The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-22

A perusal Of the contract under which the
hassiesaip Is being built failed to make this
point very clear, as IL provides mat wnsn
the delay il due TO some cause over wnicn
the government has no control. the latter
II absoayed from liability. The point seems
10 res. upon the actual responsibility Tor
the delay. II the Union Iron Works fol-
lows the course IL pursued In the case OF
the Olympia and Oregon, Il VIII present
a claim Delays Of this kind are much
more costly than would appear on casual
consideration There is the insurance 10
be carried the yard room occupied to the
exclusion OF other work, the necessity OF
special watehmen, and in fact general
care. involving painting and IN other ways
keeping exposed portions OF the vessel IN
perfect condition for acceptance
The keel OF this great fighting machine
was laid in February. 1897. and the first
riyet clinched AT the Union Iron Works on
March II. 1897, the contract having been
obtained on September Is OF the year pre-
vtous. The builders concentrated the
beginning of her construction by inviting
Admiral N A. Kirkland. United States
navy commandant at that time at Mare
island navy yard. Gen Forsyth, United
States army, commander of the Depart
men; OF the Pacific. Mayor Phelan and
Gov. Budd 70 take part in the memorable
event On Nov emner % 1895. the new
marine destroyer was launched In the
presence Of a distinguished company. in
GLIDING Lieut.. Gov. Baench. Senator
Mitchell and many other prominent visit
ors from Wisconsin. To Miss Elizabeth
Stephenson, daughter OF ex-Congressman
Stephenson. OF MariHette. Wis, fell the
honor of christening the big destroyer.
The Wisconsin Is sister ship TO the
Alabama. building at the Cramps ship
yard at Philadelphia. and also of the ltli-
noss, which is being built at Newport
News. She is SIS feet long. - feet Pa
inches wide. 3 feet inches in draft. will
have a displacement of II 900 tons and
contract speed of Is knots. At present, OF
course, she sits high in the water and does
not lock as businessl!ke as she will when
she Is armored and weighted down. She
will carry four thirteen-inch guns. four
teen six-inch guns. sixteen six-pounder
rapid-fire guns. four one-pounder rapid
fire guns and one machine gun.
In spite of her huge size. the Union Iron
Works has another battleship TO build. the
Ohio which viii be 900 tons greater dis
placement. Thus the Oregon is surpassed
IN size by the Wisconsin. and before long
the Ohio looms on the horizon like sue
cessful rival.
The SCOTS were given three years in
which TO complete the battleship. and
there IL a forfeiture of SIS day attached
TO the contract after September H. the
date fixed for her delivery, but as the
failure is due to government dilatoriness.
there is small chance that any attempt
will be made TO collect IL. II Is more
likely that Uncle Sam will be the sufferer
by the inaction of congress.
The Union Iron Works now has to its
credit the building Of more vessels for the
United States navy than any other ship
yard except that OF the Cramps at Phila-
delphia Besides the battleship which is
now nearing completion. 1t has to It's
credit the battieship Oregon. 1880 tons.
IL knots: the cruisers Olympia, San Fran
cisco and Charleston. of $780, 4.0S3 and
1910 tons, and 22.l5. l9.75 and 1877 knots re-
spectively: the irouclad coast defense boat
Monterey, OF 4.13S tons and IA knots. and
the gunboats No. IA and No. Is, of 1000
tons and q knots each.