Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1895-11-22
THE TEXAS INJURED.
Cement Lining OF the Double Hull Is
Badly Cracked.

Badly Cracked
Washington, Nov. 14.-The battle
ship Texas has come to grief at the dry
dock at New York, and has sustained
injuries, the exact extent Of which is
not known at present. The ship went
into drydock about week ago to be
cleaned and painted, and to remove an
accumulation of seaweed which had
grown in the pipe gratings leading to
the circulating pumps. On the 18th
instant, Captain Glass reported to the
commandant of the navy yard that on
the regular weekly examination of the
vessel, made that day, frames 43 and
A, in compartment B, were found to
be distorted, apparently from the
straining of the ship on the keel blocks.
No other evidence of straining appear
ed, and an outside examination failed
to show any evidence of damage.
BY direction of Commandant Sicard,
Constructor Bowles made an examina-
tion. and on the 9th he reported that
the Texas was resting easily and sup
ported thoroughly in all respects. Still,
as measure of precaution, six feet of
water was let into the dock to tighten
the load on the keel blocks. On the
| l1th, further straining was reported,
and the dock was flooded then depth
of eleven feet. as far as the water could
be admitted without danger of disturb
ing the position of the Texas on the
blocks.
Commandant Sicard called for a de-
tailed account of the injuries, and, in
return received from the constructor a
report stating exactly and by number
the injured frames, and where they
were located. This report was trans
mitted to the navy department with
the statement that no delay in the
work then progressing on the ship
would ensue, and that the straining ap-
peared to be due to the weight of the
ship ON the keel blocks. The depart
ment was not altogether satisfied, and
has called for further particulars, re-
garding the report SO far made as pre-
liminary.
1t appears from these reports that
twenty-one of the bottom frames and
brackets unbuckled from a quarter of
an inch to an inch and half, while
the cement lining on the double bottom
is cracked in many places. Whether
it will be necessary to undertake to re-
pair these frames and remove the dents
in the bottom cannot be told until q
further examination can be made, and
to do this, it may be necessary to re-
move all the weight of the ship in or
der to draw off the water safely, other.
wise the strains might again become
excessive and irreparable injury follow.
In the absence of full details, which
must in the end be gathered by special
board. the department officials are moi
disposed to place the blame for the ac'
cident upon Constructor Bowles, a:
he has the reputation of being one ot
the best dockmen in the navy. In
stead, there is belief that the Texas wal
too lightly built to stand her owl
weight while in dock, and if thil
should be the case, it would require {
large sum and much time to strengthen
the hull. The vessel was built OF
plans purchased from England, and i
is said department officials were of thu
opinion from the first that they wer,
defective, in that too much strength
had been sacrificed in order to saw
weight and make the vessel float at tn
calculated displacement.