The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-01-03
where the Largest Vessels IN the
World Can He Docked With
nfapafrh.

The possession of one Of tns greatsSt dry
4ocks OF the world at sts entrance WI ma
terially assist In making this one Of the
greatest ports OF the world After long
voyages eli large steamers have 20 BE-
docked to clear them from barnacies and
grass and 10 repaint shen. Th4s has TO he
done at frequent intervals or the vessels
detersorats. Owners of large steamers
have 10 take this into consideration es
an element Of cost to DO reckoned In their
freight charges, and when the vessel has
10 go some distance from tts port of lad
ing TO be locked. the cost Of the voyage
ard the period % delay must make con-
siderable differepce In those freight
charges. steamship lines have thus
powerful tnducement 90 ply 70 this port IN
preference TO all others. as the PORT Or
chard rovsrnment dry deck IS large
enough 70 dock two Of tie biggest steam
ships anost. and a steamer can be locked
there within two hours after leaving hsr
wharf. Before last year large vessels nad
to go 10 Quartermasier harbor 20 dock. or
20 xhs British governments dock al Escui-
malt at pile entrance OF the SOUND some
$50 miles away. For smaller vessels tners
mas long been an excellent dry dock &C
Moran's shiptr.idfng yard. which Is within
q quarter Of mite from ths wharvss oe
the going steamers.
ANotabIs Marine Event
The opening OF the government dccx ~
Port Orchard was one OF the great events
of the year, more fraught. possibly. with
important bearing upon cha hrlmeciats
prosperity Of this port than any other.
There was vast crowd OF people 10 wit
nrss the nrst vessel erser the dock, ana
the fact that tho operation of the great en-
terprise proved successful was telegraphed
al over the world and thus brought Seat
ale prominently forward a. a single bound
This vas on April q, when the great
United States monitor Monterey was
locked as a test OF the capacity ana good
construction OF the dock.
As far back as 1851 board OF engineer
officers OF tns army made an examination
OF Puget sound waters and strongly REQ
commended that a naval station nd dry
dock be established for the benefit OF the
navy and merchant marine. This recon-
mendatson was al the time based very
much on SIS strategic possron; the actual
necessity for such a dockyara came later
with The growth OF the state and TIE ship
ping Of the Sound. and the building 80 OF
Important cities ahzt must be protested
Lieut. A B. WyckoH msde the frst sur
veys and worked hard for years 10 have
the esta sament located where y -. oFs
Il was not until 1879 than a OH was actual
iv introduced an congress- for the wors-
This bill accumulated dust In the pgeon
holes Of the nmvai COMMITTEES for seven
years and then commission was so-
f,o!ntsd Thas comm. xst0n reported IN la
vor Of tie present ssts, but when the at
tempt was Tns6s 70 secure en- approprsA-
con 70 purchase n BawteTn senator's bss-
terry attacked Tia project, sna All tnas
could De Effected " IT'S trends was tie q p
rso3x.trnerg OF another commission. wf.oh
was restricted 20 . site for dry dock
aione.
Tgzs. commission went practically ever
shs cams rround and failed 20 nnd any
mere sugtebse site than the one already Sc.
feaae6 but the SIZE Of the ressrvstsSz -
be purchased was TOO instead or ifS
acrem. tbs Recommendation was EnAds
Deo4Hfbsr "a. issa. but when 81 wss .ezz 20
congress tns house declined 20 MAKE a1v
approgrsa sson for the purchase. 10 tbs
senate J0nn 3. Alien obtained an aTosfd-
neuz 20 thu naval Appropriation 5iis Zoe
raae parchass OF 10 acres Of land for ths
purpose The Oregon ssrspo~s foSznf sY-
cry appropriation. oscsass s1sy w@hco
re dry dock 10 - ascassd IL ofegvr. ana
"a. sporoprsatson vas cut down e sse9.
for which sum IAsut Wyckor purchased
eas ards sad roased ne stsrs sad strip
o. Il On September g. lssl
The Contract Let
Ths contract Gsr building ths dEv dock
- 81 % Byron Barrow q CO.
C4,set,er - lSz. al t0a. tn
eissa.nx several extra allowances thai
eaa 70 De soughs fer, % ssta us On Do
.a.gA.r 10 the frat sod was eur and shortly
a<.s~ E5Ssxs WFekGE. VINO was ne CON-
*,sr,sa.s SeeaSned a SEX leave and Nas
Assers,xrd retired. ard Capt J.. G. Aorons
became -ns cornman64nr and carried cut
sn4 work.
Taa Pors Orchard 6rY dock Is possESay
sas @eeor6. orz - certainty szss tnir1 Iarg-
est dry doSk IN IRE word. The oFsly douof
upon ne poeas % is boxing seoond rank
is cue 30 tie differences IN the snsps az
ether Docks sksf cosne within the seops Of
comparison. The graf government dock
~ SostnAmpsor., EngNnc. for sns-Ancs. 10