The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-05-10
MORAN'S SHIP YARD.
Work PROG ressing Rapidly On
the Government yesss Is.
ALL THE MATERIAL NOW ON HAND


At Moran Bros establishment there are
now is9 men az work. the larger portion
OF whom are engaged on the two new gov
eminent vessels under contract. or In max
ing the new machinery necessary for the
business OF steel ship building in which
the company IS now permanently en-
harked. A representative OF the POST
Intelligencer visited the shtpyard OF the
company yesterday and was shown over
the plan, by Robert Moran. president Of
the company
Under this new shed recently erected are
two parable. ways. upon which the two
vessel<--fhe revenue cutter Golden Gate
and the new torpedo boat-are TO be built.
and from which in course OF time they will
be launched. The blocking Is already
Ia place. ready to receive the keels.
All Of the machinery necessary for the
company. except that which they are en-
gagged In manufacturing for themselves.
has already arrived and 10 In place, and all
the material for the construction OF the
tro vessels, with the exception of one car
load. is also on the ground. While there
lH little In sight In the yard to show that
very much has been done towards The
building Of either vessel closer examin-
alton shows the magnitude OF the work
which has been going forward since the
company succeeded In securing the con-
tract
For the torpedo boat all the frames have
been bent. and the stem and stern frames
forged. and all the plates are on hand
ready TO be riveted into position as soon
as the frame goes up. In the foundry al
most all the castings for the engines and
interior machinery have been made. and
some OF them are In the machine shop re-
cetving the finishing work. The frames
and plating are wonderfully light in APP
pearance, as in vessels of the class almost
everything Is sacrificed to secure the
great essential, speed The frames are
made of strips of steel plate three-sx-
teenths OF an inch In thickness bent Iongi-
tadinaily to a right angle. the faces being
one and one-quarter and two inches re-
spectiveiy. The thickest of the outside
Plate Is but three-sixteenths OF an inch.
and In places IL is decreased 10 one-eighth
or an inch. The material, however, is of
the finest quality Of steeh and Is INFINITELY
stronger than IL appears to be to a casual
observer. All Of the steel used comes from
.he plants or the Carnegie company in
Pennsylvania.
For the Golden Gate snany of the frames
have already been bent and workmen are
now engaged in bending the Others. The
frames FOR the Golden Gate are very much
heavier than those which will be used In
the torpedo boat. They are of three-eighths
inch steel. angled. and the faces are three
ana Two and one-haif inches respectively.
thus being six times heavier and that
much proportionately stronger than thos..
used on the torpedo boat. The operation
OF bending the frames is an interesting
one ana yet simple. On the floor of the
oraiting room the line of each, giving its
exact length and curvature, is laid down.
SOFT piece OF Swedish iron, which is ex-
ueheiy maiieahie, Is bent by hand to an
exact correspondence with the line of the
. l.
bending table. This is a heavy steel nIats
through which holes are bored al rsg,,,ar
ana close intervals. The soft iron pattern
Is SO placed that Its edge will lie close to
as many of these holes as nossIb,e
through each hole. at the place where n
touches the pattern. a steel bar is inserted
me proposed frame, heated red hot in an
a go furnace. Is then bent to contact
with these bars, giving the exact curva-
lure needed. The rivet holes in the
frames are all punched prior TO bending.
The stern frame and stem Of the f.o,5sr
eate are finished. except the drilling of the
men holes. and the keel piece "a now IN
hand Mr.. Moran thinks that the keel
WIZ be laid within the next ten DAYS. when
'as WORK OF putting the frame together
VIII commence. From that time ON ,,nt,,
the two vessels are completed fftv me-,
VIII be employed in addition to those a,
present at work a.
work Is also progressing well on the en-
gines for the Golden Gate. which also COVE
within the contract OF the Norans tn
cylinders have been cast and are now IN
tne machine shop. as is also the heavy on
sine oed. Other smaller castings are Also
In hand az aiso
by the letter OF the contract with ,h.
treasury department the Golden Gate uras
10 nave been completed In August hrt
owing TO the delay of the departmen, 80.
hcials In furnishing the necessary aransh,
an extension OF time has been granted
the torpedo boat must be COMPLETED he
iore the close OF the year and the cow
pany anticipates no difficulty IN connie.
ing with the exact terms of the con,r,c,
As a sample of the work necesxarv 9,
preparing the machinery TO enable ,b.r,
10 engage In steel ship hliIdlng Mr. NJ
ran called the reporters attention 70
new hydraulic Hanging machine. which
the company has just completed for ,ts
own use This massive piece of marhIn-
cry weighs twenty-five tons and under
ordinary pressure from the city mains ex-
erts a power OF eighty tons. With The pse
OF pumps the power can be increased nm
10 80 tons. The machine will be uses IN
bending plates at angles
The payment Of ssioao on aceoun, of
WORK on the torpedo boat announced In
the dispatches from Washington civ T.,
the Post-1ntelligenccr OF YESTERDAY ia in
accordance with the terms Of the con-
tract, which provides for uavr,e,,s 80