Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1910-12-21

b DIVIDED into Over tnikSy eseoa cumP1s
ussnts, separated from each cthsr BY
heavy stssl bulk heads, An automatic d.
vics, worked from the bridge, viii control
these bulkhsads, making u pcsstbls for
single hand TO Close them 1t the cry Of
danger.
Each OF these steel doors will b. con-
nected BY means OF electricity with .
chart located on the bridge, ON which
each door will be represented BY . small
electric light. When one Of the doors
closes this light will burn red; while the
door 10 open IT will remain dark. Tho
officer on the bridge will thus be able TO
see at glance whether all the compart-
ments are closed.
Another complete set Of safety devices
against fre. There will be = series OF
Intermediate scattered throughout the
ship, which will indicate any rise OF the
temperature above given point. Should
the temperature reach the danger point,
the fact will be communicated at once to
the officer on tho bridge by the ringing OF
. bell, while an electric light on . great
chart will burn red.
The Oiympic's keel was started Dec. 15,
1908 - little over twenty-five months be-
fore her launching. The keel was laid ON
New Years day, 1903. Step by step the
building of the great ship progressed in
this wise:
Vertical keel and floor above keel plate
laid Feb. IS, 1909.
Qvxs~ koA
1909.
Tank top and wing tank flows COM
pleted July 2, 1902.
After end and framing completed July
n, 1900.
Framing completed April Is, 1910.
Completely plated July II, 1910.
Hull painted white for cinematogrsph
and photograph purposes Aug. q, 1910.
Work OF preparing for launching began
Sept. 10, 1910.
A matter OF special dificulty was that
she was put together side by side with her
sister ship, the Titanic-anothcr monster
OF the same dimensions which, 1t ID ex-
pected, will be ready for service next au-
tumn.
While in process OF construction the
Olympic occupied the inner berth OF two
giant building ships underneath mann
| moth double gAntry, or steel scanolding,
$40 feet in length, the Titantic occupying
the outer ways. Although the gantry was
$50 feet in height, it was deemed advisa-
| BILE to launch the vessel minus the bridge
deck and captains bridge, the space above
being 20 limited that the danger OF carry
ing away some part OF the fixed gear Of
the santry becoming apparent soon after
building operations were begun.
DANGER OF srRAINrNo.
There was also the danger, in launching
such huge structure, that the waist OF
be strained. Therefore 1t was deemed
advisable to tighten the bow Of the vessel
in every possible way, and get all the
weight possible on the stern the first
part to enter the water 90 - to reduce
to minimum the immense strain on the
middle OF the hull.
During the weeks Immediately proceed
ing the launching 2,50o men worked night
and day getting everything in readiness.
The Belfast harbor commissioners had
the harbor dredged no - to provide =
depth OF thirty i've feet at high water in
that part OF it below the Oiympic's cradle.
While the Olympic was being built, the
White Star company had TO face the
problem of how she was to be accom-
modated 1t Southampton when she should
make her first appearance 1t that port -
F..tt- a.A-
Olympic requires thirty i've feet Of water,
whereas the channel at Southampton is in
some places only thirty-two feet deep at
low water. After comforting with the
port authorities, it was decided 10 dredge
the channel to . minimum depth Of thirty
Ave feet 1t low water, just as Was done 1t
Belfast.
1t was also decided to iengthen, widen
and deepen the Trafalgar dry dock at
Southampton and to construct an open
wet dock or basin 400 feet wide and 1,7OO
feet long. All this was undertaken some
time ago, and is now in fair way toward
| completion.
Warehouses are to be built along the
quays, likewise four gigantic cranes to
facilitate the handling of cargoes. Forth
convenience Of passengers arriving or de-
parting by the Olympic, Titanic, and
Whatever successors they may have, the
London 4 Southampton Western railway
will run trains absolutely alongside the
vessels.
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BROOKSvILLE.
Gilman Chatto, Of Stonington, il in