The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1880-07-10
Correspondence Bohimore County rnion.
THAT DRY DOCK AGAIN.

M,.srs. Editor II must crave again m ii,,Is
space in the columns Of the USIoS. NY letter oI
last week on the above topic has caused n good
deal of fun to be pokcd at inc because I did no,
give description Of the dry dock for the benH, Of
your readers and some have in,inaied that the
champagne >" bccloudcd my mental faculties tina,
was not able 60 tell dry dock from n dry goods
box. Hut this l. u mistake. One reason or the
omission was did not want To- occupy too much
room IN the tSioN. and another was the dock had
already been described In all the city papers, Bu,
In order 10 show these doubters that We did ex.
anime the dock critically and Hits appurtenanee.
aud surroundings, I will. with your permission
McssTs. Editors. give description Of II which |
hope will be satisfactory TO all your readers.
In regard I" the champagne, would say by way
81 preface that although Il flowed so freely saw
but one gentleman who appeared 10 have taken
too much and be probably was not very ftcau
guest on occasions Of the kind aud consequently
had not learned I" adjust the brick In his hat with
that nicely which is necessary when u man wishe,
I" keep his head level. AZ for Smith and myself
We have learned hy experience 10 gauge our ga.
pariiics - accurately that We know exactly when
have enough
oar first sight Of the d'y dock made an uniaVor
able impir.siUn "n ns. We felt disposed 10 rail
1T the name ~ u misnnmcr. u humbng. u weak nj
tempt to divert the terms ct our language from,
their most plain aud obvious meaning. Why
there was nothing dry about u. II had water Ia
IL like any other dock aud u number 81 men were
dipping up buckets II water aud dashing II over
the upper tihbrrs to- tcmuVc any dryncss there
isht be- about them. We saw NJ reason " hy am
dock IN baltimore could not bc made - dry dock
by putting gate across the lower end aud
making Hight IL steps each side leading
down iht" Il. Here there vas n steam engine II
work ut the 80 called day deck which We were told
was pumping the water out. aud We saw soine
water running out Of something like a scNw be
eide u. hut at the same time the water was run.
ming ~ through three big holes IN the gate 81
that the pumping did not amount u much.
After expressing our views of the dock in sOinc
pretty sit"ng tcTtns W. went down to lock nj tho
gate. Here u new surprise was presented. ".
hal seen good many gatrs ia eur time hut such
gate ~ thu. hr,rr. Il booked like q canal beat
mair sharp at both end. Some one ia the crowd
called It "raisson." New We knew that VA. /.
fs-nrh word. a. w. bath learned French when >,
"'t" l-Ns. aud aid :" Smith thought u meant
- vehicle 81 some kind. lie pulled out his d,c.
u"naTy. which lac always carries lest lie should
IA With SOME words hc could not give the Engii,l,
81 and turning 1" the word caisson found Il o. b.
covered wagon or carriage" We saw the pro-
pt''i' "t Ealing al artillery wagon by such a
na'ur. but ~ 'Nprc-.,l our doubt. that ANY
ffcurhUian would call q canal boat 4 "raissnn. "
However. We went aboard the craft. aud seeing a
lh'chwhN ani ladder Nc descended to the lover
d"'k where vas some machinery that no one
lttr"ht t"uti ten the use 81. We Descended
other haichway IA this deck but soon found water
below. Either III" hole Wa. full the Graf, had nu
bottom. W. could not learn which. Muuniing
again {" thc upper deck Ne noticed a few rods ba
10" the entrance {" the dry dock row &c pile.
aui bulk head of heavy timber. smith obscr, ell
that lac 'AW very plainly shy Ne had not been per
miti-i g. see the operation "f getting vessel IA
I" the Try dock lie supposed the machinery for
lifting her "'cr that bulk head Wa no, vet ia
running Ter. This remark caused prodigiou
"utbufH OF laughter from certain fcllows in tarry
"Ncrhaul' ~ho stood by. one Of whom replied
why. man alive that ere bulk head. a. you call
It, ha' got To- be pulled cut Of there a vessel eau
Ice haulcl night into tie lock" Smith thanked
him for thc information ani ap"logiIcd for his
ignorance by sa!in. he lived up the country where
water va not particularly abundant aud that "a.
the reason Why HI knowledge of maritime affair.
VA 80 limited \. Ne TUNED g. leave Smith
informant remarked why. IL that amt preeiou,
pair 81 greene. you may shoot the This terini-
mattel our inspection II the dry dock.