The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-02-19
Work Being Pushed at the
Navy-Yard.
What Has Been Done on the Alert.
The Monadnock Being Pushed
to Compietion-Notes.
Correspondence OF THE MORNING CALL

OF construction and repair and steam engin-
eering as it seldom if ever has been before
The equipment and ordnance departments
are also working with vigOr. The occa-
sion of this rush is an imperative order
from the Secretary of the Navy TO have
the Alert ready for service by the first of
! April and the pressure being brought to
bear on the Monadnock. it being the de-
sire of the Navy Department to finish this
monitor this year. She is again in dry
dock. The presence oil the Boston, whose
pOnderous and oddly contriyed machinery
is undergoing repairs, adds to the general
hustle. Every particle of machinery was
removed from the Alert and repaired.
| The cylinders and frames have been re-
turned to the ship and lined up prepara-
tory to drilling the new sealing for holding
down bolts. In the courtyard surrounded
by the steam engineering buildings her
old-fashioned condenser is being packed.
the tubes having been cleaned and timed.
In the boiler-shop the new boilers, two in
numb er, are being fitted up with uptake
boiler mountings and covering, and will be
lowered IN the ship as soon as the seatings
are ready. The boiler-rOom is to be
radically different. as two boilers are to be
used In place of the four old ones dis
carded. aud will sit fore and aft instead of
athwart ships, as the old ones did. The
two boilers TO be used were originally
built for the MonadnOck.
The repairs under the direction of Chief
Engineer George I. kutZ. u. 5. N, are be-
Ing made very thoroughly indeed and i'm
provements introduced where experience
| has shown il advisable. In order to COM
plete this work by April 1 night force
will have to be put on, but as yet no over
| time has been made.
On the MonadnOck all is hustle and en-
ergy large forcs of men are engaged
on the hull OF the vessel, some of them in
placing those immense steel plates that
form protecting belt around the sides of
this formidable ship-Of-war. In the en-
gine-rOoms workmen are busiiy engaged
IN setting the engines aud shafting, all of
the machinery now being on board with
The exception OF few minor parts that
can be easily handled.
The cylinders were put in the vessel in
advance of their being tested in order not
tn delay the work of the construction de-
| partment They are now being tested by
hydr0static pressure. These tests are very
severe. a pressure Of equal to one and a
| half times the working pressure Q60
pounds in the boilers) being put upon all
parts. 1t is seldom that full set of cylin-
| ders stand these. tests without some parts
having to be renewed on account of leaks
| i'm perfectiOns IN castings or faulty deSgu
that could not be discovered during their
manufacture. During the course OF the
construction of the cylinders for the
| MUnadnock every effort has been nut
| forth to make them as perfect as possible,
and it Is hoped that when the test is
! through with they will come up to all the
requirements. Outside the shop door of the
steam engineering department is to be
seen the poBdercus crank shaft of the
| cruiser Boston, weighing about seventeen
| tons, which Is to be put In the lathe and
have its journals turned. Inside the shop
are seen the main brasses for this shaft,
each halt Weighing about 700 pounds, on
which workmen are engaged preparing
| them for the white metal. In The same
| shop are the long brass sleeves lined with
| lIgnum vitae, which are to be PIT in the
struts OF the Monadnock to support the
weight of the propeller and outer end of
| the tail shaft.
The circulating pumps are approaching
| completion and when finished will be put
in place on board the monitor, their office
being 10 supply the condensers with cold
water for cooling the condenslng surfaces
| OF the tubes in the great cOndensers into
which the steam, what little is left of il, is
exhausted after having performed its
work In three cylinders successively. 1t
| was one OF these cylinders striking against
him that caused the death, week ago, of
j. w. Geering, who had charge O putting
them in place. The mechanics at the
|
at all times to aid their more unfortun ate
! fellow lab0rers or their families. A day
or two after the shocking death Of Mr.
GeeriDg subscription list was passed
| around, ard before it is done with the sum
will reach above $500 for the widow. who
at present lies sick in bed with little in
FAINT. born the day her husband was buried
A curious but simple machine is being
constructed and is about completed at the
yard Tor testing oil by friction. 1t is de-
signed TO submit the journal to pressure
OF go pounds TO the square inch OF pro-
Jected area and record the friction and
temperature OF the journal during the test.
Until quite recently the facilities for test
ing oils have been confined to the labora-
tory. 1t is hoped by means of the new
machine to be able to test oils under con-
| dtions that prevail on board ship, and
thus ascertain the actual wearing values of
the oils.
A large force of bOiler-makers are work
lag on the Boston. renewing stay bolts and
making other repairs needed on the eight
large boilers she carries. Attempts were
made Friday to float her down to the berth
formerly occupied by the Monadnock, but
the wind and tide being too strong the
hawser parted. and had II not been for the
promptuess of Commander Glass, captain
OF the yard, in ordering the anchor to be
dropped some damage would have ensued
There is no tug at the Mare Island yard
| cdpaOle Oh DaDQllng large vessels, and
some day the Government Will, it is feared
see the folly OF Withholding an appro pria-
tion for either building or purchasing a
tug capable of performing the work re-
qhire0. Had the Boston drifted down on
the Alert in the brief space of moment
damage enough would have followed to
build steel tug.
The general storekeeper, Paymaster
Bacon. is up TO his eyes in work. Large
shipments of stores are being made each
week either for China, Honolulu or
Alaska. Stores are also being laid out for
the Boston, Alert aud Olympia, besides
what is daily required for the Monterey.
Independence aud ships on the home sta
1 ton. 1t keeps his small force of EN- ployes
busy at all times. A number of lady tyne
writers are now employed in the various
| offices at the yard. 1t is said their pres
ence in the departments has a refining
Influence about the premises.
Now that the city has an abundant sum-
ply of good, pure. clean and wholesome
water coming from Green Valley Falls.
fourteen miles distant. il would be wise
and beneficial act on the part OF the naval
authorities, either here or at Washington.
10 take Immediate steps, or as soon of the
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