The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-03-07

| k0OnIfGubQ rage OBe-
dainty bit of femininity with be
witching eyes and captivating smile
lean against the great muzzle of the
gun and say sweet nothings to each
other.
Strain Is Distributed.
But down on the railroad dock yes
terday there was not the slightest
romance. 1t was grimy business, hard
work, the pitting of mighty mechanical
| forces distributed in such a way that
the huge gun of fifty-seven tons could
! be lifted out of the hold of the barge,
| hoisted over the rail and then lowered
gently upon cars waiting to receive 1t.
No wonder there was a deep silence
while the gun came slowly over the
side, but when it rested in the chocks,
everybody broke into applause, for
| when the gun rested upon the cars 1t
represented a triumph for the rigger s
methods. And Honolulans knew that
at last one of the greatest defensive
engines Of war was upon Hawaiian soil,
and that within a few months it would
be ready to protect the Stars and
Stripes should such an occasion arise.
1t was thought that the first gun
would be hoisted out early yesterday
morning. At clock locomotive No.
81 of the Oahu railway company was
on the wharf track with Andy Holmes
at the throttle. But there was much
rigging to be attended to. Guys reeved
through enormous blocks had TO be
carried across the slip and be secured
on the opposite wharf. The lines from
this station were carried up to the
iuncture of the two big shear-legs at
their summit, 10 feet above the wharf.
Then there was much testing of lines.
Three sets of guys and stays ran from
the top of the shear-legs several hun
dred feet inland. The ground blocks
were hooked to anchor chains which
were buried deep in the ground.
These three sets of guys were i'm
portant, for when the gun was lifted
up from the hold by the steel wire
running to Engine No. 81, each set of
guys had to be gradually tautened I'M
til the shear-legs which at first leaned
over the barge and gun, We're drawn
back until the gun was suspended d.
rectly over the fat cars. Then the
wire attached to Engine 81 was slack
ened bit and the gun dropped into
llidCc Oll thC Sdios
Not Creak Heard.
It was not until p. m. that Captain
Bedford was ready to commence opera
tions. Yardmaster Petrie of the rail-
road company took station on the
bow rail of the Mohican, and when
Captain Bedford gave the signal to
commence pulling, Petrie wiggled his
fingers to Andy Holmes. There was a
tautening of the steel wire connecting
directly through blocks at the top Of
the shears to the great gun itself. AS
the gun lifted from its bed the Mohi-
can came up with a rush. Gradually
the gun went up. There was not
creak in the pulleys, not stick moved.
When at last the gun was at the height
of The rail, Engine No. 81 stopped pull
ing, and the wire was made fast.
Then came action with the three back
guys. An engine had hold of the cen
trail rope and the other two were work
ed by windlasses, each of the latter
manned by dozen husky, barebaeked
Around and around went the drums
of the windlasses. Back went the en-
CINE and gradually the shears swung
back and the gun was brought direct
ly over the chocks on the car. The
three back guys were secured and En-
CINE 81 backed down the track, lower
ing the gun to the cars and the first
half of the big job came to an end.
Capt. Bedford Pleased.
Captain Bedford smiled when con-
graduated. 81 was sent here to get
the guns out properly and with no
accident, and there S the first one, o.
K, - he replied. Young Rice, son of
partner in Smith, Rice & Co., rig
gers of San Francisco, who had the
contract to land the guns here, smiled
also. He was grimy. dirty and perspir-
ing, and had worked like Trojan.
Although he is the son of an owner
and prospective partner some day, he
worked like any member of the crew
and received his sulphuric blast from
Captain Bedford as much as any other
man. Captain McAllister of Honolulu.
who has been a right-hand man to Cap
tain Bedford, smiled too, anu so did
Captain Page, master of the Mohican.
Harry Denison, superintendent of the
o. r. & l.. wharf looked after the
windlasses and second engines work.
From start to finish there was not a
hitch. big crowd was on hand to
watch operations. Some were interest.
ed in the method of lifting big objects.
Others wanted to see the guns. Some
came at s a. M, and remained until
the job was completed in the afternoon.
The actual work of lifting took about
forty minutes. The preparations con.
stunned a couple of weeks.
To, Pearl Harbor Today
The first gun will be sent down to
Pearl Harbor this morning and will be
lifted from the car by jacks and the
ears will be returned to Honolulu for
the second gun, which may be taken
out tomorrow
PTNEAppTES REACHED