New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1849-07-06

LAYING THs coR~ss coPiNo.s7oNs


Al noon. the Oilers Of tie DISK. a .,h Commo-
iore Isaac McHsEvsa. C3nna1 -aoi '' the Navy
+ Yard. went rou7d sal examined me various works
gong 90. driving piles, laying masonry. *.
with which al seemed mlch pleased. From
mssts sai ierricAs al lag sts.ls toe American
ems cu MAS f1.ternz n che refreshing breeze.
\ large coacolrse o. people. ladies' aad gentle
men. assembled AZ the D.cN. 4 team Of twelve
splendid horses drew Do the coping stone. which
weighed eight tons and which was 10 be laid
with a. the appropriate ceremonies.
". !. McALrivr ESQ. the Chef Engineer,
F laid the bed Of mortar snd requested C3mmo lore
n NsEvsR. IN the sbsenre of Commodore JosErs
SMITH. No was expected from Washingtla, -
f lay the corner copinsstone.
A, the request of C. nncdorc MchEEyEs. Rev.
NJ. FAKLEr. Unitarian C.srsym offered Up q
+ prayer
Ths Commodore then made a lew happy sad
eloquent remarks, after which the stone MAS
/ lowered by machinery aui A salute ~ seventeen
/ guns hrcd from the battery of the yard.
Gen. PRosPER NJ. WfrNoRE then followed ID
brief address. s.yiag history %. the progress G.,
the great WORK and particularly complimeutns the
skill and energy OF the present Enginee-. M.
/ McALPNE.
Tie company then ad alned TO lay The corer
lundatiou-st3ne OF the new engine house, fen
new building IN which tie engines arctic be placed
70 pump tie water from the daca. The buidiasis %
be 800 feet long 6y o0 feet wide aud three stories
high. aud IS % be bait OF cat granite.
here Commodore MeHEsvER made another
I .E.. al. 3
uorkmen OF the dock On the sobnety aud good
order o. the men. IL eas uuier Providence 70 be
a.tr 5uted to the absence Of intoxicstou that So
ew accidents mad happened during the pros iess
OF the work.
w believe that no intoxicating drinks are per
mitted 70 come into the yard iu any kind cd VS.
Sc. whstever, even DO human vessvl. Al rum
bottles animate and inaulmste, a.e excluded as
evil spirits. II IS remarkable that but few scci
dents have occurred, chiefly owing TO this fact.
In this connection Ne might say that the Com
maudant and Engineer Intend % invite Father
MATHEW to visit the Yard There are some
500 or 600 men employed on the Dock aud ia
the : ara, mostly Father Mathew couatry men.
Ia the corner stone Of the engine house were
deposited box containing American coins Of the
yeer, Including gold dollar. papers OF the day
'ames Of tie oGlcers Of the union of the Yard
Dock. Sc.
TIE Navy Yard band played some excellent
pieces u-ins the performances
The ladies' OF brooklyn. New York e.. turned
out in great beauty snd numbers o. witness the
ceremonies.
We subjoiu history OF this great work which
We have prepared specially for Ids Tribune from
the manuscript o.. a work which We understand
the Engineer. Mr. McALFISE. intends TO publish
shortly
The site for DRY DOCK AT NEw-YoRK was
examined in 1926, when the Docks at Norfolk and
Boston were commenced. After the completion
Of these Docks, la s33 the attention Of Congress
was called to the subject and in March, 1885, an
appropriation If 100000 was made.
In June following, Col LoAMW BALDwlN, the
Engineer who had constructed the other Docks sue
cessiuly made very favorable report on the ieasbi
nv u constructing a Dock nearly On the site Of The
present structure
In 80 end in 1893 three commissions were ap-
pointed by the Navy Department 10 examine various
locations tor the Dock Ia and the har10r oi New
York
In March lsil, Congress made another appropria
non OF $4,000, and ia the following August Edmund
H. CorRrrNAY was appointed Engineer. fie com
menced operations soon after. and continued until
August 1872 when. from the difficulty Of procuring
money the work was suspended until June, l-ii. at
which time Congress directed the resumption OF the
work and reapyropnsiei the unexpended balance
1922 1901. which had reverted 70 the Treasury
10 I-iJ however. the Depart nent directed W ? :
sANarR. tho Engineer II tie Bureau, 20 examine the
question or using the Croton water As an eleyarRg
power for the Drs Dock
10 August, lsi4, Gen. WM GisHs MCNEIL was sp.
pointed Chief Engineer, and the work was recon-
mcncedi in October Of that year
In Anarchists. Congress made another appropriation
OF $1,000 and the work WAS placed under the difec
ZION Of the Engineer Of the Bureau Mr. SANGER until
February. l-45 when Wsr J. NcALFrNE was appointed
Chief Engineer.
Congress las made the following additional appro-
n August 1asa., ls4s $4,000 In July. rs. $4,000
lp Mach l-47 - 275U0 10 March 4-i5 .-. $1,000
Making toe whole amount appropriated Tor the DOCK
and 10 sppurteI ances . bo3 go
The cost Of the whole "l PROBABLY De about one and
~. s,8ount which ha. been already xpended on the
work under the several Engineers, who have had the
charge OF IT, Is as follows
- q Bs-a ,soas 500 - By v, s'Hs'' .oos' 'ss :.
3D. e
B. nes-l. iif-fi = T.t........s -.5.s 10
10 addition 20 which contracts have been made Tor
the delivery OF ell OF the materials for completing the
work Including the engine house, and the large engine
and pumps tor the permanent drainage. and lie mas
1--WE iron gates These contracts amount % about
$4,000 The work done y each o! these gentlemen
NAV b. brady stated as iolows
IL CoL Balll-ta.-IE be preliminary surveys and 4
snninstions for the location o. the Dock
BIZ NJ C9areaag The arrtn cement u the pr--n
srv rlsn Ct rrs work toe construction u Nork.nnp-
TOOL. Sc and me commence lent " TIE corer dam
n. On McN.eI Maturing the plans. organizing ne
work extending TIE Golfer Jam. and removing tie x
csvs.iou q the level % the water
b. Bfr Scazv C ontiuulng the same work and
fredsiug he excavation below tn1 water
T-aasr VI Ma pm II ne corer dam ~as repaired
enlarged snd completed. The excavation ~ the pr "
deufh Of a. feef removed The foundation ~ pAes.
timber ami concrete aid down. and tne slp~fsif4el-fe
~ Masonry nearly completed Con'd-ra1.s progress
- 40 5n sde in TIE Construction % Tie df4niug
,-r- and 10 the erection O. me engine house and
he l.rse en gine and pumps and toe iron gates.
The plans Tor al Of when have been arranged aLa
The contracts HVen OUT
Having uentored the - gaeers ~ho have had charge
OF the construction VI this work . proper ~ add ~
names a The ocers q The Government "no have lad
ne particular direction o. -
The work was commenced 10 l-ilt VINE ne ave
Hon A P UPsHuz secretary o. tie Navy anh
Commodore EWls NAEEIsCroS ~es Ffe-l1-lt " N
Board VI Navy Commandment
-. flrrN NAsCN