New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-04-27
TO OPEN THE NEW DRYDOCK.
PLANS FOR THE CEREMONY-OTHER NEWS
AT THE NAVY YARD.

|
The official invitations to the opening Of the dry
dock recently built at the Navy Yard for the Govern
mcnt are from finely engraved plates If the affair
were to be fashionable wedding instead of an official
gathering Of naval officials and others. The ccrc-
monies are to take place on May O. ana special tram
| from Washington. Baltimore and Philadelphia VIII
| bring large number of guests The donblc-turrced
monitor Puritan. which tested the simpson drydock Mt
| Newport News about year ago. IS to be the FIRST
vessel to enter this drydock after which there
will be elaborate luncheon But let not the carpcr
at once bring condemnation against tho Admnstr''-
ton for all this expense. for the contractor who built
| the dock will foot all the bills
This dock IS one OF the most interesting and
important pieces Of construction work at any OF the
Navy Yards for the need of increased docking facilities
at this yard has long been ground of criticism OF
| the officials whose duty II is to meet such need W.h
the exception Of the drydoch at the Portsmouth Navy
Yard, the Is the largest Government drydock
in the country. 1t Is 800 feet long. 1870 fcc wide at
the top 80 feet wide at the bottom with flares Of 10
feet on each side. and 30 IL feet deep IT. construc
| ton begun on November Il. 1887. and ii was to
be finished in two from THAI date but OWING to
unforeseen difficulties in the making Of good founda
| ton. due TO the quicksands. extension of four
| months time was granted. IL has cost T5'.OOO
The material OF which the dock is in the main CON
structed is yellow pine. the floor beams being u BY
| Is inches the end. Nearly four million feet OF
| timber OF various kinds, II II cStIiNdtu UANt D''n
used and average. 400 men have been employed
| on the structure. sometimes working both DAY ana
night One Of the greatest difficulties to contend with
encountered when the level Of the bottom ~ the
future dock was found to contain bed oil pHichsand
Piles and great sections Of the structure sank ont o
sight. and attempts at pumping out the water re'ul'"
| in drawing TO the surface enormous ouante' oi tho
slime the sand obstinaely refusing ~ be separated
| from the water.
At there danger that the sides and bottom
would become undermined by the removal OF the quick
sand. and all tia; had been done prove an absolute
| loss enormous system Of piling was devised to
give the dock firm resting place. sheet plns was
driven around the sides OF the entire dock. a. to
box it IN, and below its bottom piles were hammered
down Ia depth Of forty-ivc feet. nearly eighty
feet below the top Of the dock and there they struck
bedrock. These piles driven Mt intervals OF a
foot and half were hoorcd and trusscd. 20 rs to
make stron gly -braccd framework throughout. on
top Of this under flooring, and between it and the
floor beams proper. bed Of concrete five and half
feet thick. or more than twice the thickness usually
employed. was laid. on occasion IA seam In the
ground on side Of the dock. where the en-
CINE houso and pumping station are quickly widcncd
into an appreciate gap and there seemed danger
that the side Of the dock H. and that the
iimbers would slide by their own weight to the bot
tom In mass.
The site Of the dock was all made ground The
~ inc mouth OF the uo'k i lrfI nl-l,
- feet long lor the width Of The mouth Of the
dock the top, and "a feet acros, at the bottom.
There three centrifugal pumps for pumping the
water out Of the dock, which. it Is said. Will empty
the dock in less than hours The reason for
putting the Puritan in the dock the day Of the
opening T. to demonstrate the htnc,, Of the
for service. and special board Of
officers will be detailed 10 inspect and see the
ship dockcd and note the time required for the
operation. The work Of making entrance from
Wallabout Bay 10 the dock /, being carried on.
THE y RTH ATLANTIC SQUADRON.
The Ysntic. ono Of the vessels Of the North AZ
lantic Squadron. which went Santiago de Cuia with
the longitude correction expedition in November. Is
expected 10 arrive here any day. She left Key
West for New York April l.. and upon Ter arrival
here She will probably lie pat ont ~ commission and
repaired for another crise II she found be worth
II. The lanc has been drag upon
the squadron account Of the bad condition Of
her boilers. which have been unable 10 carry the
steam pressure give her the speed Of the other
vessels. She went to April TO- to engage In
tho with the other vessels Of the squad
ron. but broke down and returned 10 Key West the
following day. Just rs she dropped her anchor Dr..
Rufus II. McCarty. who sick with pneumonia.
died. He had received word only the day before
that ne hal fallen heir 10 $3.50 900. Dr. McCarty
vas attached 10 the ship when she had yellow fever
on board in The harbor of Port Prince in December.
lie received high commentator for his services on
that occasion lie had the ships hold brokcn out and
whcw ashcsi the bilges dsnfcctcd with carbolc acid.
and gave personal attention t. the ck bDih day aud
night
Tie Dolphin. Galena and Kearsarse Will arrive
few weeks later. hut before June !.
Although the Essex has been put into commission
shc has not Yet had her crew lodged on
board. but she Will have the necessary store.
and tomorrow her Ia leave the receiving
ship Vermont 20 take mp their quarters on board The
construction work Is yet finished. and yesterday
the rigging was being arranged. She is soon 10 be
coalcd. and 1, 10 have dock trial Of her engines TINS
week. probably Tuesday \ little work - still
being done on the Enterprise Tie boilers and
engines being looked over. although they arr IN
excellent condition. Is said that TIE oil Nantucket
which Is IN the dry dock being cleaned, j, 10 b. over
hauled. and is to receive modern armament. she
l. Of the low frccboard cla,s, with single tuTct
and It IS said that she /, to be used coast aud
Lnrbor defence vessel
WOEK ON OTHER VESSELS.
During the last week the forward turrct Of the
Miantonomah Ia, been put on board. and can now
be worked upon the after turrct has been for 80
long time. one of the new electrical machines i
being used on the after urrct drill hole, IN the
thick arinor plating. The work on Tie Alrm which
lies alongside the Mantonouah. /, being carried on.
and the deck which Is being built t. hold one Of th'
modern siA inCh rlcd guns J., powerfully biaccd
underneath The cores ior the Second mi 'rmcdltc
o Under for the engines Of the cruiser have cen
midc. put together. aud bsacud t. keep thrm from
dying apart b., the action of The bot metal. ana 10
morrow the cylinder 1, I" br cast IN the foundry:
Tine COwlc, boiler, which /, In another part 81 tlc
foundry was running Yesterday ana the morse 81 tc
steam escaping from the waste ppc corld bc hcirl
many blocks away. The boiler la~ been uit'd WITH
air tight asl.pln. and yesterday AT forced
drauFht with pressure Of blul Two iu'hc~' ana
burning dfty four pounds OF special coal t. the square
foot per hour. Mr. COwcs himself. having nearly
Official trial not made.
THE NEW CRUISER BALTIMORE.
The arrival ~ the Navy Yard within the next few
weeks Of the cruiser Baltimore viii ohcr an at |
traction visitors which they have not had Tor scv
cral months certainly not since the squadron OF EVo
nti0n sailed last fall She lft Norfolk for sea |
trial Thursday, and Is to 20 t. Baltimore on May |
10. There j. a united movement there 10 honor the |
visit the cruiser, and hnal arrangements arc To bo