New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-08-19
MORE WITNESSES TESTIFY.
MESSRS BOWLES. HIBBS AND IAN ON
TIE STAND.
DENT TO THE CAIsSON IN THE NAVY YARD


CONTINUATION or THE INQUIRY INTO THE ACCT
DENT TO THE cAIssoN IN THE NAVY YARD
THE cAIssoN RAISED
There was another meeting vesteld day Of the
committee appointed by the Assistant Secretary
of the Navy to inquire into the cause of the
accident to the caiss in drydock No. .. in the
Navy Yard The witnesses examined yester-
day were Naval Constructor Bowles and AS
sistant Constructors Hbbs and Fam. Mr. Hibbs
occupied the witness-chair the entire forenoon,
and was questioned at length by the Judge-Ad-
vocate Lieutenant Barnett Civil Engineer Nc
Kay. and Captain Longnecker. Mr. Hbbs. in
reply to questions by Lieutenant Barnett. gave
a series of answers in reference to the weight Of
the caisson and tie probable or possible dan
ger Of removing the ballast without making a
careful computation as to its weight. He said
there might he of sufficient experience 10
determine from inspection. without making a
formal computation. how much of the ballast
might with safety be removed but he regarded
such practice. except when confined to men of
large experience, extremely hazardous He
declined to express an opinion as to the prob
able cause of the accident, saying that that
could be better determined after the caisson
was out OF the water. which would be in few
hours. He did not know whether or not 1t was
due to the faulty construction OF the Caisson
of the dock He had 1iocked ships here for
the last two years and had not found anything
faulty in the construction of either.
When asked TO the accuracy OF his com
putations regarding the weight Of the caisson.
he replied that. in his experience such nSures
had varied only > per cent from the actual
weight. The weight &c figured out by him was
81 tons The weight as given by civil En-
sineer Menocai, from information WHICH ne Oh
tanned from the contractors was 1o4 tons
President Kantz here asked the witness what
the effect would be if the friction OF the rubber
gasket against the sides of the dock could be
entirely done away with.
why, the caisspn would jump ont Of the
water" said Mr.. Hbbs.
Then" continued the president. you wish 10
lie understood as saying that in all SUCH com
putations you have here presented. this CO.
efficient Of friction is always considered factor
in getting at the amount OF ballast necessary 10
hold the caissOn In proper position?
Il certainly do" replied Mr.. Hibbs.
In the afternoon Constructor Bowles, who had
been summoned from the country. was the prn-
cpal witness. He said he did not know what
the weight OF the caisson was, and when pressed
to give estimate Of its weight declined |" 90
so. lie admitted telling Mr.. Menocal that he
regarded it as safe TO take the ballast out and
make the necessary preparations to repair the
caisson while it in position across the
mouth Of the dock.
Constructor Fam was the last witness. and
he testified that although he knew nothing about
the weight Of the caisson or the amount or pal
last plus the coefIicicnt Of friction required TO
hold the caisson in place stu he had regarded
il as entirely safe to remove the ballast. ana
had so stated to Mr. MenOcal before the acct
dent This ended the testimony. and the COM
mittee adjourned until to-day at 10 a. m
Yesterday morning the caisson was pumped
ont and the torpedo-boat Ericsson was towed
into the dryGock To-day thorough eXafnlna-
ton of the hull of the former VIII he MADE IN
the hope of determining the cause or the accl-
dent 1t VIII require about ten days TO repair
the caisson when it will he put In position ana
the big dock pumped out for the purpose or
eettinr AT the wreck Of Commodore Sicards
Yacht which is in the dock. So far az
could be seen yesterday. the damage to the
caisson consists OF one large ana TWO small
holes in the hull.