The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-07-24
D[FfASES Of THE SOUND.



POINT WILSON. July 2z--Pofns VIII
san proper ts azgiy sMn6xpsf. with its
revolving red ard wfsts light 10 guide
the mariner on hts course. but directly
overlooking II most Important work is
going on. even into the nsghs-shs build
ssg ~ Qualifications that rsean the pres
erwasisn 81 the Sound cities from an
enssny's Invasion, ard ultimately the de-
str1scston of arg foreign feet that would
presume 70 run into Uncle Sans pre-
serves by this re1tss
But little IL 10 be seen from the out
side. the high board fence shelser5ng the
work Of construction from tn1utsiflve
eyes. and shs only actual work 10 be
seer by those not engaged within che
Enclosure or some gsaezt of the officials
81 charge is the discharge Of sand and
gravel into an immense banker at the
wharf the motor which bauIs the cars.
and the cars and the trauway up which
they 20 BY aid az cable to ths mix
err upon ffle grounds above
The mixer Igstrezses one as besng
not unlike the coal breaker one seea Tn the
coal regions az Pennsylvania ard Ohio,
and Ia fact. n Is used IN pretty much
the came way. although iia product h
NOT for home consumption. but rather
for home thought To the good American
citizen.
II would not be policy fer rne 10 give
details of Uncle Sans work. bat In a
general way reference may be made to
II and no secret be violated.
The high bluff upon which the forfsfs-
cation Is being built rises abruptly from
the sea 20 height Of over 80 feet. form
ing two aides OF a square aad command
Ing a broad yiew of the water route from
the Pacific and also the entrance 30 Pu-
GET sound. OF. more properly, Admiralty
Inlet
The fort Hes well hack Of the precsp-
itous slope. and is an excavation rather
Than an embankmaHt. the natural earth
outside being intact and of a cement
gravel nature, rendering IL very hard
10 escavate. and SO formidable OBJ
sfacfe 20 guns Of tne heaviest ealiher
20 say nothing OF It's backing OF solid
walls OF concrete.
Al present about is0 men are employed,
and the majority live upon the reserga-
lion In a house constructed for them.
with the sbankhouse' annex.
a peep over the fence at any point
would give little satisfaction. and only
suggest the Idea of big thing" for
the works are partially concealed by the
quarter Of = mile or trestie which Is
above the work Of construction and
serves "a tsaekway for the cars that
carry the concrete ard dump II at need
ed points 10 the workmen underneath
An idea Of the imrnensity Of the work
can be gained from taa fact that above
30 barrels cf cement are used daily and
nearly 30 yards OF concrete put In place
within the eight hour working day.
The walls are pierced for seven guns
ard the magazines arranged a. q,
serve two guns Of the largest class. hav-
ing range az ten miles. The thickness
Of the walls are an assurance of safety
In themselves 70 occupants who shalt
man the batteries. and completeness in
every detail IL apparent To anyone who
has seen Uncle Sans best Notifications
upon the Atlantic seaboarsl
The grounds which viii serve for quar-
tiers. hospital and storehouses are being
cleared ready for the excavations which
shall pat them In shape for such struc-
lures, and another season will see the
works yell toward compilation.
The old Port Townsend street ear
motor IL used apon the government
wharf to haul the dumps fran the
bunker 10 the foot % the steep incline
From there powerful ''sionkeys'' take
them I'D 10 the mixer" and then earth
and cement are portEoura eat and
thrown into revolving hopper and mix
eli well. This done the contents Is
automatically dumped into other cars be-
meath. ard these cars In turn are rapidly
hauled TO whore a STATEN man dessg-
mates and dumped Everything Is Sys-
temsiicaily done, and the only noise
heard Ia the everlasting putting Of the
eeassesn hotsting engines. Most al the
mechanics are from Seattle The engf-
ne.r IN charge II W. r Preston, and that
he thoroughly understands the work In
hand Is evident. and there Is little frlc-
ton between the officers and employees
Later on II Is believed that visitors will
be allowed upon the grounds.
Tbs view from the fort IL very slne
and all classes IF heats pass Point VIII
sen 10 and from Seattle and Tacoma
TIE location is smeh Aa Ia make this
possession Of the United States very
saiahfioas one for sts occupants. the sea
front assuring comfort from hresxes Of
shore and the eonsouT back ~ the fart
such as will not shut out land hreezes,
I. I III