The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1885-10-09
THE MICHIGAN.
Investigating the Cost OF Con
structiOn.
AN EXCESSIVE EXPENDITURES
The Reasons Given by the Boar1
of Investigation for the
Immense outlay.
An EXCESSIVE EXPENDITURES.
The aAIObican +"

United States steamer MOhicdn, and int
organization OF Mare Island Navy Yard
California. has been furnished for pub
LEGATION. Regarding the work OF con
struction the board finds that the
original M0hicdn was placed out OF com
mission at Mare Island Yard on the
18th of June. 1872, survey made OF the
vessel. and Sl85. 500 estimated as neceS-
Sary to repair her. No action was taken
upon the reports and estimates. he
board finds that by authority OF the
order signed by Naval Constructor, L.
Hanscom, chief of the Bureau OF Con-
Struction and Repairs, dated Septem Der
14th, 1872, the new vessel was called IN:
This and all subsequent orders and
references to the MOhicGn were lad
down from plans and specifications
entirely new, and differing IN almost
every respect from those Of the old
Mohican. The order by which the pres
ent Mohican was commenced was with
out any authority of law, or any legal
appropriation that the board could OIs-
cover, and was simply an order from
the Chief of the Bureau of Construction
and Repair, to the commandant OF Mare
Island Navy Yard. This order directs
the rebuilding of the Mohiean. while the
plans and specifications furnished from
| the bureau at the same time designed a
vessel differing from the original MOhi-
can, to the extent of being sixteen feet
/ longer, five feet more beam, four feet
] deeper and of different form, to be fur
nlShed with compound engines
and cylindrical boilers. This yes
sci was alluded to in the official cor
respOndence rs the new Mohicdn.
I'll IofA
in November 1872, and the framing was
commenced in January 1874 The funds
expended on the Mohicdn previous TO
February, 1885. were charged to the
appropriation for construction and
repairs" and that from 1872 up to 1881
was charged against the old and new
MObicQn, and were carried forward and
added together. Up to 1877 the total
amount charged in the construction
department against the MohicGn was
$172,691 During an interval of nearly
four wears ensuing nothing appeared
to have been done by the construction
department, towards completing the
Mohicdt. By an order from J. W.
Easily, chief of the bureau of construc-
ton and rep IIrs dated April 9th, 1881.
work was re ume1 in May 1881. In reply
u this order, the naval construction
made q report on June ID, 1881, to
the bureau. that upon resuming
work it was discovered that the
white oak filings were rotten and of
bad quality, and requested authority to
use live oak TO replace the same, which
was granted. The live oak timber used
in accordance with this order was
charged at $243 per cubic foot. The
work in the construction department
was carried on irregularly as to ex-
penditure from this time until the COM
pletion of the HohicGn IN 1885. The YES.
sci was launched on December 27th,
1883, at which time there had been ex
pended in construction SAT-, 635. The
total amount expended under the juris-
diction Of the bureau OF construction
and repairs was 1897 SOL. In regard tn
the alterations in the Mohicon the board
find the substitution of q new ship of
different proportions, new engines and
boilers of different type and that after
work on the MOhicGn as new ship had
commenced, the following charges were
made. Zone set Of boilers, partly con-
structed, were practically condemned,
and an entirely new set constructed.
The propeller was as well as closed; q
new deck frame was made in place OF
the original set; the keel was renewed
q
In regard to the necessity of the altera-
lions in the MohicGn, he board is OF
the opinion that as . new ship was un
der constitution all alterations were judi
Cious in the interest of government. II
is the opinion of the board that the
work on the MObicGn was done il
q workman like manner, and satiSfac-
tory, and that the material used vas ali
OF the very best quality. The board
finds that of the total amount ex
pended under cognizance of the
bureau of construction and re
pairs. S6l.0 was incurred for extra
work in taking out decayed timbers.
and in building roof over the hall
This all resulted from long exposure in
the stocks. The board 8 of the opinion
that the extravaganza methods pursued
by the bureau of construction and re.
pairs, in reference to the work prior to
1888. were mainly the cause of excessive
expenditures up to that time.
The repairs were made necessary bv
the changes of design, involving an ad-
ditOnal expenditure, the taking of the
ing new, and finally, after nearly all
the bad results from. exposure had been
incurred, it was detern ined to cover the
vessel with a roof. In the opinion of
the board the eXJravagant cost of the
Mohican in the department of construc-
ton and repairs is 10 be attributed to
the following causes: One-The high
price of labor, which was nearly 40 per
cent. greater than was paid to the same
class of labor in the New York navy
yard, amounting to more than $40 600.
TWo-1h high price of material, which
entered into the construction of the
ves> el. Three-To the alterations made
in obedience to an order from the pro-
per authorities. Four-To the inter.
mittent manner IN which the work was
conducted.
These enumerated causes were he
yond the control of any of the navy
yard authorities, and what were the in
fiuences which prompted the vacillatinr
action of the department in susnendine
and resuming work from time
to time, ss shown by the M.
pers submitted, the board cannot
4termine beyond the fact that there
was no legi innate appropriation to draw
up n to prosecute, and until the Fortv.
eighth Congress- appropriated$ $50 O00f3r
the completion of the Mokica7a fbara
was no law authorizing the Construction
of a new vessel of that name : The
! GARD is of the opinion that the fart
that the naval constructor, Geo w
Much, under whose administration the