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gestive newspapers paragraphs and magazine articles have had salutary 
effects; giving encouragement and wholesome advice to lumbermen and 
landowners, which have not been unheeded. The immediate or pros¬ 
pective value of any class of timber once demonstrated beyond reason¬ 
able doubt, that timber commands respectful attention from all parties 
interested in the lumber business. The many are naturally eager to 
avail themselves of the discoveries of the few. Attention is concen¬ 
trated upon the timber, and experience constantly brings to light some 
new quality or chance for utilization. It is unpleasant to constantly 
lecture the people upon their general neglect and inertness in regard to 
Pacific slope resources; but a good excuse is found in the practical de¬ 
velopment it is calculated to accelerate. As a dernier resort, then, 
there is justification in forcing local recognition of comparatively local 
resources. In this connection none can begrudge Messrs. Meiggs & 
Gawley, San Francisco lumber merchants, the meed of praise to which 
they are justly entitled. They have not only, in common with other 
lumber firms, erected saw-mills on the Puget Sound coast, but have 
taken a notable new departure by constructing, at Port Madison, (W.T.) 
the largest and handsomest specimen of marine architecture ever pro¬ 
duced from the resources of this coast. The vessel is alike a remark¬ 
able demonstration of the shipbuilding resources of Puget Sound, and 
a credit to the gentlemen whose energy and enterprise have carried this 
undertaking to completion during the unusual depression to which 
business has been subjected for the past two years. 
The material of which this ship (appropriately named Wildwood ) is 
built, merits special attention. No better material, either for strength 
or beauty, can be found in this or any other country. The timber — 
yellow fir—is all of native growth, taken from contiguous forests, and 
prepared at the Port Madison mills. For the purposes of marine con¬ 
struction, ample experiments have been made to test the relative 
strength of oak and yellow fir; and the decision accords to the latter 
superiority in all respects where weight or strain occurs to the hull of 
a vessel. According to trials made at the Mare Island navy-yard, the 
relative tenacity of the fir to oak is 27 to 22. When, therefore, we find 
a careful selection of the various pieces made from this prime lumber 
— larger by almost one-third than are usually found in vessels of cor¬ 
responding tonnage — with every joint closely fitted, and the multi¬ 
farious parts bolted and riveted in the securest manner, as is the case 
with this ship, we feel warranted in pronouncing her second to none 
ever built in any country. This is a bold statement, but the doubting 
reader can obtain satisfaction by personally inspecting the vessel. 
The model of the Wildwood is that of a full clipper, having 27/2 in¬ 
ches dead rise, with sharp ends, and calculated to rank among the fast 
sailers. Obtain a fair view and she is a paragon of beauty, her longi- 
tudinal curve of five feet lending grace to every line. Without any 
hesitancy, both landsmen and mariners pronounce her an elegant craft 
at sight. Her carrying capacity for general merchandise is about 1700 
tons; and for lumber 1,000,000 feet. Her dimensions are as follows! 
