New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-11
TUESDAY,,
AUGUST II, 1895.
CLEARING UP WRECKAGE
THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE AT DHfs
DOCK NO. 2 NOT YET KNOWN.

A NEW CAIssoy. IT ~ THOUGHT WILL BE RI
oUIRED-woRK on DOCK NO TO BE RUSHED
All day long yesterday gang OF from the
Bureau OF Yards and Docks was at worh, en-
deavoring to get the wrecked casson OF Drydock
No 2 in an upright position. and clearing away
the scows plsnking and other wrcckase "nicn
noated into the dock with the giving away vi
the big gate on Saturday night. The joo ~
heavy one, and it will take fierce or the yaro
departments together with n number or divers
and employees who at work on the new TIM
Der dock No g. employed by r & A. Welsh. the
contractors some days 20 get things Strengthened
out 80 that the caisson can be replaced 10 "hae
extent It Is damaged is not definitely known, but
the opinion Is prevalent among the officials tnat
Il will require extensive repairs n not IN entirety
new structure TO allow the dock to be pumped
out.
Commodore Sicard expects TO receive the 70
ports from the heads OF the various bureaus In
terested within day CT two. and they VIII DO
forwarded 10 the Department In Washington with
out delay. A board OF Investigation. which VIII
probably be rnade up OF Captain Iigginson. cap
tain OF tho yard: chief Engineer a. G. MenocaL
Of the Department OF Yards and Docks Civil En-
gInee- L. S G. White Of the same department..
and chief Naval Constructor Francis T BowIes.
will begin the work OF determining the response
billy for and extent OF the accid' nj at once.
The only vessel OF the few remaining at the
the torpedo boat Ericsson and the rebuilding OF
her shattered bow will be begun In short time.
She in the hands OF the Bureau OF Steam
Engineering which was making some alterations
In her enginc-room. and IN" new work which
will be under the control OF Constructor Bowles.
will keep her In the yard until late IN the fall
The captains launch Is total wreck.
The officers at the yard are as usual, extremely
reticeni over the affair. ard d.sncned to dis
cuss the question OF responsibility The direct cause
OF the accident. however was the removal OF about
half the ballast used 10 keep the ctsson down This
tightening Of the weight on which work stoppe4
Saturday afternoon when the Tide wa- low. gave
the Incoming tide fnli swing and the lifting power
a slight leak The incr asinR pressure ~ water as the
tide rose lifted the gate stil higher and the
sufficiently high sweep the gate away and ~ the
wgter into the great cavity with rush. IL II not
thought that the Interior OF the do X - damaged save
by the possible wrenching away OF few Keel docks
along the central line and the d.ntng Of some or
the heavy tmbers Of the side and end walls by the
iung wreckage: The dock has been IN use ever
without accident. and al the vessels at present IN
commission In North Atlantic Squadron ana
several of those in foreign waters nave been noated
into ii. the latest one being The cruiser Raleigh
The accident Is Of great importance at the present
time in case OF trouble on any OF the large ves-
sells OF the feet they would have tie up and await
their turn In the Norfolk drydock which Is al pres
ent occupied by the Texas. work on which is being
rushed night and day and the stone dock IL not large
The work Of finishing the new dock. No s. VII pe
rushed 10 the utmost by the contractors. and II In
expected that some temporary arranserent VII pc
made the dredging can be conpleted py
which that dock may be used In case OF emergency
before the stone retaining walls are finished !.
Close estimates By the engineers place the cost OF
the repairs made necessary by the accident at $4,000
and IL not unlikely that before the bills are all paid
the figures will mount even higher.