The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-07
Cradle WILL SOON ROCK.
Getting Ready to Build the Lafkss
Raft Ever Built ON the Pacinc
Coast-Doaraing House Up sne
Det>~ OeeupieA BY EDDasyes.

0nera.Io,9 ara well under way at west
Seattle for sh.a construction OF pie 'aIts
by the Robertson Raft Company, ana WIFI
in a month the launching Of the big cradle
viii be celebrated. The novelty OF LII"
business and OF getting the preliminary
machinery into condition Tor use aas puV-
Ell a bonanza for the ferry boat that pies
sfsyssvs TIE hay. as dozens of people VINO
rarely before visited the west side are TO
b. seen every day crossing to the Held or
rafc-nsaking operations.
Hundreds Of enormous tinlbers have been
towe1 over IN RATS from the Btakesey ana
Gamble mills, and are now On the ways
being transformed into the gigantic cradle
The foundation of the first half Is nearly
completed. and within a few days work
will be- commenced on the superstrucfure.
As soon as the first half Is finished 1t Will
be slid into the water TO make room for
the other half, as the entire length OF suit
able ground there is not enough to accom-
modate the immense appliance. The era
die is TO be 625 feet long, and the ran
of the sides win be twenty-seyen feet
above the base simbers. When done 1t
will have the appearance OF the super
structure Of a long. narrow building. with
out the roof and ends. and with fimbers
stretching up diazonally from the bottom
TO give the bed the curved shape Of a snip 8
hull The cost OF the cradle will be from
S. a0 TO $s,60e.
The cradle will be complete by March
I. when the first piles for the first raft
will be laid. The raft will be the largest
ever constructed on the Pacific coast. con-
tanning f20ea piles. of sixty feet length
each. This means approximately $4,000
feet OF lumber. IL the piles were cut up.
that will be taken TO San Fran
cisco in one load. not mentioning
d deckioad Of 5,oN.0o to 6eo0.-
GO feet Of sawed lumber. which will also
be taken. When afioat the raft will have
the appearance Of the hull of a vessel. and
Will weather most any sea. The piles will
be lifted into the cradle by a derrick. oper-
ated from q new scow which has just ar
rived from Port Rlakeley.
The boarding house has been erected a
block south OF the ferry landing. and the
men at work on construction are already
living there II Is as complete and COM
Portable home as was ever found in a
logging camp. There are warm, well-betl-
ied hunks, and walls and ceiling of groov-
cd lumber. A sitting room below is car
peted and has table with all the latest
periodicals for the use OF the men Mrs.
Peterson and her daughter, the chefs and
Mattresses, are already favorites with ev-
erybody there. In one corner of the building
are the offices and private rooms OF Capt.
Robertson. the manager of the company.
In the spring the latter VIII move to Seat
tie with his wife and daughters, who are
living in Portland. as this will be the head
quarters Of the business.
As soon as the days grow longer and fair
weather becomes more settled a black
smith shop. warehouse and other s,rita BILE
buildings win be erected. 4 plank road
way VIII probably be made from the ferry
depot To the scene of operations. The
steamer Naiad. which is on the Columbia
river receiving new triple-expanson en-
gines to give her speed of fifteen knots,
viii be brought around the cape late in the
winter aud used Oh the sound for the pri-
vate business Of the company.