The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-08-10
NEW CONTRACT LET.
Large Additional Expenditure
on the Dry Dock.
The WORK MEETS APPROVAL.
Mr.. Blackwell Brings News That work
Il TO Go Ahe.d-seariy $4,000. ooc
60 BE Ultimately spent.

]. Z. Blackwell, Of the firm of Byron
Barlow & Co, the contractors for the Port
Orchard dry dock, has Just returned from
Washington City, ana brings the welcome
news that an additional contract made
necessary by the change in plans has
been let TO his firm, aud that WORK Will
now go on with renewed vigor. While
the expenditure already provided for
reaches 500 GOO, Mr.. Blackwell says thai
three times that amoant will have been
spent tefore the naval station et For-
Orchard is fully equipped. lie sad last
night in an Interview with PosT-lNTEL~
LIsKNcEz reporter at the Northern hotel:
"a board OF engineers appointed by the
secretary of the navy, consisting OF T. =
Assersin. A q. Menocal and h. Z. PrIndle,
which some SIX weeks since visited the dry
dock, recommended a change in the line
Of the dock by the construction OF a SUD
concrete wall instead of sheet pIling near
the gateway Of the dock. That involved
change ia construction and necessary
agreement as to the price OF the proposed
alteration Mess.s Barlow. Dougan and
myself. who compose the firm of Byron
Barlow 4 Co. accordingly proceeded TO
Washington City.
THE board of engineers was reconvened
by the secretary of tho navy while We were
in Washington City, and considered the
matter of the modification Of the approach
10 the wing walls. which are really the be-
ginning of the key walls. This work being
really part of che dry dock, the secretary
of the navy considered that we were en-
titled to u. The res of this was that
supplemental contra { was made with the
government for about $50, 900 by the nrm
OF Byron Barlow 4 %.
al see that il has been stated by some
IL - -. . I'D
disapproved Of some OF the work done by
our firm. The board of engineers sent
here TO examine the work has thoroughly
indicated us. 1t was alleged that We
should have driven the piles By the water
Jet At the department our method OF
driving piles was approved OF. At the de-
partnent. too, we were complimented on
the progress We were making with the
work. IL was said that We were doing
quicker work than any other contractor
on q government dry dock. 1t was also
stated that We had better tools ana appli-
ances than any other contractor in any OF
the government dry docks.
I've will start the work on the dry dock
just as soon as possible. We expect TO
have 800 men at work inside of the next
ten days, and will finish the dock in six
teen months. The entire contract amounts
TO over 500, GOO.
I'VE visited the navy yards at Norfolk
and at Washington City. and from this
learned that there will have 10 be great
deal of work done before the dry dock here
is ready for operation. Why. it will
cost three times 500 900 before
the work is finished. Large ma
chine shops. barracks and other
buildings will have To be erected and when
they are finished there will be many
years work for hundreds of men. as 1t is
to be regular naval station. All this will
be of great help 10 Seattle, as We buy all
our supplies for the dry dock here.
Senator Squire and Congressman Doc
little did all they could for US, and at the
navy department as soon as matters had
been explained about the condition of the
dry dock we were shown the utmost con-
slderation. Our trip altogether was a most
pleasant one"