New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-01-16

inc specified time. from within his control.
DOCKS, Ii shall be optional With the Secretary 81
me navy. to declare the contrsc: forfeitel On tn"
r, AT this tim board composed of Captain lienrr
&aYa are Rex or and Of s
eSeoaeS in the T WoT ss dSSs' which have
The proposal Of Justine Mccarthy. Of Washington.
y. T.; Tor the construction of the drydock AT Port
Contract was awarded iT% to m FeSTuay 1877 The
CONSIDERATION was to be AlSsi5 g. There was a
$4,000 additional for widening the entrance OF the
COCK S making MCH5 g. in all The tine ao We,
months The site rendered in February. ls,l
The work began April p, 1891 and accordingly the
In June, 1893. weakness in the foundation was
discovered, due to hydrostatie pressure: and a
done The board suggested remedy: and recon-
mended a payment to the contractor OF about $4,000
fact that the plans those of the contractor him
self and the defect was the result Of fault In
had proper coffer-dam been built no damage-or
structure 'r" During the sa and tidal s wave OF
gust, 1888 but, on this account bin for the relief
OF the contractor was passed at the last session Of
Congress. by which he was awarded sls1G A. Dur.
ing all this time Captain Farquhsr Was the Chief
OF the Bureau OF Yards and Docks go
Mr. Mccarthy was not dock builder His bus-
ness had been that Of brick and stone mason
4 year ago last May his cofrer-dam gave way i, and
the dock was submerged for some weeks. When
the dam had been repaired ana the water rsmoved
the gale and tidal wave already spoken OF, de
docF to All part Mh of wafer d'" and
The dock IS sad 70 be faulty in construction
pete The oer OF the dock has been raised
and one-half inches 10y hydrostatic pressure The
surrounding the sirncinre When is intended to
make the dock as nearly water tight as possible
to py feet blow rra1e when said
that It's penetration should be at least thirty-eght
condemned by board APPOINTED by Secretary
Tracy for the purpose Of considering all plans sub
Witt cd Nofx ffafa ,1p
awarded the contract to Mr.. Mccarthy; as the
lowest bidder Expers say tha me rGrs Hoya, p5 s1f
Originally eons,rncted it Would with reasonable pre-
CAUTIONS have wthstood the tidal wave. They say
that the dock may develop serious defects, and that
the dock me plans for the dock were prepared
by Oe.man Won inertia. Of Washington. an employe
Of the Treasury Department, who is now suing Con
have elapsed since the contract time expired tx
tensions have been granted from time to time. but
the last extension terminated September q
The contract for the construction OF what s known
Wash. was let 10 Byron. BARLOW & Co. OF Tacoma
Wash. in October. 1892. The dock was to he a., g..
feet long and the consideration was to be Sisl. 49,,
The time allowed for the completion OF the WORK
was thirty-six months. and construction vas 10
possession OF the site. The site was rendered De
cember 1872 For enshenng the d zoo rem 70 9S
made and the time extended three and one-haif
for pumphouse walls strengthening -S stS s 90 S
$685.. making the total price for the Work 1919 o.
waa defec,ivs in that piles for 1t could be driven
to proper depth, A board was appointed TO visit
the dock and make report on the matter ne
board suggested remedy, and for carving IL on,
and for building wing walls The conrastoSs od
awarded about $1,000 bringing the cost OF the dock
Ths Puget Sound dock cannot be utilized for many
months No difficult engineering problems nave pre-
scented themselves during the construction ana u IS
cnmid have been completed in twenty-four months
byron. barlow & Co. never before bui.t liAnooh
They had some trouble with the Government on
account of the stone which they proposed 10 use
for the entrance of the dock They selected Isilho
b. used as it is too soft. Fault has been found Gun,
with the contractors. also for running noaf', me
houses and canteers. which their hanus were pre-
sumaby under obligations to paironnze ro,,v com
he Government is interesting on April ~ ls',.
bids A. 1 'S roe G< me and Noo Navy
The bidders were required to furnish ,hr d , on
The bids were opened on June % Of that year ~
Admiral Ghen Commodore, y r. harm9 py ME- mrl
but two bids one was from Corey, & 0Connelil,
Of Brooklyn Offering to consiruS, the NorSk dne
The other bid was from j. f simpson q CO: OF Of
Sots B Goo VINO ana %f' Norfolk for nsls
The plans OF the bidders were referred 70 n'afi
Whitney. The board rejected the plans Of coney
& O'Connell being Imperfect and lnsu'ic'ent; nha
he anc.pted Accordingly, both contracts we're
awarded TO simpson & 90. AS ,imeer drydoSss were
wa cSynsmmed in arranging the details OF the con
tracts so that 1t not until october - tha' 'h'y
executed.
Work was begun simultaneously on both locks
In November The Norfolk dock. after test mao
hv the board appointed for the purpose was hc-
ceptel by the Government twcnty-one months aitr'
work was begun. three months before the CON
time expired. .u a.,
While the work going on AZ Noriolk noou
occurred which submerged the dock ana 'h" "hlf.,
Navy Yard 10 a depth Of three feet above grhGe hhl
the completion OF the dock vas delayed al i"trt
two month"; Therefore. under ordinary cH'un
stances this dock would have been turned over 10
the Government In nineteen months. tlulcksdhh was
struck on the site 81 the brooklyn dock, wh!ch
necessitated extension q four months IN tni'
but the termination OF this period me dock was
delivered the Government. The diihcuiil"S j.
construction met with because OF the deposit OF
auckland increased Simpson & co.'s expenses ia
carving out work $4,000
J. r. Simpson e. Co the only bhners TOT
the timber drydock at the League Island navy
Yard at philadelphia, which "as the next one bult
This dock was Comol"ted within the twenty-four
months allowed under the contract.
A. chewing the consequences OF lnexper1ence III
dock building II may be related that some ten or
twelve years ago the construction Of "A timber Dry
dock was attempted at PORTLAND. ore. After an eN
nendIture OF s2f0GOn the dock abandoned. ana
has never been completed. The casson was built
in placa that Is, resting the sls, and. although
several attempts have been made. II has been FOUND
imnosslble 10 remove IT, and the structure remains
TO-DAY a costly ruin 1t IL stated. that when the
wa ter is pumped Of the dock the floor timD"rs
float II leaks like sieve and can never be