The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-11-02

builders trials and to familiarlze her
crew with her pace. the great ship
viii head for Boston and drop anchor
off the Charlestown navy yard at 10
o'clock Friday morning. II all goes
well.
Before starting for RockIand. Me-.
for the ohicial and final trials and
Standardization tests. the North Da-
kota will be taken into the drydoek
and pair Of propellers made from
the wonderful new, moneI metal viii
be placed on her shafts. This metal.
containing fully two thirds nickel.
will not corrode under water, takes
high polish and is capable OF sustain
ing pressure OF $4,000 pounds to the
square inch. The naval officers OF
every power In the world are inter-
ested in the tests because OF these
many new features, as we'll as because
OF the fact that the North Dakota is
an advance in might over the English
Dreadnought type.
A Million for Guns.
Nearly $1,00o000 of the $4,000, 900
that the North Dakota cost is expend-
ed for guns alone. There are ten
twelve-inch guns at $4,000 each and
fourteen five-inch rifles at $4,000 each
in the main battery, besides twelve
rapid-tlre guns and minor pieces.
ITO fire one broadside from the
main battery will cost $4,000, exclu-
sive of cost OF maintaining gunners.
| One shot from each 12-inch gun will
cost $1,160 and from each 5-inch rifle
$4s0.
ITO fire one shot from each 12-incn
gun will require $50 pounds OF pow
der, at so cents per pound, Each pro-
jsctfis weighs $50 pounds and costs
1910. making a total cost OF $50 for
each shot To this is added an allow
ance for $3.50 for the deterioration in
| the gun at each discharge, as the ex-
perts say that one OF these monsters
is UNIT for use after being fired 100
/ times.
''The cost Of keeping the North Da-
kota in commission and In first class
| fighting trim will be $1,00O,000 per
annum. This includes the pay and
feeding OF 900 officers and men, ordin-
airy repairs, ship supplies and coaling."
Placed Afloat.
From The Boston Daily Globe an
other interesting story is secured. 1t
tells OF the placing Of the battleship
| afloat and is under a Quincy, Mass"
/ date line. The account follows:
''The 21,000-ton battleship, North
Dakota, the biggest battleship aloat.
which. with her sister ship, the Della
ware. is the first ship of the Dread
/ nouRht type in the u. s. navy, left the
Fore River yards this morning and
put to sea to give her engines
Shaking down" in deep water.
''The departure of the big vessel
was witnessed by thousands of people
who thronged the Quincy point and
North weymouth shores on the tops
Of buildings along both banks OF the
river.
"The taking out OF the North Da-
| lxota was the biggest and most diff
cult lob ever undertaken by the Fore
River company. Not only ala tne yes
sel have to pass through the draw
bridge of the Quincy Point priose'
which is 100 feet wide, but sharp
turn Just beyond the bridge had 10 oe
made successfully to get the snip INTO
a space where she could be maneuV-
cred with plenty Of water ana roon,
TO turn in. The North Dakota mao
$40 feet of length, "a breadth OF over
ga feet and drew 26 feet OF water, SO
\ that the Job of maneuvering IN place
/ 500 feet long and 100 feet VIDE was O
lob fit only for experts.
Money on the Feat.
mc.n+ Edward p. Evans handled the
Ihie ship for the Fore River people
cantain Evans has taken out all the
Ihig battIeships built here, but the pig
rest ones UP to This time were 1o,VVV-
tonners. and today's job was consider
ahII, harder. 1t has been confidently
lnredicted that Captain Evans coulo NOT
ltakA the ship through the draw with
ont hitting. owing to the swiftness OF
tha tide at this point and considerable
roonev was up on the feat, Not only
Aid the North Dakota slide through the
draw without scratching a thing put
sba was only two and one-hah minutes
doing the trick and the feat was &C
lknowledged by every boat In the river
THAT could blow whistle.
1T was Just 1857 when the North
lDakota blew three long blasts to lei
line arawtenders know she was going
Ito hack out from her dock up the
river. and almost at the same time
she began to move backward. -Four
tugs pushed her back until she was
lin midstream, when they turned heT
around. Once her nose was pointed
down stream, Captain Evans rang Tor
lher own engines, and the North Dako-
ia came along slowly toward tine open
ling in the bridge.
"As the big boat came toward tne
bridge it looked as II she was over
foo far on the Quincy Point side OF
the draw to enable her to get through
without hitting the side, but Captain
evans had her nicely placed and the
hie ram bow entered the channel or
the draw just about midway. Inc
how entered the drawslip at 9:l0 and
her stern cleared the other end at just
9:13.
Not an Inch to Spare.
when her amidchips was In the
drawsIip 1T was impossible to place
single between the ship and the
bridge. but the boat never touched
and slid by as IL on railroad track.
In authorization of collision the POI
lice drove the crowds back to the land
ends Of the bridge. so as to be on the
safe side as 1t was realized the bridge
would collapse II the ship ever struck
lit.
The ship got big cheer as she
,asaed through tie bridge and whistles
A.. IA a.