The morning call., 1895-02-21
BAD WORK AT MARE ISLAND
ALLEGATIONS CONCERNING THE
REPAIRS TO THE CRUISER
BOSTON.
GROSS INEFFICIENCY SAID TO BE
RESPONSIBLE FOR
THIS.

VALLEJO, Feb. 24.-The cruiser Boston,
which has been undergoing extensive re-
pairs at the navy-yard for several months
past, is now said owing to alleged gross
inefficiency, to have been subjected to
botch work of the worst order. 1t is
great pity that this ship, which is one of
the finest of her class in the navy, should
be allowed to go to sea in her present con-
dition. Her deck was laid without any
provision having been made for leveling
the gun tracks, the result being that the
deck is cut away to a thickness of two
inches under ithe gun tracks, where it
should be the thickest and strongest It
was cut away so much that it had to be re-
calked and the bolts had to be taken out
and reset, which now leaves thickness of
only about one inch under the bolt-heads
to hold the planks down, instead of three
inches at least. During this work some
six or eight hundred pounds of bolts were
spoiled on account of incorrect measure
ments having been taken.
More botch work has been discovered on
the Monadnock. All of the corners of the
hammock rail are literally spoiled, and
the work is still going on. Eventually it
will have to be taken off and renewed.
The sockets for the awning stanchions were
let in so deep that they had to be Skinned
up with canvas in order to bring them
above the level of the covering board.
The cruiser Olympia had hardly got
fairly at the yard before it was found that
the steel figures on the sides of the vessel
were improperly placed and they had to
be taken off and replaced, and even now
many have great doubts as to their cor
rectness.
The fact is things have not been going
smoothly in the shipwright's department
at the yard for long time. During one of
Supervisor McGettigan's official decapitat-
ing trips to Washington about year ago
great flourish of trumpets was made be-
cause he had succeeded in "bagging" the
official head of Foreman Shipwright Ma
than G.. Hilton, one of the oldest residents
of Vallejo, thorough mechanic and per-
sonal friend of the chief naval constructor
of the navy. 1t was accomplished not by
reason of charges of inefficiency or insub-
ordination, but on account of Hilton's ad-
vanced age. McGettigan's persuasive pow
ers and peculiar line of argument touched
the Secretary of the Navy in the right spot
evidently, for. after McGettigan had in
formed him that in addition to his age
he was partisan" on the other side of
the house, he Immediately ordered the
veteran discharged, and a new examina-
ton was ordered to fill the vacancy.
On March 21, 1894, an examination was
called for the position of foreman ship
wright in the construction and repair de-
partment of the navy-yard. There were
five applicants for the position, and they
all presented themselves before the board
of examiners. The applicants were: w. O.
Smith, Alexander Mcdonald, William
Kelly, NJ. F. Gibbons and w. Trebell.
After thorough examination, which in
Justice to all concerned, it must be con-
ceded was purely non-partisan, the board
recommended the latter for the position,
and he received the appointment in April,
/ 1894.
Why Trebell was recommended many
have wondered, as they could not see in
| his choice the one best suited for the place,
| for they claim that Trebell had never had
charge of gang of men. AT one time he
| was sailor, and again shipped as a car
penter But surprises with reference to
the actions of men connected with the
navy have always been the rule.