The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-12-13
DIR. NANSEN s ENDORSEMENT
The Franz Was Bufit Of Washington
Fir, the only Weed That Could
Srand the lee Pressure.

Ne higher Endorsement could Be possi-
BE fer Puget sound ar than that fur
nished BY Dr.. Nsnsen. the explorer. IN
speaking or rhe strain that the FRAN was
subjected 20 IN the ice OF the Arctic sea-
In an article published in the London
Chronicle coming from the pen OF Or.
Manson. the following occurs.
'on January and s, 1s$a. tbs Franz was
subjected 20 she greatest pressure We tx
perleaced. Before we set out on our
great expedition the great Arctic author
1gy. Sir Leopold AcCSinsock. gave u
his opinion thar the Fran would be abe
10 withstand the tce pressure IN the sum
me-. but that II she we're exposed 10 &
IN the winter he believed the probability
% her being able TO stand the pressure.
or raise herself. was very slight Oxher
Arcro explorers expressed themselves YET
more strongly. saying that ii was an Inn
possibility for any ship 20 stand the leo
pressure in the winter. Now. however.
the Fran was not only 20 be exposed 10
winter pressure. but she Was then fast
frozen ia ice OF over ta1rty feet in Thick
ness. fact OF wnsch I had previously
ascsrtalned the truth By boring.
Across this Ice immense masses Of See
came gliding with irresistible force
against our port side. The pressure was
tremendous. The See pslsd itself UP above
the gunwsles and high up IN the higgins,
threatening II not - crush her a. least 20
bury her. Scarcely man on board De-
lIsved she could live. The necessary pre-
visions, canvas kayaks, cooking uten-
sis, fuel, tents. hand sledses and skf
we're ali brought IN safety onto the ice.
All hands were ready 20 leave the ship.
AMI no one was allowed 10 slsep unless
fully clothed.
"But the Fran proved to be stronger
than our faith in her. When the pressure
was at ks height. and for the nrst time,
her timbers and beams began 20 creAkl
she broke loose ana was slowly lifted up
out of the icy berth in which she had been
fast frozen.
1T was a triumph. BY putting toserh-
er the very worst possibAnse7, eoasd
hardly Imagine a more dangerous position
for a vessel. and after that experience
consider the Fran to be capable " any
thing Notwithstanding the most careful
examination. We have not yet been abs
to discover a single crack, a single splin-
ter displaced IN her,
After this & became comparatively
quiet as regards the pressurss, and We
arifted on rapidly In nortberly and
noriheasterly direction.
This prov es." says Victor ii. Beckman
in the Pacific Lumber Trade Journal, mot
only the immense strength OF Douglas
flr. but Its marvellous elasticity. III oak
had been used the elasticity would os alb
cent and the vessel crushed Ike an egg
shell. Pr. on the other hand, yieIdea 10
the pressure OF the ice, but did not break.
This elasticity and strength Ia nr Is Wen
known on the Coast, but Eastern readers
are not conyerSant with the facts. IL IL
pAsSible to bend an inch strip almost dou-
bic before * breaks. which is remarkable
in a so-cai.ed soft wood. This. then. de-
monstrates the fact that for structural
purposes and other uses whore strength
and tougnness Is required Douglas fir IS
the wood par excellence. Prof. Nansens
testimonial ought 10 be sent out with
every price nst Issued By shippers Of iuni-
ber.'