Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-11-14

Decaying Property at the Navy Yard
ANNUAL REPORT OF THE CHIEF OF THE BU-
REAU OF YARDS AND DOCKS, NAVY DEPART
MENT.

Commodore n. B. Harmony, chief of the bu-
reau OF yards and DOCKS in his annual report
submits estimates from the commandments OF
The various navy yards, for the fiscal year end
ing June 80, 1877, aggregating $1,000, 69S
The amount to be expended upon yards and
stations, he says, will depend largely upon the
policy which Congress may decide upon with
regard to them. In order that the matter may
be fairly before it, he estimates for certain de-
sirable Improvements, in addition to the nee
essary expenditures for repairs nd preserva-
tom and "maintenance.''
The estimates of the bureau itself aggregate
bureau, Sill $50: general maintenance and
contingent, S34O,OO0; support of naval asylum,
S96,661; repairs and preservation, Ss0O,OOO
improvements at navy yards, 50, O6S, 1877; civil
establishment, S6S,7o9.
"The very limited appropriations made for
the care and maintenance of yards, the past
necessarily resulted in such condition OF de-
cay in buildings, docks and wharves, that in
order to put them in proper condition a liberal
appropriation is absolutely necessary under the
general heads of maintenance and re-
pairs and preservation more parti-
ticularly under the latter. Scarcely a week has
passed since assumed control of the bureau
that reports have not been received of build
ings tumbling down or liable to do so at any
involve the destruction of property, and in
rough weather preventing men from working;
WnarVeS rotten ana failing into the water; stone
dry docks having to be shored up with timber:
road and ways bro< zen in and in bad condition.;
wafer service defective Oh account of worn out
pipes, and a complaint Of decay that implies
general destruction. It surely mast APP
pear to Congress that vast estab-
lishments, such as our navy yards
are, cannot be kept in proper condition, avaiIa-
BILE for the needs of the country without suffi-
Gent means to repair wharves and buildings so
that they can be used at all times for the pur-
poses intended. Much has yet to be done in the
way OF improvement to make any of our yards
equal to the demands that may be made upon
them. The appropriations have generally been
well expended; but they have been so small
little could be done. Not less than
SsOO,OOO should be appropriated annually tor
the next three years to put the property in
good condition, and sincerely hope that this
amount may be given"
Under the heads of the different yards Com
modore Harmony gives his views OF such Of the
estimates AS seem to him deserving of particu-
lar notice.
WASHINGTON NAVY YARD.
The only Improvements recommended at the
Washington navy yard are new wing to the
machine shop, sos, 600, and the extension of
the yard wall, $21.711.
The estimates of tine. Norfolk, Va, yard for
Improvements recommended, amount to 81 :
$40, 16. "As this yard writes Commodore
Harmony, sis OF equal Importance TO any on
the Atlantic coast, the expenditure OF 4 large
that 1T may in all respects be put in u condition
for carrying on all kinds of works Of first-claSs
naval establishment" The bureau recommends
items OF the estimates aggregating $685., 500 as
essentially necessary, and in addition to the
estimates submitted by the commandant of the
ant the extension OF the present dry dock, for
which an approximation of $40 900 is needed