The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-05-26

Incredfbie Speed In Construction Due To
h Klondiks Boom.
A steamship. finished complete, from
keel to smokestack. In six weeks. Sure
ly that il crowding things q little. but
the Alaska boom has made such work
necessary. That 10 the reason It IL be-
ing dom these days. Never In the his
tory Of shipbuilding in California has
there been such activity in the business.
Every ~shipyard about the bay Is work.
ing overtime and in some instances day
and night. so great is the demand for
vessels to sen to the Arctic. OF course.
there is a great deal of repairing and
overhauling being done. but new vessels
are being completed every few days.
Over at the Oakland shipya.d one day
last week there were five new ships on
the ways at the same time. 1t Is safe
to say tnat this has never happened
before In any part Of the world.
At the big ~foundries. where iron ships
are built, work. Is pushed as fast as
possible, but iron ships do not get to-
gether as rapidly as wooden ones, so
that it is tedious work watching their
growth. Wooden vessels come into ex-
istence almost as II by magic and are
nearly ready for sea as o as they are
launched. 1t II to this class that the
greater number Of Klondike vessels be-
long.
One steamer, the virago, that sailed
for Alaska a few days ago. was not in
existence at all on the LIST OF last Feb
ruary. In fact, her keel was not laid
and II is barely possible the plans for
her were not drawn. But things went
along smoothly from the start. When
she got into the water she didn't leak
a drop nor vibrate with the motions OF
the engine. Before this vessel had her
trial trip she was booking passengers
and loading freight. Scores Of men We're
at work on her rushing things along.
The steamer had her trial trip on Mon
day, the 14th ult., and two days later
she sailed for the north loaded down
with freight and gold seekers. But she
acted like a charmed being and sailed
through the Golden Gate as digniiediy
as a man-of-war that had been hve
years in course of construction instead
OF five weeks. Old salts said she was
as good a vessel OF her class as was ever
built, Notwithstanding the short time
spent in putting her together.
To see one of these Alaska vessels
come into being is like watching the
work of a magician. The person WIND
orders the vessel or what her name is
to be is of no importance to the ship
builder. He simply gets word to build
a vessel according to certain drawings
and specifications and puts 1t down In
his book as a certain number. III the
vessel is ordered to be pushed through
in a hurry he starts work Immediately
and within a few hours men are build
ing the ways on which the vessel Is To
be constructed. Inside of "A hours the
keel will be laid and the stern post
ready to be placed In position. At this
time there is not much to be seen, only
three lines OF timber lying on the
ground. But this is the start. A week
later this same spot will have a GOOD
part of a ship on il. Scores of men VII
be at work, and the sound OF saw and
hammer can be heard for a mile. Near
ly all the ribs of the vessel VIII be In
position, and she will be ready for the
planking. -.
A week later a goodly portion OF TINS
will be done. The entire lower portion
will be covered n only the tips OF TN
ribs will show over the side OF the nun
At his time the machinery Is being put
in and more and more men are finding
work on her every day. AT the end OF
the third week the hull Is practicaiis
finished, and In another week the decl
will be on and she will be ready FOL
launching. Now men fairly swarm owe
her. At the end Of the fifth week mast.
are in, rigging set and sails bent, ant
the greater portion Of her painted. II
only remains TO put on the nnishint
touches in the cabins, see that the en-
gines are O. X. and have a trial trip
c., ESranntsnn Call