The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-03-15
BUILDING another RAFT.
ROBERTSON COMPANY TO MAKE A
SECOND TRIAL WITH THE SEA.
New Raft II About One Quarter Fin
fshed and VIII, IL d. Expected,
he Launched About Way 15-Has
Many Advantages over the First

Work has been I'm progress for over
month on a new raft being built by the
Robertson Raft Company al West seat
tie. This is the second 10 be turned out
by the company at this port. The hfst
started for San Francisco last spring IN
tow Of the steamer Czarina. but was lost
ut sea, and after drifting around TOT
several weeks was picked up and toWed
20 it's destination
The raft now in progress Of construc-
tion viii be lager than the frst ana VIII
possess n few advantages In building
over the other II Is being built IN the
same cradle and VIII therefore OF neces-
sity be OF almost the same dimensions.
It will. however contain about 1909 piles,
5000 more than the other, and VIII meas
ure, roughly speaking. from fourteen 70
sixteen million feet Of timber y rs *
pected that it will be ready for launch
Ing about May l5 Twelve men are at
work on H. With the aid OF huge DER
rick about 100 piles day are put IN place.
The piles IN this raft are smaller than
thoee used IN the first one.
The new raft VIII difrer In some par
tfculars from the first one. instead o.
only one chain through the center, three
will be used The main chain OF two
inch stud links, VIII pass through the
center as before fastened at the middle
10 an immense spool, the object OF which
r. TO lessen the strain on the chain. II
addition two other smaller chains viii
pass through the raft from end 10 end.
The nuxi,lsry chains are smaller than
the main chain, being only one and one
half inches In diameter. They viii be
placed at equal distances from the sides
and center OF the raft. On each chain
will be fastened two spring buckles 20
lessen the strain when the raft works In
the sea This is the first time the aux
thought they will add greatly 10 the
strength Of the immense structure. At
intervals along the raft hfty-two en-
circling chains will be used, each circle
beiur tnfrad 10 the core chain thus max
Ing the raft solid throughout.
The ends OF the new raft will differ
somewhat from the other Instead Of
binding the piles firmly together at each
end. two steel tubs viii be used, each ten
feet In diameter. Into these tubs the
end piles are being doyetailed, and the
through TO give all possible strength. II
IS thought that this will prevent the end
piles from slipping out and partly destroy
ing the raft IT is estimated conservatively
that 100 tons of chain will be required
10 bind the raft fast.
The raft Is az present about one-quarter
completed When finished the dimensions
VIII be: Length $50 feet. height ~ feet,
allowing for II feet beneath the surface
OF the water and Is feet above, width 81
A. w Kennedy Is In charge OF the con-
struction, He said yesterday: we have
no doubt OF the success OF the voyage OF
this raft The other one stood two or
three weeks of buneting by the sea and
lost only a few piles from the stern.
Unless hostile legislation intervenes we
will land this one In San Francisco in
tact. as II r.. / think, much stronger than
the other one sent from here. We eN-
pect to launch II from the cradle In about
sixty days. Mr.. Robertson IL at present
In Japan. and upon his return | should
not be surprised 10 see him build a raft
10 be sent across the ocean. We have
another raft about finished on the Co
lumbia river and we expect 10 land both
In San Francisco safely about the same
time. There ls large demand for piles
there, 30 large that we have difficulty,
even with these immense RATS. TO fill
our orders" III