific has line
from Tacoma. The Great Northern rail
rad "a about 20 estatsssh a tine Of steam
Shfps from Seattle and there are already
existing weil-knoWn lines % steamships
sr,-n Vancouver, 81 British Colu-sbia. oniy
a few miles on The nerth-pracflsaliy from
T,sret souna-,o the ports q Japan and
China
An thls shows that q Is 4 great coun-
~ and has a great future, and e Is
sometimes wonderful 70 IRE that PEOPLE
A. so ignorant &bout a. Ths region OK
plxef sound deserves a page IN THIS
saee.-h OF mine today. There WAS al al
snlral 81 the American raw. Admiral
Wnkss. Who wrote 90 Puget sound as fol-
lows many years ago,
Nothing can surpaSS the beauty c.