Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-01-03
THE LEAGUE ISLAND YARD.
Facts and Figures Regarding Its His
tory and Cost.


The criticism by a naval officer, in a CONVEX
sstion with STAR reporter, Of the site OF the
League Island navy-yard, printed in one of the
issues of TIE STAR last week, has caused con-
siderable discussion among those whose tastes
or interests lead them TO a knowledge of affairs
at that and other yards and it would seem that
the officers remarks, which were rather derog-
atory of the site, were not exactly in accordance
with the facts. Representative Randalrs denial
of his statements printed in Mondays
SrA7, and to-day another Philadelphian, with
an extensive acquaintance with naval affairs,
entered his protest against the representations
made by the officer.
81 want to make a contradiction in toto OF
what that officer said so far as the expense of
League Island has been to the government.
The report of the commission. appointed in
1882, to value the sites and improvements,
together with the machinery and personal
property of the different navy-yards, which was
reported to Congress January l. 1884, shows
that League Island has not received the great
amount Of money he stated. At Mare Island.
referring to some notes on his desk, "the site
and improvements cost SS396.S93, and the
machinery, &C., S345, 100, making a total of
ss,742, O13. At New York the cost of site and
improvements was S12.O69.4O and that of the
machinery S622. 028. the total being S1263l .42S.
The site and improvements of the Norfolk
yard cost 1859 $50. the machinery S347. 06s,
the cost of the whole being SS.206. $50. Now at
League Island the site and improvements cost
S174l, 1856. the machinery. &C., S262. 701, making
a.total Of q 004 537. Il 600 900 of which was re-
ceived for the old navy-yard. which would
leave the entire cost of the present yard to the
government 81. 004. 537. When il is considered
that League Island covers nearly LOCO acres
Of ground the present plant has not cost any
thing in comparison with the other navy-yards.
THE MACHINERY AND TOOLS
at the League Island yard, which are all new
and modern. are worth within three-fourths as
much as those in the Norfolk and Mare Island
yards while at New York the value of the ma
chinery is only little over twice as much.
Therefore the statement that millions Of dollars
are put in League Island and nothing to show
for It will not stand.
vania geological survey state in their report
that the ground of League island is composed
of Chester county gravel, which has been cor
roborated by the recent borings for dry dock.
League island has existed as long as Philadel-
phia. II is on all the oldest maps. 1t origin
ally had four farms on the place, producing
everything that land would grow. 1t has only
been year ago since the chief constructor of
the navy was asked as to the necessary amount
to be expended in the different yards for tools
for building iron and steel ships. and the esti-
mates he returned were 100000 each for the
New York. Norfolk. and Mare Island yards, and
only $50 900 for the League Island. showing
that League Island is better prepared to-day to
build ships with the machinery and tools ON
hand than any other yard in the country
why should such statements be made by an
offcer?" asked the reporter.
1T is entirely a matter of prejudice against
League Island by officers of the navy, who
don't want to, or can't. advance one step in
their profession: and also by private ship
builders. who own dry docks in the city and
think that any work the government may do at
this yard will impair the effectiveness of their
force and detract from their profits as ship
builders. Every board that has been put upon
this yard to report upon its availability as a
steel and iron ship-building yard has been IA
vorable. not one minority report having been
made against it. Yet. in the face of all this,
there are some officers of the navy who hest
tate to recommend the expenditure of the
money appropriated for II. In the report of
the last board, which i see has been approved
by Secretary Whitney, il is stated that "A 49,
08S will make it first-class yard in every re-
spect. This amount, if expended upon League
Island, will make il a very superior yard. and it
would then cost but S6.439. CPS, or S1.767. 125
less than the cheapest yard the government