The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-02-13
MORAN'S BIG PLANT.
Shipbuilding Tools All Here
and Steel Orders Placed.
WORK ON GOVERNMENT BOATS.
A Reduction OF From as to IS Per
Cent. on Freight= From ATTAIN
tic >eaboard -ImmigratIon-

The last OF the ship-building tools for the
government torpedo boat and the revenue
tug Golden Gate has arrived ar Moran
Bros ship yard and the orders have been
placed for about 20 tons OF steel 10 be fur
nished from Reading and PittsbGrg. Work
men are now busy on machinery IN the
shops. and getting out ali the detail draw
ings, and BY the tins. the material begins
10 arrive. which VIII be probably in a fort
night. greater portion of the preliminary
work will have been done.
AT the shops yesterday considerable ac-
tivity was noticeable In the machine shop
and pattern room. A part Of the new ma
ehlneTy Is being put In position. and other
portions Of IL have been stored IN places so
as 10 be readily accessible. One OF the
most interesting of these is what Mr.. Mo-
ran calls a universal milling machine.
which he says comes as near 10 being a
convertible tool as anything yet manu-
featured. IL IS perhaps the only contriy-
ance OF its kind on the Sound. and the lar
gest on the Coast. IL Is OF extra size. and
while not large IL cost sI,soo. Its move
nents are exceedingly complex, and are
understood only by the skilled mechanic.
Some idea OF what il can do may be gained
from the fact that IL can be adjusted TO
take ''rimmers' graduated In size by six
feenths Of an inch and ranging from one
eighth OF an inch 10 two inches In diameter.
There IS another machine called a cold
metal saw, which will cut at any angle an
irregular piece of steel twelve inches thick.
Then there is a machine for angie-irons.
with right and left bevels; a large punch
and shear combined, and so arranged as 10
be turned easily into a double punch or
double shear; "A great nut-tapper, horizon
tai fiange punch. plate-straightening rolls.
plate-bending rolls. drilling machines,
steam hammers. bolt-cutters. and all other
tools required In a weil-equipped steel snip
ping yard.
The tools for the most part came from
Wilmington. Del. and many Of them are
being placed in the new ship-bailding shed.
TO which a number of the tools from the
boiler shop have been moved. The ship
building plant is being so disposed as not
10 interfere at all with the regular bust
ness OF the foundry, and the two plants
will be operated as If separate.
In the extreme southeastern corner of
the ship-building shed has been drawn
what is known as the SERVE board, where
numerous lines cross and recross in a way
that is confusing TO the uninitiated. The
lines give the vessel in detail, and each
one represents a frame. There are two
diagrams. one for the fore-body and the
other for the after-body of the ship. In
bending the frames of the vessel the shape
OF each Is taken from the board and trans
ferred TO the bending table. which will be
located Immediately In front of the heat
Ing furnace, and then given the required
shape
In the pattern shop great deal of work
has been done. The patterns are COM
plete for two OF the smaller engines. and
yesterday Mr.. Moran showed "A pattern for
a brass steam pipe. made of five alternate
layers OF poplar and Spanish cedar glued
together. and making a pattern exceeding
ly light and strong. Workmen are still
busy on patterns both for the torpedo boat
and the revenue tug.
In the foundry a part of the stern post
and rudder has been made for the tugboat,
and is now being given exact shape In a
lathe