The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1876-05-04
IMPROVED DOCK BUILDING.

The submarine construction of foundations for
bridge piers, dock wallis lighthouses, coast fortinca.
and the removal of channel distractions such as
rocks, wrecks &c, will be rendered. moro feasible and
less costly as improvements made in tho construc
ton Of Golfer dams. The latest effort that direction
is illustrated by the portable Golfer dam now ready
to be launched at the foot OF l06th street, Har-
lem River. 1t appears to answer all the
quircmcns of such structure and moreover suggests
asolution OF many engineering problems which have
presented themselves in other forms than those con-
nected with the construction OF submarine foundations
The subject important enough to be worth careful
investigation, because If the Golfer dam proves rs
useful Us It promises to be many millions OF dollars
may be saved on tho cost of government works and
by municipal ana private corporations
Tho object of Golfer dam Is to surround space
tie site of proposed work, with IN ,mpcrvisus wall
by which the be entirely excluded from tho
enclosure and the work OF excavation ana building
carried in the air instead of being present.
conducted under great pressure Of water Tho new
Golfer dam is formed by solidly framed wooden
walls, rectangular in section and built with fiat bot
tom and deck, vertical Sides and of any length rom
SO TO 200 feet keel like OF ship is attached to
he bottom Of each box wall which steadies il in tho
water when aaoat, renders 1t easy OF movement by
towing from point to point, and fixes 1t firmly on tho
bottom when 1t is sunk in position The box wall is
fifteen feet wide from out to out, and its vertical
sides thirtyhve feet high Two OF these wall boxes
caissons placed parallel to each other and
from thirty to forty feet apart form the
sides OF tho Golfer dam, tho onds being closed
by A gates. as in canal lock, tho salients point
Ing toward the direction OF the water pressure These
gates arc hinged on the outer sides Of the ends OF the
walls and make wateriight joint at the meeting OF
their leaves and az their abument against the ends OF
the walls by Of thick strips Of vulcanzed india
rubber attached vertically the fu depth of walls
and gates.
When needed for service the floating Golfer dam is
lowed &c its place and carefully moored IN position
over me sue o. she work care ociag taken that It Gun
tons. The hollow box side walls being aivdcd into
water-tight compartments, these gradually filled
with water by means OF suces arranged for that pur
pose and under the weight Of the water so admitted
the whole Golfer dam slowly but evenly settles down
into tho soft mud and stcadying tho whole
The water tight compartments then filed
TO the top by pumping, and this additional weight
tho soft stratum Of mud that usually forms
the bottom OF deep rivers cstarcs and bays In order
10 prevent under leakage and TO facilitate deep cxcava
ton within the enclosure there are fitted ia the insldcs
OF tho perpendicular walls and ends series OF guides
for heavy square piles, which hold the pile pcrpcndcu
larry and close up against the walls and so guiding its
downward motion into the deep mud in the same vcr,i-
cal plane as the wall face. 10 these piles are fitted
the piles, and whom driven downward into the mud
form continuation OF the wall depth sufficient TO
prevent leakage or disturbances OF the subslralum
when tho enclosed space Is pumped dry aud
excavatcd These operations beng completed,
steam pumps, capable of cxhausting tho
interior waters at the rate OF 10000 gallons
per minute, arc set in motion, and the enclosure Is
quickly pumped dry aud made ready Tor tho excava-
tors, pile drivers and masons who work in the air,
secure from danger bong protected by tho enclosing
wooden walls Whom the masonry or other work
reaches the level OF high water half tide
enclosure is again flooded, the piles with the shutter
attachments Withdrawn and the hollow walls pumped
clear Of water Then the Golfer dam IS again afost,
but II surrounds the WORK that constructed Within
the enclosure 1t is removed by Withdrawing tho bolts
that secure the joint OF the gate which then opened
and the Golfer dom is noated away, leaving the ma
sonry surrounded BY water. There Is scarcely din
Guilty connected with submarine building in OF,
say, thirty feet in DEPTH which the new Golfer dam
does not fully meet II properly applied and We must
regard ~ ono Of the most useful Inventions Of the
day.
fhe launch Of this novel construction viii take place
a. Harlem River and l00th street On Saturday, u
quarter past eight \ n.