Evening star., 1898-06-04
SHIPS IN \ HURRY.
Incredible Speed in Construction Due
to the klondfke Boom.

| From the San Francisco Call.
steamship, finished complete, from keel
| to smokestack, in six weeks. Surely that is
| crowding things a little, but the Ala IA
| boom has made such work necessary.
| That is the reason it is being done these
| days. Never III the history of shipbuiding
| in California has there been such activity
| in the business Every ship yard about the
| bay is working overtime, and in some in
stances day and night, SO great is the de-
mand for vessels to send to the arctic. OF
course, there is a great deal of repairing
and overhauling being done, but new ves-
sells are being completed every few days.
over at the Oakland Shipydrd one day last
week there We're five new ships on the ways
at the same time. 1t is safe to say THAI
this has never happened before in this part
of the world
At the big foundres, where iron ships are
built, work is pushed as fast as possible,
but iron ships do not get together as rapid
| ly as wooden ones, so that it is tedious
work watching their growth. Wooden yes
sells come into existence almost as if by
magic and are nearly ready for sea as soon
as they are LAUGHED. 1t is to this class that
the greater number of klondilie vessels be-
long.
One steamer, the Nirago, that sailed for
Alaska a few days ago, was not in exist
ence at all on the first of last February. In
fact, her keel was not laid and it 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 mo-
tloaS of the engine. Before this vessel had
her trial trip she was booking passengers
and loading freight Scores of men Were at
work on her rushing things along. This
steamer had her trial trip Monday the
14th ultimo, 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
&c a 1pvlifi iafi1y
been five years in course of construction
instead of five weeks. Old salts said she
was good 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 who orders the YES
sci or what her name is to be is of no i'm
portance to the shipbulder. He simply
gets word to build a vessel according to
certain drawings and specifications and
puts 1t down in his book as certain num-
ber If the vessel is ordered to be pushed
through in hurry he starts work i'm
mediately, and within few hours men are
building the ways on which the vessel is
to be constructed. Inside of twenty-fo,r
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 shin
on it. Scores of men will be at work and
the sound of saw and hammer can be heard
for mile. Nearly all the ribs of the yes-
sci will be in position, and she will be ready
for the planking.
A week later goodly portion of this will
be done. The entire lower portion will be
covered and only the tips of the ribs will
show over the side Of the hull AT this
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 practically finished and
in another week the deck will be on and
she will be ready for launching. Now men
fairly swarm over her At the end Of the
fifth week masts are In, rigging set and
painted. 1t only remains to put on the
finishing touches In the cabins, see that the
engines are o. X. and have trial trip