THE WEST SHORE.
181
THE OLYMPIAN AND ALASKAN.
THE growth of the inland commerce of Puget Sound
has certainly been remarkable. A few years ago
half a dozen small steamers and a few schooners did all
the paflfwnwr and fi-wanl, f offl.c cf the ttholo SoUiid,
while now seventy-eight steamers are profitably employed
in the local traffic of its harbors, bays and rivers. Pas
senger accommodations have always been of the most
inferior kind, and became last year totally inadequate,
giving rise to many discomforts and annoying delays.
To remedy thiB defect the Oregon Eailway & Navigation
Company contracted for the construction of two large
iron and steel side-wheel passenger steamers, such as
would place the traveling public of Puget Sound on an
equality with those of Long Island Sound or, the St
Lawrence. These two steamers, the Olympian and
Alaskan, have been completed, have made the long jour
ney around the Horn, a voyage of unusual magnitude for
Bide-wheel vessels to undertake, and are now in our
waters, the former, on the Sound and the latter in the
Willamette at this city. The Alaskan, which was built
by John Eoach & Son, of New York, is now being
thoroughly overhauled and fitted up internally. She is a
little larger and more powerful than her sister vessel, but
has not so handsome an interior. She is 280 feet long
and 75 feet wide over the guards. Her wheels have a
diameter of 36 feet and the shaft is 29 inches in thick-
The upper saloon is 240 feet long, 30 wide and 12
ness.
high, with a dome and ceiling. Seventy state rooms and
four family rooms, or bridal chambers, comprise her first
class accommodations. It is not announced yet whether
she will be at once put on the route between Tacoma and
Victoria, to run in connection with her consort, or
whether she will be put to another use during the tourist
season. i
The Olympian, of which we present engravings of
both the exterior and interior, has already taken her
pluce on the daily line between Tacoma and Victoria,
stopping at Seattle and other intermediate points, and
making close connection at Tacoma with the fast mail
from the East She was constructed by the Harlan &
Hollingsworth Company, of Wilmington, DeL, and oost
1260,000. She has accommodations for 250 first class
passengers, the Alaskan accommodating 300,
The Olympian is pronounced by the Nautical Gazette
to be " one of the finest steamers of her class ever con
structed for the western coast of the United States a
beauty in model a fine specimen of naval architecture,
and a vessel of ereat strength and lasting endurance."
Her length is 261.5 feet between perpendiculars, or 270
feet over all; length of beam, 40 feet; depth of hold, 10
feet: retristered tonnage, 1,416.60 tons; draft, when light,
8 feet and 2 inches. The vessel is constructed of iron
throuehout and is Dlated with the best steel, and has
been put together in a manner calculated to give her
great strength. The beams of the forward and after ends
of the boiler are of iron. alo one each in the forward and
after holds. The other beams and carlina throughout the
vessel are of the best yellow pine, with iron plate knees.
The motive power consists of one vertical surface con
densing working beam engine, 70-inoh cylinder and 12
eet stroke, fatted witn StevetiB' cut off, and calculated to
carry a working pressure of 45 pounds of Bteam.. In
iont of tue engine is a novel contrivance termed the
"Steam Engineer," being a small engine which Bete in
motion the large working engine, facilitating the ease and
rapidity of handling the vessel. There are two largo
boilers, a donkey boiler and pump to be UBod for fire
purposes, and an engine for generating the electricity
used in lighting the vesaoL She has oorapoBito-radial
paddle wheelB, with wooden buckets, 32 foot in diameter
and 11 feet 3 inches face.
Her interior fittings, passenger accommodations and
decorations are extremely convenient and elogant Her
saloons, cabins and state rooms are lighted by electricity
and heated by steam, and she is supplied with all the
modern appliances for safety and comfort The grand
saloon, which is divided into forward and after cabins by
the machinery, is about 200 feet in length. The furniture
is of massive mahogany, richly upholstered in crimson
plush, and the carpet is of the finest volvet-ftnishd
Wilton. Elogant electrio chandoliors depend from the
ceiling in each cabin, and numerous lamps are arranged
along the walls, all being plated witli nickeL Fifty state
rooms open into the grand saloon, each fitted with two
large berths, hair and spring mattresses, Cherry wash
stands, plate glass mirrors, eta Aft are four large family
rooms, with double mahogany bedsteads. From the
after, or ladies', cabin the grand stairway dosconds to the
lower deck and main gangway. The elegantly carved
stairway is of Spanish oodar and mahogany, and the
newel posts, each surmounted by electric lamps, are of
mahogany, with ebony trimmings. Opposite the foot of
the stairway is the dining room, which has Beating accom
modations for WO guests. The sideboard is large and
extremely handsome. The same goneral style charac
terizes the appointments of tho vessel throughout
The Olympian, with it crew of fifty inon, is under
the command of Captain Wilson, an experienced and
careful seaman, assisted by thoroughly competent men as
second offioers and engineers. With this elegant steamer
to bear him along, even the most phlegmatic traveler
must experience a thrill of pleasure as he posses through
the beautiful scenery of Pugot Sound
SUNSHINE AND BLEEP.
SLEEPLESS people and there are many in America
should court the sun. The very worst soporific is
laudanum, and the very best sunshine. Therefore it ii
very plain that poor sleepers should pass as many hours
as possible in the sunshine, and aa few as possible in the
shade. Many women are martyrs, and yet they do not
know it They wear veils, carry jmroHoU and do all
possible to keep off the potent influence which in intended
to give them strength and beauty and choerf ulnwts. The
women of America are pale and delicate; they may be
blooming and strong, anil the sunlight will be a potent
influence in this transformation.